Hawkeyes dominate No. 5 Michigan State

IOWA CITY - This was an Iowa team with an agenda.

This was a team playing like it had places to go and Big Ten teams to beat and national statements to make.

Done, done and done.

The reins were off a team that left constipated after a bitter one-point loss to Wisconsin last week at Kinnick Stadium. For proof, just go to Tyler Sash's interception and lateral to Micah Hyde.

Maybe that doesn't happen last week. This week, the Hawkeyes had no margin for error and played like it had nothing to lose.

And it didn't.

The No. 18 Hawkeyes drilled No. 5 Michigan State, 37-6, before 70,585 Saturday at Kinnick. It was Iowa's largest margin of victory over MSU since a 41-0 win in 1980. The margin also was Iowa's largest over a top 10 opponent since winning at No. 8 Michigan, 34-9, in 2002.

On Halloween eve, the Hawkeyes (6-2, 3-1 Big Ten) dressed as football players and played like it. Michigan State (8-1, 4-1) dressed like football players and played like zombies.

“When things start to snowball on you, it's hard to stop it,” Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. “That's what I think we ran into.”

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Zombies, snowballs, either way. Before the Spartans took their first meaningful drink of Gatorade on Saturday, the Hawkeyes were up 7-0, taking the game's first possession 80 yards. Before their eye black was smudged, Iowa was up 10-0 after Mike Meyer's 37-yard field goal on Iowa's next drive.

Before Michigan State coaches knew their headphones were on, Iowa went up 17-0 on Sash's interception and then point guard dish to Hyde, who returned it 66 yards before banking it off the pylon for six.

“No, I don't know what my career high for assists was,” said Sash, an all-state basketball player at Oskaloosa High School. “But that's what that basically was. It's like a point guard taking a 40 footer. You miss and you're in trouble. You hit and the coach is happy.”

The snowball settled on the Spartans' chest and took all the life out of them on quarterback Ricky Stanzi's 22-yard TD pass to wide receiver Marvin McNutt.

With 7:35 left in the third quarter, Iowa led 37-0.

“That felt pretty good,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Someone asked if you saw that coming. You never see that coming, especially against a good team like this.”

And before you ask.

“No, I didn't see this coming,” Dantonio said.

It came and now the Big Ten is up for grabs.

By the time it's over tonight, Iowa (3-1), Wisconsin (3-1), Michigan State (4-1) and Ohio State (4-1) could be locked into some sort of first-place pile. With four weeks left, the Rose Bowl is out for the taking.

Iowa travels to Indiana (4-4, 0-4) next weekend.

“If someone wants to create that buzz, they can go ahead,” said Stanzi, who completed 11 of 15 for 190 yards and three TDs. “This wasn't a statement. We never thought that, even after last week. We're one-game-at-a-time.”

If the Halloween metaphor still stands, the Iowa defense dressed in a “Jason” deal from the “Friday the 13th” series. All 11 of them seemed to be in hockey masks and carrying machetes.

Michigan State countered with zombie.

The Hawkeyes held Michigan State to season lows in rushing (31), total offense (258) and points (6).

This came directly after the Hawkeyes gave up 59 points in the last two weeks. Against Wisconsin last week, the Hawkeyes defense managed just two legit three-and-outs. Saturday, the Hawkeyes squeezed six out of the Spartans.

“We just went back to the basics,” senior defensive end Adrian Clayborn said. “We went to practice and made it count, which I think we got away from. I think this week we focused on each practice and each drill and really got after it.”

Iowa's defense did this with coordinator Norm Parker back in the pressbox. Parker, 69, has been away from the game since having his right foot amputated due to diabetic complications in late September. He chirped in a few observations, but kept his distance.

Iowa's defense did this with true freshman James Morris making his first career start at middle linebacker. Redshirt freshman Shane DiBona started the game on the weakside. Outside linebacker Tyler Nielsen left the game in the fourth quarter and was replaced by fifth-year senior walk-on Ross Petersen.

“They're talented but they don't have a lot of game experience,” defensive lineman Christian Ballard said. “We had to get up there and keep blockers off these guys and free them free to make plays.”

This was an Iowa team that was free to make plays Saturday. This is an Iowa team with an agenda. Again.

Quick Stats

• Passing: Ricky Stanzi 11 of 15, 190 yards, 3 touchdowns
• Rushing: Adam Robinson 20 carries, 69 yards, 1 touchdowns
• Receiving: Allen Reisner, 4 receptions, 36 yards
• Tackles: Shaun Prater, 10 total tackles, 1 interception return for touchdown

Three Quick Notes

• With the win over Michigan State Iowa (6-2, 3-1) is bowl eligible for the 10th straight season.
• The victory is Iowa's first over a team ranked in the top five in the nation since a 21-10 win at fourth-ranked Penn State in 2009.
• The margin of victory is Iowa's largest over a team ranked in the top 10 since a 34-9 win at eighth-ranked Michigan (10/26/02).

Photos

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