Iowa 24, Wyoming 3 — Defense leads the way

IOWA CITY — When a punter misses the ball, well, you know it's just not your day.

So much planning goes into the game of football. Everything down to the steps the players take is coached, vetted and filmed for yet more coaching and vetting.

Still, things like the punter missing the ball happen.

When freshman punter Tim Zaleski barely grazed a punt late in the second quarter, it opened the door for the Hawkeyes (1-0). Officially, this went down as a minus-5-yard punt. Unofficially, it sank the Cowboys (0-1).

Sophomore quarterback Nate Stanley threw three touchdown passes — two going to tight end Noah Fant — and Iowa's defense muffled Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen in the Hawkeyes' 24-3 victory before 68,075 fans Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

'I really don't (know what happened). I'm going to support Tim. As you know, they're student-athletes,' Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl said. 'It looked like the ball just got bobbled before he was going to punt it.'

Stanley had bobbles of his own, but at the end of the first half, coming off the failed punt, he needed only one play. He threw a perfect touch pass to Fant on a seam route for a 27-yard TD and a 14-3 halftime lead.

'It was just an overall good play call and good play concept,' Fant said. 'Great stuff.'

Next fall, you might draft Allen for your fantasy football team. Iowa linebacker Josey Jewell was the No. 1 overall fantasy pick in this thing.

The senior was on a mission. The back story here is that Bohl made North Dakota State the pre-eminent power in FCS. North Dakota State came into Kinnick last season and pounded Iowa. The Bison left hoove marks on Iowa's defense. Jewell hated last year's result. With the Cowboys sharing a lot of football DNA with NDSU, he was hyper aware and all over the field.

Literally all over the field. Check the intentional grounding Jewell forced out of Allen, which helped force the punt that never was.

'We watched that game (NDSU), we watched certain plays out of that game everyday pretty much,' Jewell said. 'I think that motivated us, I think it motivated us to watch more tape. Look at the tape, understand it, understand how to stop them and get better.'

Jewell finished with 14 tackles, 2.0 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. He also broke up a pass.

'He's a pretty good player, maybe some of those guys (younger defensive players) were watching him, too, I've encouraged them to,' Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. 'He's got something about him, with the tempo he plays at.'

The Hawkeyes' front seven was dominant, holding Wyoming to just 59 rushing yards (lowest output since 29 yards against North Dakota in 2015) and 233 yards of total offense. Allen completed 23 of 40 for 174 yards and two interceptions, his worst yardage total in seven games (149 yards vs. Nevada last season).

Iowa's defense got plays out of almost everyone. Linebacker Ben Niemann had 13 tackles, a half tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a QB hurry. You hardly heard Michael Ojemudia's name. He started for the suspended Manny Rugamba (back next week). Corner Josh Jackson had an interception in his first start. Junior safety Jake Gervase had a tackle for loss on a fourth down and broke up a pass early that would've gone for a 20-plus gain.

'Felt good, got the jitters out of the way and we executed our game plan the rest of the day,' Gervase said.

It wasn't quite that easy for Stanley.

In the first quarter, the sophomore was 0-for-4 with an interception. That's a QB rating of minus-50. After the first quarter, Stanley completed 8 of 11 for 125 yards and three TDs, with a 2-yarder to Fant on a fourth down that finally put Iowa on the board with 5 minutes left in the second quarter. He finished with a passer rating of 176.

Stanley had an interception off a tipped pass and two fumbles, including one where he changed the play and then turned to hand off to no one. He might've tripped down the runway, but he stuck the landing.

'The whole team responded to the bumps, but I thought he did, too,' Ferentz said. 'He didn't get rattled. I'm sure he was internally, but he stayed strong and stayed steady. Some of those throws he made were impressive.'

Stanley calmly hit Fant for the 2-yarder on a fourth-and-goal from Wyoming's 2. He put touch on the 27-yarder to Fant and put the ball where only wide receiver Nick Easley could get it on a 45-yard TD in the third quarter.

'I feel like I'm kind of a perfectionist,' Stanley said. 'I'm a little upset with some stuff that went on with the ball security, but my teammates picked me up and had my back the whole game. The defense did a great job stopping them on short fields.'

Iowa's running game was affected by injuries on the O-line. Senior running back Akrum Wadley did manage 116 yards on 24 carries (second most of his career).

Junior center James Daniels sat out with a minor knee injury. Ferentz expects him back for Iowa State next week. Senior Boone Myers has fought an ankle injury all camp. He moved to guard and redshirt freshman Alaric Jackson made his first start at left tackle.

You know how Kirk Ferentz is about center. Yes, he was worried about QB-center exchanges. You say he doesn't take risks? Well, Keegan Render learned Friday night that he was starting center.

The last time Render snapped a ball in a game? The 2013 Shrine Bowl. How about in college? He hadn't snapped a ball until this month.

'It's been awhile,' Render said.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com