Hlas: Hawkeye seniors had their day, and what a day it was

IOWA CITY — So now Iowa is a Minnesota fan for a day, hoping the two-touchdown underdog Gophers defy every expectation Saturday by winning at Wisconsin and carving the Big Ten West title into four slices, including one for the Hawkeyes.

Unlikely? Oh, yeah. Highly. But why not believe in the possibility after what the Hawkeyes have delivered the last three weeks?

Highly unlikely was the Hawkeyes going from a Nov. 5 devastation at Penn State to a 3-game win streak that includes two wins over ranked teams.

The numerical story of Iowa's 2016 season is eight wins and four losses, 6-3 in Big Ten play. But the story-story is the Hawkeyes didn't cave after that 41-14 disaster at Penn State. Instead, they did the opposite.

And, the story atop the story-story is how many Hawkeye seniors had big senior moments on Senior Day when their team played its best all-around conference game of the season and buried Nebraska Friday at Kinnick Stadium, 40-10.

Pick a senior, any senior. Receiver Riley McCarron? A 77-yard touchdown catch and a 29-yard punt return. Running back LeShun Daniels? A 56-yard run that set up his ninth touchdown of the year, and a 158-yard rushing day.

'I feel pretty good,' Daniels said after praising and thanking about everyone connected to Iowa's program. 'I've given it my all. ... I feel like I left it all on the field.'

Safety Anthony Gair? A third-straight solid, sound start as a replacement for injured Miles Taylor. Punter Ron Coluzzi? More great stuff, including back-to-back pinning punts of over 50 yards that forced the Huskers to start at their 10-yard line.

Defensive tackles Jaleel Johnson and Faith Ekakitie? A win against Nebraska's offensive line, a clear and decisive win.

'When things got rough, we didn't hang our heads,' said Johnson, who has been sensational these last few games. 'We also showed what we're all about here at Iowa.'

Quarterback C.J. Beathard and cornerback Desmond King? They provided one last home-field example of their excellence that did so much for this program. They led the Hawkeyes to the Rose Bowl and helped restore pride in Hawkeye football around here.

'We got knocked in the mouth at Penn State,' said Beathard, who threw three touchdown passes in his home farewell. 'We came back and battled the tough road ahead of us.'

Tight end George Kittle, he of the foot injury that kept him from playing much over the last month? He played. Oh, he played. Two touchdown catches, followed by reactions that made him look like the happiest person in a stadium containing a lot of happy people.

Kittle used just one arm in hoisting the Heroes Trophy after the game. He was a 250-pound mass of adrenaline and joy.

'It was just a great time,' Kittle said. 'Our offensive line played their asses off. ... Our defense played out of their minds.

'I felt like we couldn't get stopped. It's really fun to be able to do that.'

This wasn't a plucky performance by the Hawkeyes, a game won with a little smoke, a few mirrors, and a fortuitous bounce or two. This was the kind of beatdown the Huskers administered on a weekly basis back in the late 20th Century, memories that continue to fade in Nebraska without modern-day replicas to replace them.

This was Iowa's offense shedding and shredding all its cares and worries, not to mention entering the game 121st nationally in yards per game. The Hawkeyes owned the Huskers' defense.

'We did a lot of really good things,' Kittle said. 'We stacked one good play after another.'

That hadn't been Iowa 2016, but it sure was in the home finale. The offense was dominant. The defense was dominant. The special teams were dominant.

This season wasn't last season for the Hawkeyes. Few seasons are like that for anybody. What-ifs about this season's won-lost ledger will always linger.

But the last three weeks? Simply great.