Upon further review, December to remember

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Down to a replay.

It was fourth-and-6 with 2:15 left in the fourth quarter. Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert and his record-setting night threw a fourth-and-6 pass to record-setting wide receiver T.J. Moe.

Wait . . . Wait . . . Wait.

The replay showed on the Sun Devil Stadium big screen. The Missouri sideline threw its collective arms in the air. First down at Iowa's 33.

Wait . . . Wait . . . Wait.

"Upon further review . . . " Mid-American Confernce official Tom McCabe said. " . . . the play was ruled an imcompletion."

Iowa ball, Iowa game, Iowa's sweet, sweet headline in the Arizona desert.

Flash and smash. Iowa turned around the world's worst December and claimed the Insight Bowl trophy, 27-24, over No. 12 Missouri before a bowl record crowd of 53,453. 

Freshman running back Marcus Coker hammered away at the Missouri defense 33 times for 219 yards and two TDs and sophomore cornerback Micah Hyde returned an interception 72 yards for a TD with 5:32 left in the game.

Upon further review, the Hawkeyes (8-5) are bowl champions, winning their third straight postseason game and bringing football very much back into the Iowa conversation.

"It wasn't me who changed the momentum," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said when asked about the switch that flipped on Hyde's interception. "It was the players. All the credit goes to them."

Coker's numbers were all Iowa bowl records. He had 113 yards and a 62-yard TD run in the first half.

Coker was the starter only because sophomore Adam Robinson was suspended for the Insight Bowl because of team violations. Robinson was cited for marijuana possession Monday night in Des Moines. Iowa athletics director Gary Barta issued a statement Tuesday afternoon.

The Hawkeyes issued their statement Tuesday night.

"It was just a great effort by our players," Ferentz said. "Each and every guy on the roster did a great, great job against a great, great team."

Coker was the offensive MVP. Hyde earned the defensive award.

Hyde's play came out of nowhere.

Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert put up record numbers, completing 41 of 57 for 434 yards and a TD. But he made one really super-bad choice, throwing late along the Missouri sideline to receiver Wes Kemp.

Hyde stepped in front and, as Iowa players are coached, cut his way to the opposite sideline.

"I just turned a defensive play into offensive play," Hyde said. "They were making blocks all over the place. All I had to do was run."

Coker had a big first half, rushing for has 16 carries for 113 yards. No negative plays. His 62-yard TD helped the Hawkeyes to a 17-10 halftime lead.

"He's got a scholarship, too," Ferentz told ESPN as he ran off the field at halftime.

MU ran up 293 yards total offense, but had just 10 points. Iowa kept up, going for 243 yard. MU ran 46 plays.

Iowa cornerback Shaun Prater broke up a sure TD pass from Gabbert to Jackson, who tipped the ball into the air where safety Brett Greenwood swooped in for this fifth interception of the season.

MU running back Henry Josey followed perfect blocking and was hardly touched from 10 yards out to pull MU within 17-10 with 4:51 left in the first half.

The drive was efficient, going 82 yards in nine plays and using just 2:31. Gabbert showed NFL-ness here, going 5 fo 6 for 77 yards, including a 26-yarder to Jerrell Jackson.

Iowa took a 17-3 lead on freshman Mike Meyer's 34-yard field goal with 7:28 left in the first half.

Quarterback Ricky Stanzi's 38-yard completion to little-used Don Nordmann moved the ball to MU's 20. Nordmann was in, obviously, because Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is gone. Nordmann entered the game with one catch for 14 yards this season. That catch came in week one against Eastern Illinois.

Coker's 62-yarder gave Iowa a 14-3 lead at 13:26 of the second quarter.

He ran to the right. Center James Ferentz got a seal here. Tackle Markus Zusevics got a seal there. And Coker ran it right up the alley for 62 yards and a score, to paraphrase Vince Lombardi.

Gabbert was one of seven underclassmen in this game to submit his name to the NFL draft advisory committee.

He went 8 of 9 for 82 yards to fuel the Tigers' opening drive, a 17-play, 75-yard monster that ended with Grant Ressel's 23-yard field goal. Iowa stopped Gabbert on a QB draw on third-and-2 from the 6.

Iowa scored on its first drive. The big play came on a third-and-5 from Iowa's 35.

MU's Carl Gettis lined up in press coverage and junior wide receiver Marvin McNutt ran through his attempt to press. Stanzi lofted a perfect pass and 49 yards later the Hawkeyes had first down at MU's 13.

Ferentz choked up, a little at least, during the trophy presentation.

Understandable after the world's worst December.

Upon further review, maybe it wasn't so bad. They went out winners.