Just . . . enough . . . in . . . the . . . tank

IOWA CITY -- The gauge for this game was the collective fuel tank of Iowa's defense.

It . . . went . . . up. It . . . went . . . down. In the end, it . . . had . . . just . . . enough.

After having been outscored in the fourth quarter, 23-0, during a three-game losing streak to Northwestern, the Iowa Hawkeyes saved their best in a 41-31 victory before 70,585 card-carrying fans at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa (4-2, 1-1 Big Ten) outscored Northwestern 24-14 in the fourth quarter and pulled away to snap the losing streak.

Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg three two TD passes, running back Marcus Coker rushed for 124 yards and two TDs and Iowa's defense, two starters and a few depth players down, kept it together.

Ugly numbers, but Iowa's defense kept . . . enough . . . in . . . the . . . tank.

Middle linebacker James Morris (ankle) and tackle Tom Nardo were out. So, there's something to be said for keeping it together.

Iowa drove methodically on the game's first possession, moving the ball to NU's 14 before falling short on a third-and-8. Mike Meyer's 27-yard field gave the Hawkeyes a 3-0 lead at 11:17 of the first quarter, his sixth field goal this season between 20 and 29 yards.

After a couple failed drives, Northwestern got it going. Persa spurred the drive with a 32-yard pass to Colter, the other running, jumping, throwing and diving quarterback. Eventually, the Cats got it to Iowa's 7.

There, on first-and-goal, Iowa defensive end Broderick Binns got Persa's feet. Tackle Steve Bigach, starting for the injured Tom Nardo, cleaned up Persa, who flicked a duck into the air.

Free safety Tanner Miller collected the fluttering pass, got a fantastic block by defensive end Dominic Alvis and took it 98 yards for a 10-0 Iowa lead with 4:08 left in the first quarter.

Miller's played tied Iowa's record for interception return, equaling a 98-yarder by cornerback Adam Shada against Purdue in '06.

Iowa took a 17-0 lead with 9:34 left in the first half on maybe its more impressive drive since Pittsburgh.

Vandenberg and wide receiver Keenan Davis victimized new cornerback Demetrius Dugar, who replaced Jeravin Matthews in the starting lineup.  The first time, it was for 31 yards to Northwestern's 47. The second time, it was on the next play, a 47-yard TD for the 17-0 lead off a beautiful play-action fake.

It was Iowa's second-longest offensive play of the season and its first offensive TD in five quarters. Davis now has four TDs in five games.

This is where the gas tank of Iowa's defense came into play. It  . . . started . . . to . . . empty. Or at least it's when Northwestern put together some monster drives and started to tap that tank.

Eleven plays, 65 yards and 5:50 put Northwestern on the board, with Persa's 6-yard pass to Jeremy Ebert making it 17-7 at halftime.

At this point, Northwestern had 47 plays, Iowa 21 in first half. NU rushed for 100 yards, Iowa 55. Iowa 17 points, Northwestern 7.

The Cats took the opening possession of the second half 12 plays, 68 yards and 5:54 to pull within 17-14. This time, running back Adonis Smith scored on a 4-yard option play with 9:06 left in the third.

At this point, the time of possession went Northwestern a calendar year to Iowa's time it takes to warmup a store-bought burrito.

On NU's next drive, Iowa's defense held the Cats to Jeff Budzien's 47-yard field goal to tie the game 17-17 with 4:19 left in the third quarter.

At this point, Northwestern converted 12 of 17 third downs. This is the number that has fueled the Wildcats' three-game winning streak over the Hawkeyes.

When it absolutely had to, Iowa's offense kicked in an 11-play, 64-yard and 5:24 drive of its own. Running back Marcus Coker rushed nine times for 36 yards, including the 1-yard TD for a 24-17 Iowa lead with 13:55 left in the game.

The gas tank filled . . . just . . . enough.

On third-and-5 from Iowa's 23, safety Micah Hyde cleaned up Colter on an option for a 6-yard loss. Budzien missed this 47-yarder wide right.

The defense was probably too tired to celebrate Iowa's next score.

Vandenberg found a wide-open Marvin McNutt for a 35-yard TD, capping a three-play, 71-yard drive and giving the Hawkeyes some breathing room at 31-17 with 8:45 left.

McNutt tied Iowa's career TD reception record of 21. He now shares it with Tim Dwight and Danan Hughes.

The tank . . . filled . . . even . . . more.

Binns ended NU's next drive with a sack of Persa, who fumbled with Bigach recovering at NU's 20. The turnover turned into Meyer's 40-yard field goal and gave the Hawkeyes a 34-17 lead with 6:49 left in the game.

Gas . . . tank . . . filling.

And the Iowa D needed it. Northwestern zipped 94 yards in just seven plays and 1:59 to pull within 34-24 with 4:50 left.

Gas . . . tank . . .

But McNutt stabbed Steve Flaherty's onside kick out of the air and gave the Hawkeyes a first down at NU's 24.

The final numbers were gross, but consider: Iowa played without Morris, who sprained an ankle at Penn State. Senior Tyler Nielsen slid from outside linebacker to the middle and played a tremendous game (also on an ankle that hasn't been right since week 2). Bigach made an impact in for Nardo, who has a knee injury.

Then, sometime in the second half, true freshman Quinton Alston went in at middle linebacker and Nielsen slid over to outside for Tom Donatell, who was in and out.

Final . . . numbers . . . gross.

Forget the numbers. This isn't a season for numbers. This is a season for hanging in there, with teeth and fingernails, and seeing what happens.

Saturday night, good things happened.