Definite day of atonement for defense

IOWA CITY - The numbers were hideous. No way around it.

Iowa's defense had more injuries than credibility coming out of the Wisconsin game.

This defense, which led the nation in preseason hype, went into Saturday's showdown with No. 5 Michigan State squarely in the crosshairs. It had given up 59 points the last two weeks. It left the Wisconsin game on the cusp of the question: was the Iowa defense overhyped?

“I think we played motivated,” defensive end Adrian Clayborn said. “As a defensive line, we played very motivated. The last two games we were so-so. Today we wanted to prove a point to ourselves.”

Iowa still has injuries but it refueled on credibility, holding the Spartans to season lows in rushing (31), total offense (258) and points (6). Iowa racked up six three-and-outs. The Hawkeyes also picked off MSU quarterback Kirk Cousins three times. He entered with four picks in eight games.

“Defense played tremendous. They definitely get the gameball,” quarterback Ricky Stanzi said. “They scored points and put us in great field position. When they do that, it makes our lives a lot easier.”

The defense generated points off safety Tyler Sash's interception and pitch to cornerback Micah Hyde. Sash picked off Cousins, shook off MSU receiver B.J. Cunningham and turned and pitched to Hyde.

“It just goes to show every week is different,” Hyde said. “You just have to go into every week thinking it's zero to zero. We're zero and zero and performance one week doesn't mean anything the next.”

Hyde followed blockers down the Michigan State sideline, cut toward the Iowa sideline at midfield and won a race to the pylon for a 66-yard return and a 17-0 lead with 10 seconds left in the first quarter.

“I've seen that play 100 times on film. They ran it last year and I almost got it last year,” Sash said. “He threw it right to me. Micah's guy had me held up and so I just gave him an assist. He made a heckuva run back on that. Kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. He did all the work.”

On Michigan State's next series, the Spartans threw out their wrinkle, a quick slant, against cornerback Shaun Prater. They converted two third downs on slants in front of the junior. On third-and-7 from Iowa's 21, Prater got revenge, stepping in front of a Cousins pass that floated on an out route.

Prater returned it 31 yards to Michigan State's 43. Three plays later, Stanzi hit running back Adam Robinson for a 32-yard TD and 23-0 lead.