Game Report: Iowa 48, Northwestern 7

OPENING SALVO

Like a pendulum swinging inside of a clock, Iowa's offensive line pounded Northwestern with near-perfect precision Saturday afternoon. The Hawkeyes blasted Northwestern for 221 rushing yards on 46 attempts. The Hawkeyes averaged 4.8 yards per carry, and if you take away a fumbled punt, that number grows to nearly 5.3 yards per rushing attempt.

'That's what we talked about as a team and an offensive line,” Iowa guard Austin Blythe said. 'We emphasized about taking this game over, and I think we did a decent job.”

The Hawkeyes whipped the Wildcats man-for-man to produced the most-lopsided win in this series since Iowa's 62-10 victory in 2002.

'When you can't stop the run against Iowa, they're deadly,” Northwestern Coach Pat Fitzgerald said.

BY THE NUMBERS

10 - Games between 100-yard rushers for Iowa, which ended with Wadley's 106-yard effort

13 - Rushing touchdowns for Weisman, the fifth-highest, single-season total in Iowa history

6 - Consecutive games with a touchdown run for Weisman

9 - Multi-touchdown games for Weisman

303 - Difference in yards between Iowa (483) and Northwestern (180)

93 - Games since Northwestern recorded fewer than 180 yards

158 - Career catches for Kevonte Martin-Manley, third-most in Iowa history and 15 behind leader Derrell Johnson-Koulianos

76 - Games played between Northwestern and Iowa, the Hawkeyes' fourth-most-played series and Northwestern's sixth-most-played rivalry

REPORT CARD

A-minus - A lifecopter landed on the roof of the UIHC not long after the game. It was too late to save Northwestern.

- Marc Morehouse

A - Iowa became bowl-eligible. Northwestern became eligible for disaster relief.

- Mike Hlas

A - If an Iowa football fan woke up Saturday from a 20-year coma, he'd recognize that score.

- Scott Dochterman

GAME BALL

Iowa fullback Macon Plewa. The junior didn't record a statistic in the running game on Saturday but tell that to Northwestern's defensive backs. Plewa blasted Northwestern safety Traveon Henry to create a lane for Mark Weisman on Iowa's first touchdown run.

Then on another Weisman touchdown run, Plewa took out cornerback Nick VanHoose and buried him in the Kinnick Stadium turf.

'The fullback is such a big part of our offense here and it's good to have Macon back, making some big plays out there, some big blocks,” Weisman said. 'When I'm out there and he makes that block, it gets me fired up. I'd better score. He made the big block for me, and I'd better go in there and score.”

Plewa has played sparingly this season after hurting his shoulder and said it was a relief to play again. Plewa credited fundamentals with Iowa's run-game success.

'Just focus on the details, try to be physical at the point of attack, get low and yeah, head placement hand placement, everything,” he said.

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

Iowa's Weisman and Akrum Wadley combined for 200 rushing yards. Weisman gained 94 yards on 20 carries, and Wadley rushed for 106 on 15 attempts. Wadley, a freshman, was the first Iowa player to gain more than 100 rushing yards this season. Wadley had yet to carry the ball in a game before Saturday.

'It was good to get Akrum up and running,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said.

POSITION FLEXIBILITY

Iowa moved around a few players during their second idle week. Austin Blythe played his third position in three weeks, moving to left guard.

'I want to be that team guy, just doing whatever they ask,” said Blythe, who had 19 consecutive starts at center before playing right guard against Maryland.

With weakside linebacker Reggie Spearman suspend for two games after a drunken-driving arrest, middle linebacker Quinton Alston shifted to weakside and Travis Perry opened the game at middle linebacker.

It was a slight adjustment for Alston, who had played middle linebacker for most of his career.

'Middle linebacker, you're making all the calls,” Alston said. 'Everybody's looking at you to make the calls. Then to go over to the weakside, they're still looking at me, being the leader on the defense. But I'm really more so echoing the calls and helping Travis (Perry) out. So it was a little different not just being the only voice speaking.”

INJURY TIME

Iowa running back Jordan Canzeri and tight end George Kittle didn't play. Ferentz said he'd know more on Tuesday about their availability for next week's game against Minnesota. Running back Jonathan Parker, who had a 54-yard kickoff return, was injured and did not return.

Ferentz called all of their conditions 'day-to-day.”

TURN OFF THE TV

Northwestern Coach Pat Fitzgerald walked into his postgame news conference as a television blared in the background. A Northwestern official asked if he could turn off the television. That prompted Fitzgerald to quip, 'It's probably a better game.”

PUNT GAME

Iowa punter Dillon Kidd dropped a punt snap late in the first quarter and was tackled for a 17-yard loss. That gave Northwestern the ball at Iowa's 18 and led to the Wildcats' only score.

Iowa punted twice after Kidd's mishap, and Connor Kornbrath kicked both times for a 37-yard average. Ferentz declined to give an advantage to either punter heading into next week's game.

'It's really close right now, but we'll play it week by week,” Ferentz said.

UP NEXT

Iowa (6-2, 3-1 Big Ten) faces rival Minnesota (6-2, 3-1) for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy. More importantly, the teams are tied for the Big Ten West Division lead.

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com