Iowa football vs. Michigan State: Live score updates, highlights, analysis

IOWA CITY — Don’t mistake the boos from the “Cooooop!” chants.

Kinnick Stadium had plenty of both on Saturday night.

The former happened as the Hawkeyes struggled to separate themselves from a Michigan State team that had lost its past two games by a combined 56 points.

The latter happened many times, but with an exclamation point in the fourth quarter as Cooper DeJean sprinted his way to a 70-yard punt return touchdown — a score that elevated Iowa (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) past Michigan State (2-3, 0-2) in a drama-filled 26-16 win at Kinnick Stadium.

After the Hawkeyes trailed for much of the second half, a shanked Michigan State punt set up an Iowa drive that started on the opposing 38-yard line. The offense only took the ball 20 yards, but it was enough to set up a game-tying 36-yard field goal by Drew Stevens.

Then Iowa’s defense forced a three-and-out and prompted the punt that DeJean returned for a touchdown.

Stevens, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist last year, hit 40-yard and 53-yard field goals earlier in the game that kept Saturday’s contest close enough until the Hawkeyes finally capitalized on opportunities in the fourth quarter.

Stevens also hit a 34-yard field goal in the final minute to expand the Hawkeyes’ lead to 10 and remove any doubt.

The results were not pretty for Iowa’s offense throughout the evening.

Iowa had six three-and-outs and two turnovers in the first three quarters of Saturday’s contest.

Deacon Hill took over at quarterback after Cade McNamara left the game with a first-quarter injury. Hill went 11-for-27 for 115 yards. The Wisconsin transfer had a touchdowns and an interception. Iowa’s receiving corps did not do Hill any favors with six drops.

— John Steppe