Iowa vs. UCLA Game Report: Numbers and notes from the Hawkeyes’ 20-17 loss

A closer look at Iowa’s 20-17 loss to UCLA Friday night at the Rose Bowl:

Turning Point: UCLA answered an unlikely game-tying touchdown by Iowa with a fourth-quarter game-winning drive

Iowa quarterback Brendan Sullivan was playing hurt, and finally could play no more after taking multiple hits of force. Enter backup Jackson Stratton, with Iowa trailing 17-10 with 4:02 left in the third quarter.

Stratton ran 14 yards on a third-and-19 from the Iowa 47. On fourth-and-5, Iowa’s Drew Stevens kicked a 57-yard field goal. Except that UCLA’s Bryan Addison committed a personal foul for stepping on Hawkeye offensive lineman Tyler Elsbury.

The points came off the board, but the Hawkeyes advanced to the UCLA 24. On a third-and-8 at the 22, Stratton threw a 10-yard pass to Jacob Gill. On a third-and-14 at the Bruins’ 16, Stratton hit Gill for 15 yards. Kamari Moulton ran for a 1-yard TD, and the game was tied at 17 with 11:27 left in the game.

However … UCLA took 12 plays to gnaw the clock down to 4:49 in driving from its 25 to the Iowa 9. Mateen Bhaghani kicked a 27-yard field goal for a 20-17 lead.

Iowa had a 5-yard run and two incompletions after regaining possession, punted with 3:53 remaining, and watched the Bruins get third-down conversion No. 9 on their way to devouring the remaining time.

By the Numbers: Iowa at UCLA

2 — UCLA junior linebacker Carson Schwesinger, the Big Ten’s leader in tackles per game, had his first two career interceptions.

21 — Kaleb Johnson of Iowa scored on his team’s first possession for a program season-record 21st touchdown.

49 — Johnson had a season-low 49 rushing yards.

65 — Iowa still hasn’t won at the Rose Bowl Stadium in 65 years. The last Hawkeyes win in Pasadena was 38-12 over California in the 1959 Rose Bowl game.

125 — T.J. Harden entered the game as UCLA’s leading rusher this season with 226 yards. His season-high was 53. He had 125 on 20 carries Friday. The Bruins had 211 rushing yards to Iowa’s 80.

138 — No Iowa player had more than 66 receiving yards in a game this season until Friday. Jacob Gill more than doubled the 66 with six catches for 138 yards.

Iowa football notebook

*Jackson Stratton. Jackson Stratton?

The Fox television announcers kept calling Stratton Iowa’s fifth-string quarterback, but he was the No. 2 guy entering this game. His presence on the field was required in the third quarter when starter Brendan Sullivan was injured.

Stratton transferred to Iowa in the offseason from Colorado State, where he had 17 career pass attempts, four completions and two interceptions. He was a scout team linebacker earlier this season.

* A first-half flip-flop flipped the game on its ear.

Iowa went touchdown-field goal on its first two drives of the game, while UCLA went interception-interception to go from 10 points down to a tie. The Bruins never again trailed.

The Hawkeyes then went interception-lost fumble on their next two possessions, while the Bruins went field goal-touchdown.

* Iowa still hasn’t won a regular-season game west of the Rockies in 40 years. The Hawkeyes won 17-6 at Hawaii in 1984.

The Hawkeyes lost at Hawaii in 1988, at Oregon in 1994, at Arizona State in 2004, and at Arizona in 2010.

Iowa football injury report

Besides Sullivan’s ankle sprain, Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins went into the sideline medical tent in the second quarter after an apparent leg issue. He returned to the game shortly thereafter, but didn’t play in the second half.

It didn’t sound as if the injuries to Higgins or Sullivan will have long-reaching consequences.

Iowa tight end Addison Ostrenga, quarterback Cade McNamara, receiver Reece Vander Zee and defensive back John Nestor missed the game. Tight end Luke Lachey was cleared to play, but had no impact in the game.

Iowa’s next game

The Hawkeyes have a week off, then visit Maryland on Nov. 23. The Terrapins (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) play at No. 1 Oregon Saturday night and host Rutgers Nov. 16.

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