Game Report: No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers 20, Iowa Hawkeyes 15

A closer look at the Indiana Hoosiers’ 20-15 win Saturday afternoon over the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium:

Turning point

Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker dialed up more blitzes Saturday than he may have ever dialed up. So you knew there would be another when Indiana faced a third-and-10 play at the Iowa 49 with 1:35 to go in a 13-13 game.

The Hawkeyes did indeed bring everyone. But Indiana had the perfect offensive play call.

Wide receiver Elijah Surratt, lined up to the left, ran a slant pattern. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza was given just enough time to throw a pass that was perfect.

Iowa cornerback Deshaun Lee, giving about 10 yards of cushion because of the blitz, couldn’t get to Surratt in the do-or-die situation, and Surratt ran unabated to the end zone with 1:29 left.

Touchdown Indiana. Ballgame Indiana.

Iowa did have the remaining time and three timeouts to get the tying touchdown and extra point, but backup quarterback Hank Brown (subbing for injured starter Mark Gronowski) could get his team only to the Indiana 49 before four straight incompletions turned the football over on downs.

By the numbers

1 — Touchdowns allowed in the second half this season by the Iowa defense.

4 — Winning streak for Iowa over Indiana.

20 — Indiana points.

54.8 — Indiana’s points-per-game average coming into this game.

337 — Indiana yards.

588.5 — Indiana’s yardage average per game coming into this game.

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Notebook

It was an inauspicious start to the game for Gronowski. His first attempted pass was tipped by Indiana linebacker Isaiah Jones and into the hands of defensive back Amare Ferrell for an interception at the Iowa 26.

Indiana scored a touchdown two plays later for a 7-0 lead after the extra point.

But Gronowski gathered himself and went 14 for 17 for 106 yards in the first half. That included completion 12 of his final 13 passes, the exception being a ball that again was batted down at the line of scrimmage.

* You wondered when opponents would stop kicking the football to Iowa return kingpin Kaden Wetjen. It’s starting to happen.

Wetjen didn’t get any opportunities to return kickoffs, as the opening kickoff was deep into the end zone, its kickoff after the early first-quarter TD out of the end zone and its kickoff at the end of the first half a short bouncer that Terrell Washington Jr. returned instead.

Wetjen did get one chance as a punt returner and brought it back 17 yards in the first quarter. The graduate student from Williamsburg has a kickoff and punt return for touchdown this season.

Injury report

Iowa had five guys declared “out” on the pregame player availability list. None were a surprise: running backs Jaz Patterson and Xavier Williams, wide receivers Jarriett Buie and Reese Vander Zee, and defensive back Shahid Barros. Tight end Addison Ostrenga is out for the season after an achilles injury in the game at Iowa State.

Starting left guard Beau Stephens incurred a leg injury of some sort in the third quarter and was replaced by Leighton Jones. Stephens returned to the game later.

Gronowski limped off the field after a 4-yard scramble early in the fourth quarter and went immediately to the medical tent. He eventually returned with a brace on his left knee but was relieved by Brown.

Following Gronowski’s injury, starting linebacker Jaden Harrell had to be helped off the field with an apparent lower-body injury. He was replaced by junior Jayden Montgomery.

Next game

Iowa has this coming week off. Its next game is Saturday, Oct. 11, at Wisconsin. Time and television has yet to be determined.

Wisconsin (2-2) did not play Saturday. The Badgers, of course, lost last week at home to Maryland, 27-10, with some of the crowd at Camp Randall Stadium chanting to fire head coach Luke Fickell, who has a 14-15 record in three seasons at the school.