Seizing the Cy-Hawk: Hawkeyes take trophy, victory from Cyclones

Mitch King arrived first to the party. He was 10 seconds early.

In life, 10 seconds early is right on time. In football, especially with the Cy-Hawk Trophy in reach, 10 seconds starts a civil war.

"I thought about taking it, but I thought I'd get mauled or get a penalty flag," the Iowa defensive tackle said. "I figured I'd leave it alone."

The Iowa Hawkeyes ran off the final 10 seconds and ran off with the Cy-Hawk, 17-5, before 70,585 fans Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

Running back Shonn Greene rushed for 120 yards and a 5-yard touchdown and wide receiver Andy Brodell returned a punt 81 yards to help the Hawkeyes (3-0) break a 3-3 tie with 14 points in the fourth quarter. The Cyclones (2-1) held the ball for 20:11 in the second half but the Hawkeyes held them to three points, a 43-yard Grant Mahoney field goal that tied the game 3-3 with 25 seconds left in the third quarter.

The home team has now won five straight in the series.

Iowa quarterback Jake Christensen tried to be the first one over to the ISU sideline for the Cy-Hawk grab. One problem. "I couldn't find it," he said.

Booed loudly by fans last week, Christensen relieved starter Ricky Stanzi in the third quarter and led the Hawkeyes on a six-play, 65-yard touchdown drive. It was highlighted by an audible Christensen called on a 20-yard gain by Greene. Greene finished with a 5-yard TD, giving Iowa a 10-3 lead with 12:56 left in the fourth quarter.

Christensen bolted to the ISU sideline after taking a knee to run out the clock.

"It's about time," said Christensen when asked about the cheers he heard entering the game. "It feels good. I think the last time they cheered me was Northern Illinois my red-shirt freshman year. It felt good. I don't think we've had a better feeling since I've been here."

Stanzi started and struggled, completing just 5 of 14 passes for 95 yards and two interceptions. His second pick got him pulled. He tried to force a ball to tight end Brandon Myers. Three ISU defenders could've picked it off. Linebacker Michael Bibbs called dibs.

Stanzi admitted nerves got the best of him.

"I was not ready to play today, I'll be the first to admit that," Stanzi said. "The first pass I threw over Brodell's head. That's not me. I could feel physically that I wasn't settling down like I did last week. That'll happen."

On his first carry, Greene slipped for a 3-yard loss. He's carried the ball 55 times for 359 yards this season and that was his first and only negative carry. He didn't like it much.

"Yeah, first carry, but you've got to put that stuff behind you," said Greene, who's averaging 6.5 yards on 55 carries. "It's a whole football game, which they found out."

This was a jubilant Hawkeye. Last year at this time, Greene was hauling couches for McGregor's Furniture in Iowa City. Saturday, he was hauling the Hawkeyes.

"Couches were the heaviest," he said. "Maybe dressers."

The Hawkeyes' defense moved some couches and dressers and Cyclones, especially in the third quarter.

The Cyclones took the opening possession 12 plays and 60 yards to Iowa's 20. There, strong safety Tyler Sash intercepted ISU quarterback Austen Arnaud but his momentum carried him out of bounds, putting Iowa at its 1. After a quick three-and-out, ISU had a first down at Iowa's 26 when punter Ryan Donahue shanked a 25-yard punt.

Seven plays later, Mahoney pulled a 21-yard field goal off the left upright.

Three plays later, Stanzi threw his second pick, giving ISU a first down at Iowa's 28. The Cyclones needed just 54 seconds to tie the game, 3-3, on Mahoney's 43-yarder. Mahoney, a Linn-Mar graduate, made one of four field goals, with misses from 38, 21 and 46.

Iowa State quarterbacks -- Arnaud split time with Phillip Bates -- threw for 252 yards, but the Hawkeyes picked them off three times. Iowa held ISU to 73 yards on 27 rushes.

"I felt in the third quarter we had the game where we wanted it," Iowa State Coach Gene Chizik said. "In the fourth quarter, I thought we just let it slip away. That's coaching and that starts with me."

Ferentz said he went with Christensen late in the third quarter because "it just seemed like the thing to do at the time."

"Nobody is down on Rick Stanzi. It was a tough circumstance," Ferentz said. "I also think what we saw in the fourth quarter speaks volumes about Jake Christensen."

Ferentz didn't want to talk about who'd be the quarterback at Pittsburgh (1-1) next week.

Ferentz might've had laundry on his mind at this point. His white Iowa polo shirt had a few blood splotches on it, collateral damage from a robust celebration.

King came out of the mob looking like an extra from the movie "Braveheart." On his way up the tunnel, he gently messed up a little kid's hair, then slapped another fan on the shoulder as hard as he slapped any Cyclones.

And his helmet was gone.

"I gave it to the managers," King said.

He might've been early to the party, but he partied responsibly.