Game Report: Iowa vs. Michigan State

By the numbers

101 - Years since Iowa has lost at home on Oct. 30

6 - Tied for fewest points ever scored by Michigan State in Iowa City

31 - Rushing yards by Michigan State on 20 attempts

8:52 - Michigan State's time advantage in the second quarter. Iowa outscored Michigan State 13-0 in the quarter, however.

16.1 - MSU's average yards per kick return

Game Ball

Iowa QB Rick Stanzi completed 11 of 15 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns. He now has 19 touchdowns to two interceptions this season.

“His statistics are fantastic; but the way he's leading our team, our offensive team ... he's done a great job,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said.

Three Moments

1. Nowhere to Hyde. After Iowa took a 10-0 lead, Michigan State drove to the Hawkeyes' 40, when Iowa safety Tyler Sash picked off Spartans QB Kirk Cousins. Sash then lateraled the ball to cornerback Micah Hyde, who ran 66 yards for a touchdown to put Iowa ahead 17-0.

“I think it's like one of those basketball plays where somebody pulls up for a three about 40 feet deep,” Sash said. “If it goes in, you're fine but if doesn't work out ...”

2. After Iowa took a 7-0 lead, Michigan State faced a third-and-1 at its 36. Running back Edwin Baker ran into the line where he was slammed for no gain by Iowa true freshman linebacker James Morris. The Spartans were forced to punt. Morris, a Solon native, finished with nine tackles in his first start.

“I thought he played well from where I stood. Really aggressive,” Ferentz said.

3. Iowa CB Shaun Prater picked off another Cousins pass when the Spartans were driving midway through the second quarter. Prater returned the ball 32 yards and set up Iowa's third touchdown of the first half.

“I felt slow when I was running,” Prater said. “I had all this room and nobody to chase me.”

Prater, a junior, was working the left side in cover-3 and broke on the ball when Cousins threw it behind his receiver. Prater's options raced in his mind about how he wanted to return the interception.

“My first option was to beat (Cousins) down the sideline with my speed, so I went with that,” Prater said. “Then when he was closing down on me, I knew I should have cut it back it in.”

Report Card

A - Michigan State was zombified.

- Marc Morehouse

A - Hartlieb-to-Cook, Tate-to-Holloway, Sash-to-Hyde ...

- Mike Hlas

A - Remember when Charlie Brown went trick-or-treating and came home with rocks? Michigan State was the bag.

- Scott Dochterman

Rucker silent

Michigan State cornerback Chris L. Rucker played Saturday just two days after he was released from jail. Rucker served eight days for a probation violation after pleading down from drunken driving to reckless driving charges.

Michigan State Coach Mark Dantonio gave Rucker the option to play, but the senior didn't start.

“That's Coach Dantonio's question because Chris L. Rucker is a super kid,” Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi said.

Dantonio declined to comment about Rucker after the game, saying the team has moved on from that topic. Rucker finished with two assisted tackles in the game but was not made available to talk afterward

Sweet Emotion

Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn said his pride was wounded after the team gave up a combined 59 points the last two games.

“That doesn't really sit well in my stomach.”

So Clayborn said he and the defense vowed to play physical on every single play. But he said there was no feeling of desperation when the team entered the field on Saturday.

“Desperate? No, that's when people mess up,” Clayborn said. “Just being confident and focused on our job.”

In-Formation

Iowa mixed up its personnel groupings on nearly every single play in the first half. Iowa ran 29 plays and only used the same grouping on four consecutive plays.

Those series resulted in three touchdowns and one field goal. Stanzi completed 8 of 10 passes for 144 yards, and Iowa rushed for 95 yards on 18 carries in the first half.

“I thought the game plan was great,” Ferentz said. “I thought Ken (O'Keefe, offensive coordinator) made some tremendous calls. A couple of the big plays were just a perfect time for it.

“As good as all that was - and I thought the offensive staff really put a good plan together - but it gets down to execution.”

Stanzi said the groupings depend on a “ton of variables,” which includes the down and distance, plus the defensive personnel.

“Whatever's working and if we see the opportunity for a play, we go with it,” he said.