Hawkeyes clamp down on 3rd down

 MADISON, Wis. - It wasn't exactly third-down-and-forever for the Hawkeyes. It only felt like it, at least in the first half.

The No. 11 Hawkeyes failed to sustain anything while falling behind Wisconsin by 10 points. Iowa converted just one of six on third down, while the Badgers boogied down the field for two long scoring drives.

Three-and-out, cha, cha, cha.

“Coach (Kirk Ferentz) said third down was going to be a big emphasis this week,” quarterback Ricky Stanzi said. “We made the plays when we needed to.”

They needed to make the plays in the second half and they did, with third-down conversions paving the way for a 20-10 victory at Camp Randall Stadium.

The 1-for-6 bloomed to 4 of 5 in the third quarter, when Iowa tied the game, 10-10. Iowa finished 6 of 15, while holding Wisconsin to 3-for-12 on third down.

It was a big emphasis.

“Against a quality opponent, we can't do two things,” Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. “We can't turn the ball over (the Badgers had three interceptions) and we have to get off the field on third down.”

These weren't your third-and-1 no-brainers that the Hawkeyes converted in the third quarter.

After an Amari Spievey interception gave Iowa the ball, wide receiver Trey Stross snared a high pass from Stanzi for a 7-yard gain on a third-and-4. Iowa's running game was anemic, but on a third-and-1 on the same drive, running back Adam Robinson burst for a 5-yard gain.

Then, the Hawkeyes topped off the drive with Stanzi finding tight end Tony Moeaki for a 24-yard TD on a third-and-7. This tied the game at 10-10.

Ferentz brought it up to the team on Tuesday. He said come somewhere close to 50 percent on third down and that's a chance to win the game.

As it turned out, all it took was 40 percent (6 of 15).

“He emphasized that all week, today and during halftime,” wide receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos said. “He was right.”

Third downs were massive when the Hawkeyes surged to the lead.

Iowa only needed to convert one on a drive that ended in Robinson's 10-yard TD and a 17-10 lead with 13:15 left, but an 11-yard completion to Johnson-Koulianos kept the drive alive on a third-and-4.

Then, on the drive that put it away, Stanzi threaded the needle to Moeaki for 27 yards on a third-and-13. Later on the same drive, the Badgers were called for offsides on a third-and-4.

“The third-down conversions really killed us,” defensive end J.J. Watt said.

It was a big emphasis.