Week 12 -- Complete collapse

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- With about a minute left, the Hawkeyes executed what might've been their most coherent move as a team all day.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers charged straight down the middle of the Iowa defense and planted their flag with a first down at Iowa's 22 yard-line with about a minute left. That was the game except for the formalities.

Two kneel downs later, the Gophers sprinted toward the Iowa sideline. Floyd was theirs. No, wait.

Iowa executed its best defense, finally. Coach Kirk Ferentz called timeout. The Gophers had to go back to their sideline for one more kneel down.

By then, the Iowa managers had positioned Floyd of Rosedale at the left end of Iowa's sideline. All Iowa players were on the right, next to the tunnel to their lockerroom. A well-executed quick exit.

As far as the No. 24 Hawkeyes' execution on Saturday, that was as good as it got.

The story isn't much different than last week against Ohio State, the Arizona week, Wisconsin and Northwestern. The Hawkeyes (7-5, 4-4 Big Ten) fought back from a fourth-quarter deficit and failed to hold the lead.

This time, Minnesota running back Duane Bennett capped a six-play, 77-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run with 4:31 to lift Minnesota, 27-24, before 50,805 at TCF Bank Stadium, snapping Minnesota's 11-game losing streak in trophy games.

No Hawkeyes were harmed in the rush to Floyd of Rosedale, the 98.3-pound bronze pig that goes to the Iowa-Minnesota winner. No Hawkeyes were physically harmed, but there is something going on somewhere.

Something caused the Hawkeyes, who thrashed co-Big Ten champion Michigan State, 37-6, on Oct. 30, to completely deflate with losses in their final three games, sealing Iowa's first three-loss November since 2006.

Something.

"At the end of the day, we're 19, 20, 22 [year-olds]," defensive end Adrian Clayborn said. "We've got to grow up and be men. I don't think we did that in November."

 Something.

"When you lose three games, you're looking for answers," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "When you lose one game, you're looking for answers. Apparently, we haven't found them."

Something.

"I don't think anything is unplugged," senior tight end Allen Reisner said. "I just think we're not making the plays we made last year. I think we're just kind of complacent right now. We can't be in this state."

They didn't grow up. They're looking for answers. They're complacent.

That sounds like a team that will limp into a bowl game on a three-game losing streak. And yes, Iowa will go to a bowl. Fans might not follow, but Iowa is contractually obligated to go to a bowl game. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany will enforce the deal, whether Iowa plugs back in or not.

"We haven't been on the same page, it seems like, as a team," said Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi, whose 10 completions where his fewest in a full game since eight against Purdue in 2008. "When the offense gets it going, then the defense has something happen.

"We're not all working together as a team. That results in team losses."

The Hawkeyes took a 24-20 lead when Stanzi hit wide receiver Marvin McNutt on an 18-yard slant for a score with 11:35 left in the fourth quarter. That was Iowa's first lead of the day after a successful onsides kick and a fumble on a QB-center exchange rung up two TDs for Minnesota (3-9, 2-6) and a 20-17 halftime lead.

Then, sure, the pieces were in place for the pattern of losing that's plagued this team the last month to emerge.

But the defense held, forcing a Gophers punt. Iowa got the ball with 9:07 left in the game. The offense couldn't take advantage of a first down off a facemask and held the ball for just 1:27 before punting back to Minnesota.

OK, now the pieces were in place.

When Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber hit receiver Da'Jon McKnight for a 40-yard gain to Iowa's 18, the pieces really were in place. Four plays later, Bennett broke in from the 6 for a 27-24 UM lead.

The pieces were in place for the second act of Iowa's collapse. On cue, freshman running back Marcus Coker took a shot from corner Troy Stoudermire and fumbled. Safety Ryan Collado recovered and the pieces were locked in position for Iowa's fifth fourth-quarter collapse in 2010.

"How about them Gophers?" interim Minnesota coach Jeff Horton yelled in the postgame. "Who would've ever thunk it, as we like to say."

Minnesota rushed for 216 yards against the Hawkeyes, the most against Iowa in 2010 and most since Ohio State rushed for 229 last season. The final insult was the nine-play, 19-yard drive that ate the final 4:15 off the clock.

Minnesota ran right at the Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes couldn't stop them.

One more time, it's something. Something is broken, unplugged. Something.

"Our will to win, I guess," Clayborn said.