Game Report: Iowa Hawkeyes 27, Minnesota Golden Gophers 22

A closer look at No. 20 Iowa’s 27-22 win over Minnesota on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

Turning point

It’s a sequence here.

With Iowa leading 17-16, Minnesota moved the football from its 37 to the Iowa 35 at the end of the third quarter.

Minnesota decided to attempt a 53-yard field goal by backup kicker Dragan Kesich to begin the fourth quarter. His kick was low and blocked by Iowa’s Logan Lee.

Iowa then moved the football offensively to the Minnesota 27. On first-and-10, quarterback Alex Padilla threw a quick wide receiver screen on the short side of the field to Keagan Johnson.

Johnson was met immediately by Minnesota’s Coney Durr and Thomas Rush. But he ducked as the duo converged on him, and somehow spun out of a sure tackle for loss, found nothing but open space down the sideline and scored a touchdown.

The extra point gave the Hawkeyes a 24-16 lead. That forced Minnesota to have to try a two-point coversion on a touchdown with 5:28 left, which it did not convert.

By the numbers

12 — First-half tackles for Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell.

36 — Temperature at kickoff.

72 — Yardage on the third-quarter touchdown pass from Iowa’s Alex Padilla to Charlie Jones. That was the Hawkeyes’ longest play from scrimmage this season.

275 — Consecutive minutes Minnesota went in this series between leads. Matthew Trickett’s 31-yard field goal on the final play of the first half gave the Gophers a 13-10 edge, their first lead against Iowa since 2016.

69,250 — Attendance at Kinnick Stadium.

Notebook

Andre Tippett, ‘81 Rose Bowl team honored

The 1981 Iowa football team was feted at the game and at a reception Friday night.

Andre Tippett, an All-America defensive end at Iowa in 1980 and 1981, was honored during a timeout in the second quarter with a National Football Foundation On-Campus Salute. He’ll be inducted to the NFF College Football Hall of Fame next month.

Tippett also is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is the New England Patriots’ executive director of community affairs.

Tippett spoke to the 2021 Hawkeyes Friday. He still holds the school’s single-season record for tackles for loss, with 20 in 1980.

Also honored at the game was the family of Hayden Fry, the Iowa head football coach from 1979 to 1998, also a College Football Hall of Famer. Four of Fry’s five children — daughter Robin and sons Randy, Zach and Kelly — were introduced during the game’s first timeout.

“Dad loved Iowa,” Kelly Fry said. “He was surrounded by winners. And those winners were his assistant coaches, the athletic director, the support staff, and the players, in particular the 1981 team.”

About as close as you can get

Going into Saturday, Iowa and Minnesota were tied record wise when Floyd of Rosedale was on the line. That’s 42-42-2.

In those games, Iowa had scored 1,781 points. Minnesota had scored 1,777.

Experience with a capital ‘E’

Minnesota’s ability to run the football in this game was keyed by an offensive line that’s big, that’s good and that’s very experienced.

The front five of Connor Olson, Blaise Andries, Sam Schlueter, Daniel Faalele and Michael John Schmitz has combined for 219 career stats. That’s the most in the FBS.

Olson has set a school record for most career starts with 55. He’ll set a Big Ten record in that department next week when Minnesota plays at Indiana.

Injury report

Riley Moss returned to the lineup at starting cornerback for Iowa. He missed the previous three games with a knee injury. Corner Terry Roberts missed his third consecutive game with a bone bruise.

Iowa starting offensive left tackle Mason Richman missed the game with a leg injury. The Hawkeyes went with Nick DeJong, Kyler Schott, Tyler Linderbaum, Connor Colby and Jack Plumb up front.

Of course, quarterback Spencer Petras missed Saturday’s game with a shoulder injury that forced him to exit last week’s game against Northwestern after a couple of series. Deuce Hogan served as backup for Padilla.

Starting free safety Jack Koerner briefly exited late in the first half after getting his right leg rolled up on by falling teammate Moss. He returned to start the second half. Iowa went with Kaevon Merriweather at free safety in his absence.

Up next

It’s a return to Kinnick Stadium for Bret Bielema. The former Hawkeye defensive lineman and Wisconsin head coach brings Illinois to town for Senior Day. The Illini are 4-6 in Bielema’s first season in Champaign and will be coming off a bye week. Illinois won at Minnesota a week ago.

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