Iowa vs. Illinois State Game Report: Numbers and notes from the Hawkeyes’ 40-0 win

IOWA CITY — A closer look at Iowa’s 40-0 win over Illinois State Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

Turning point

The first half was an extension of last year, and that wasn’t a good thing for Iowa. The score at the break was Hawkeyes 6, Redbirds 0. Not too thrilling.

Iowa had the ball to start the second half. Cade McNamara, after an undistinguished first half, hit on passes of 10, 17 and 19 yards in leading his team to the Illinois State 7. McNamara then threw a touchdown pass to first-year freshman Reece Vander Zee.

The Hawkeyes were off and running. Iowa scored five — count ‘em, five — second-half touchdowns. McNamara finished with three TD throws, two to 18-year-old Vander Zee.

By the numbers

3 — Iowa defensive tackle Aaron Graves had three first-half sacks in his first career start.

6 — This was the sixth-straight home game in which Iowa didn’t allow a first-quarter touchdown.

13 — Iowa’s touchdown on its opening drive of the second half was its first in its last 13 quarters. The Hawkeyes then got another on their next possession.

17 — This was Iowa’s 17th shutout in the Kirk Ferentz era.

19 — Redshirt freshman Kamari Moulton had 19 carries in his first start, for 65 yards.

64 — Kaleb Johnson, the third running back Iowa used, ran 64 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown and added another score on an 18-yard carry. He finished with 11 rushes for 119 yards, his fifth 100-yard game.

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251 — McNamara’s 251 passing yards were more than any Iowa quarterback had in any of the team’s 14 games last season.

492 — Iowa’s 492 yards were its most in a game since its 644 against Middle Tennessee in 2019, and most in a season-opener since 2002.

650,000 — Illinois State got $650,000 for playing this game. That would pay for gas from Normal, Ill., to Iowa City and back, and still leave enough to buy a lot of nice things.

Notebook

* The merits of FBS teams scheduling FCS opponents are obvious. You get a home game, and unless you mess up, you get a win.

Before Saturday’s games, FBS teams were 22-1 this season against their FCS little brothers, playing all of those games at home. Some of Thursday night’s scores were 51-0, 49-0, 48-3, 57-3, 52-0, and so forth. Arkansas defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 70-0.

FBS Central Michigan beat FCS Central Connecticut State Thursday, 66-10. Former Iowa quarterback Joe Labas passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns for CMU.

This game wasn’t like that. Then it was.

* Penalties weren’t an Iowa thing last season. The Hawkeyes were fifth in the nation in fewest penalty yards per game and tied for eighth in fewest penalties per game.

They had six penalties in the first half Saturday, including infractions that cost them a touchdown on a punt return, a recovery of a fumble, and a 20-yard McNamara quarterback keeper.

* Hours before the game, former Iowa punter and current Chicago Bears rookie Tory Taylor was outside the stadium, greeting more than a few fans who wore Taylor No. 9 shirts.

Taylor was introduced to the crowd between the first and second quarters, to quite an ovation.

Taylor told Iowa radio announcer Gary Dolphin it was “a very good day for punting.”

By the way, Iowa freshman punter Rhys Dakin punted five times for an average of 39.2 yards.

Another great Iowa punter of the past, Jason Baker, also was present.

So was former Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder, who was feted during the first two-minute timeout in Kinnick history. (It’s not called a two-minute warning in the NCAA).

Injury report

Iowa appeared to have only minor health issues during the game. Center Logan Jones left for a short while, but returned. Hawkeye wide receiver Seth Anderson did not play in the game.

Illinois State starting running back Mason King was injured on the Redbirds’ second possession and did not return. Starting defensive tackle Jake Anderson got hurt and didn’t return.

Next game

Iowa hosts Iowa State Saturday at 2:30 p.m. (CBS)

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