Game Report: Iowa 40, Northwestern 10

OPENING SALVO

Once again, Iowa cranked up its offensive line to shoulder another load. Once again, it delivered with thunder.

Against an opponent ranked ninth nationally in total defense, the No. 17 Hawkeyes battered and bruised the No. 20 Wildcats up front. Northwestern allowed 269 yards a game for its first six weeks. Saturday, Iowa blasted mud holes through the Wildcats for 492 yards, including 294 on the ground. Iowa rolled up 5.8 yards per carry and held the ball for 37 minutes, 22 seconds.

That's domination, folks.

'If you don't stop the run against a team that wants to be a run-first team, that's going to be a recipe for success for them,” Northwestern Coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Through seven games, No. 17 Iowa averages 5.0 yards per carry. It has done that only once under Coach Kirk Ferentz - back in 2002. The Hawkeyes were 8-0 in Big Ten play that season.

Iowa doesn't shy from running in crucial situations. After momentum shifted to Northwestern, the Hawkeyes ran on nine consecutive plays on their initial second-half drive and 11 of 12. The drive ended with a 2-yard Akrum Wadley blast to take a 23-10 lead.

'(Offensive line coach Brian Ferentz) on the headset came up and said, ‘We've got to run the ball,'” guard Jordan Walsh said. 'I definitely like running the ball. It's nice and physical to run at a guy, run at a linebacker and impose your will on that.”

Iowa's offensive line has done that so far this season - one play at a time.

BY THE NUMBERS

7 - Consecutive Iowa wins to open the 2015 season

51 - Rushing yards by Northwestern

204 - Rushing yards by Iowa RB Akrum Wadley

294 - Rushing yards by Iowa

294 - Total yardage advantage by Iowa

REPORT CARD

A - Iowa is a big ol' circle of trust and that circle of trust is rolling.

- Marc Morehouse

A - Iowa already has a 2-touchdown lead over the bye week.

- Mike Hlas

A - With a right-handed Ken Stabler at the helm and more guts than a stomach clinic, it's time to dream big, folks.

- Scott Dochterman

GAME BALL

Akrum Wadley entered Saturday's game with 35 yards on eight carries. Saturday, he tied the school record with four rushing touchdowns and gained 204 yards on 26 attempts.

Wadley entered the game for Jordan Canzeri, who suffered a left ankle sprain late in the first quarter. As a byproduct of dominant offensive line play, Wadley and fellow backup running back Derrick Mitchell combined for 283 yards and five touchdowns.

'He's got good vision and he's got good feet, needless to say,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said of Wadley. 'So it's just a matter of him cataloging everything and really taking care of the little detail things. I think he's improved and that's exciting to us.”

Wadley, a sophomore, almost became an afterthought after suffering through multiple fumbles last year and earlier this season.

'The main focus I wanted to do was hold on to the ball,” Wadley said. 'I struggled with that at the beginning of the year. That's the only thing. They told me I was going to get some carries, and I just wanted to pick up where Jordan Canzeri left off.”

TEVAUN IT

Iowa wide receiver Tevaun Smith was ruled out on Tuesday and didn't practice this week. Then he tested his sprained knee on Friday and said it felt good. So he played.

'That gives me confidence so I can play after the bye week,” Smith said.

Smith didn't register a statistic, but had two big plays called back because of penalties. The first was a 21-yard catch on the sideline on which he was called for pass interference. The second was a 40-yard touchdown pass that was called back for holding.

'Unfortunately those plays got called back,” Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard said. 'I don't know if I agree with the two calls, but that's how football is.”

Smith took the plays in stride.

'I'll take 40-10 any day over two catches,” Smith said. 'I'm just glad to get the ‘W,' and I'm excited to see what our team has to offer for the rest of the season.”

BROTHERLY BATTLE

Iowa punter Dillon Kidd is the son of former Northwestern All-American and NFL punter John Kidd, who kicked for the Wildcats from 1980-83. Dillon's brother, Garrett, is a fifth-year wide receiver at Northwestern and caught one pass for 6 yards.

'It was good walking in the stadium and seeing my dad's name on the All-American wall,” Dillon Kidd said. 'It was just a neat opportunity to play against your brother, against the team your dad played for in front of so many people. It was just a really awesome experience.”

Dillon Kidd said more than 20 members of his family attended the game. He punted five times for a 39.2-yard average and parked three inside the 20-yard line.

ROAD WARRIORS

Iowa has beaten three rivals on the road in front of hostile environments at Iowa State and Wisconsin. Saturday's crowd at Ryan Field was close to one-fourth Iowa fans and at times it felt like a home-field advantage.

'This one wasn't too bad,” wide receiver Jacob Hillyer said. 'This was almost like Kinnick.”

The players have endured opponents' fight songs during practice and in the locker rooms to prepare for the crowd noise. But one of the three stood out as most annoying to Hillyer.

'I think it was Iowa State just because of the rivalry,” Hillyer said. 'I think that week they turn it up just a little bit louder for a little bit longer. I think that one by far.”

TRUE FROSH

Linebacker Jack Hockaday became Iowa's fourth true freshman to play this year. Hockaday lined up on both the kickoff and kick return teams.

UP NEXT

Iowa (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) is idle next week before playing host to Maryland (2-4, 0-2) on Oct. 31. Northwestern (5-2, 1-2) plays at Nebraska (3-4, 1-2) at 11 a.m. Saturday.

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com