Game Report: Wisconsin 26, Iowa 24

OPENING SALVO

Iowa trailed by 16 points against the nation's top-ranked defense with less than five minutes remaining in third quarter. When all seemingly was lost, the Hawkeyes rebounded with an offensive flurry.

The Hawkeyes rallied for three touchdowns but couldn't stop the Badgers' offense late in the game in a 26-24 Wisconsin win.

'Our guys played their hearts out; that's the biggest thing,” Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock said. 'It really sucks right now. Hopefully we'll have some positives to look at it, but at the same time we still need to work.”

Iowa outgained Wisconsin 412 to 405, but struggled to contain the Badgers on third down. Wisconsin converted seven of 13 third-down opportunities, six of which were of greater distance than five yards.

'I felt like we did everything we could do,” Iowa defensive tackle Carl Davis said. 'We messed up a couple of times, and we paid for it.

BY THE NUMBERS

5 - Numbers of times replay was used

311 - Passing yards for Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock

200 - Rushing yards for Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon

412 - Total yards for Iowa, the most allowed by Wisconsin this year

7 - Third down conversions for Wisconsin on 13 attempts

REPORT CARD

B - The Hawkeyes emptied their physical, emotional tanks. All you can ask.

- Marc Morehouse

C-plus - Hawkeyes should get on Amazon.com and order one of those Melvin Gordons.

- Mike Hlas

B - Not a perfect game, but a perfect effort by two respected rivals. That's what makes college football great.

- Scott Dochterman

GAME BALL

Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon. The former Iowa commit gashed the Hawkeyes for 264 total yards, including 200 rushing, to elevate the Badgers past Iowa for the third straight time. He had five plays of 10-plus yards, including an 88-yard scamper that set up a field goal to go up 19-3 in the third quarter.

'I knew when we came out, it was going to hit,” Gordon said. 'I just felt it. The guys felt it. They said, ‘Melvin come on you've got this. It's going to break.' That's one of my favorite plays.”

Gordon also converted on third-and-12 with a 35-yard reception that led to the game-deciding touchdown.

RICO STAVE

Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave is not known for his running ability, but he ran just fast enough on a pivotal play to secure a victory for the Badgers.

Facing third-and-8 from his 38, Stave scrambled out of the backfield to his left for 12 yards and a first down with just under two minutes remaining. The Badgers ran one play, followed by an Iowa timeout, and Stave knelt twice for the victory.

'A little unexpected, but it was the biggest play of the game,” said Wisconsin's Tanner McEvoy, the team's running quarterback. We needed a first down there and he answered.

'That was a huge play in the game.”

SLUGFEST

Iowa and Wisconsin traditionally are power football teams, and they have immense respect for one another. Wisconsin leads the series 44-42-2 and retains possession of the Heartland Trophy for the third straight meeting. It also was the third consecutive game between the rivals at Kinnick Stadium.

'It's a war, a bloodbath, man those guys are physical,” Gordon said. 'They're not only physical, they're smart as well. They kept contain. They made plays today, we just made more.”

'It was a tough, hard-nosed, physical game and really well played by both teams and we came up a little short there at the end,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said. 'But it was a heck of a football game and one heck of an environment.”

DIVISIONAL ENDGAME

With the win, Wisconsin (9-2, 6-1) plays host to Minnesota (8-3, 5-2) for the Big Ten West Division title at 2:30 p.m. Saturday (BTN). The meeting is the 124th all-time, the most in major college football. Rarely has one meeting ever meant so much to both schools.

'It's Minnesota and it's our rivalry game and everything's on the line,” Gordon said.

GORDON GOING

Gordon originally planned to attend Iowa, and Hawkeye fans failed to let him forget about it. Last year he admitted the fans got in his head while he stood on the sidelines. This year, he didn't let the fans bother him.

'Iowa, we've got a little something with their fans,” Gordon said. 'They were after me all game. When we started making plays, they started getting quiet a little bit. It feels good to get in the end zone against Iowa and get in the end zone against Kinnick because I wasn't able to get there last year.”

Last year Gordon ran for just 62 yards on 17 carries.

GOING BIG

Iowa shifted backup tackle Ike Boettger to tight end and had the sophomore wear No. 99. Boettger made his first career start when the Hawkeyes lined up with two tight ends and two running backs on their first play.

Iowa used at least two tight ends on 14 plays in the first half.

KRAUSE RETURNS

Former Iowa team captain and Pro Football Hall of Fame safety Paul Krause served as the Hawkeyes' honorary team captain Saturday. Krause spoke to the team on Friday and stood at midfield for the coin flip before the game.

'I'm very happy to be back,” Krause said. 'I support the Hawks 100 percent, and I love coming back.”

Krause played in four Super Bowls with the Minnesota Vikings and he intercepted 81 passes in his 16-year career. That remains an NFL record, 35 years after he retired in 1979.

'I'm surprised (I still have the record), but I'd still like to hold it for a long time,” Krause said.

Krause continues to live in the Twin Cities and proudly owns a photo of himself holding the Floyd of Rosedale trophy. He said Gophers fans pester him about the rivalry.

'They know I played for Iowa,” he said. 'If I go out to a charity golf tournament and I have Hawkeye head covers, they'll steal them or put Gophers on them.”

UP NEXT

Iowa (7-4, 4-3) closes out its regular season against Nebraska (8-3, 4-3) at 11 a.m. Friday at Kinnick Stadium. This is the fourth consecutive season the teams have played on the day after Thanksgiving. Nebraska won the first two games by a combined score of 33-14, but Iowa won last year 38-17.

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