Iowa 31, Iowa State 17: Hawkeyes swarm to Cy-Hawk victory

AMES — After Jordan Canzeri broke through for an 8-yard touchdown run, the day's struggle was over. The week's struggle was over. It was time to celebrate and run like madmen for their first rivalry trophy sprint in their last four rivalry trophy games.

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard set up the championship formation, took the knee and then didn't break off like a mad bat to the Iowa State sideline. The offensive linemen didn't shove each other out of the way trying to be the first to get to the Cy-Hawk Trophy.

Everyone turned around and walked back to the Iowa sideline. Instead of a rally of individuals cruising and crashing into the 100-pound chunk of metal, the Hawkeyes locked arms and walked over in their traditional 'swarm.'

It was something organic. It was the only way they could see themselves doing it.

During the week news broke that former Hawkeye Tyler Sash, 27, was found dead in his Oskaloosa home. Iowa wore Sash's No. 9 on the left sides of their helmets.

They did the swarm after toppling Iowa State, 31-17, before 61,500 fans Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium to honor . . . well, really Iowa and whatever it is welds a team together.

It's very rah rah and maybe somewhat abstract. After 0-for-4 in trophy games in 2014, you just go with it.

'After Canzeri's touchdown, some of the seniors on the sideline said we were going to swarm to the trophy,' said Beathard, who completed 15 of 25 for 215 yards and three TDs and added 77 rushing yards on 10 carries. 'We're a team. We're a all close, we're a close-knit group, closest it's ever been since I've been here and that's four years now.'

Before we get to the celebration, Iowa paid a toll for this victory. Senior defensive end Drew Ott left in the first half with a wrist injury. Running back LeShun Daniels suffered an ankle injury in the first half and didn't return. Ott came out on the field with his left arm in a sling and wrist in a cast. It didn't look good. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said it was too early to evaluate either players' prospects for next week.

The 'swarm' eventually made it to the Cy-Hawk. Canzeri was the first to touch it. Probably appropriate, given the fact that the senior ended up as Iowa's last running back standing. Junior LeShun Daniels left the game with an ankle injury in the first half and didn't return. Canzeri rushed for 124 yards on a career-high 24 carries with the finishing TD on top of it all.

Rushing yards

For a more detailed breakdown of this game, click here.

The swarm to finish it off was a collective decision.

'We're a family, we're one, solid unit,' Canzeri said. 'It's been in our brains all offseason, finishing together, doing everything together, doing things right over time together. It was just a decision that popped into our minds, let's do it.'

The swarm at the end was as well executed as . . .

. . . Iowa's second-half defense. Iowa State gutted the Hawkeyes in the first half, taking a 17-10 lead while running 31 plays for 244 yards. Quarterback Sam Richardon looked as though he were directing a 7-on-7 drill at practice, with a beautiful 29-yard TD pass to wide receiver Jauan Wesley puntcuating things.

In the second half, Iowa held ISU to 66 yards on 31 plays. After recording no three-and-outs in the first half, Iowa (2-0) recorded four and shutout the Cyclones (1-1) 21-0 in the second half.

'I think our folks were covered,' Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said. 'The pocket escaped him (Richardson) because people were covered and he had to move and slide to try to find somebody who was open and it allowed their pressure to get there.'

Iowa's swarm was as well executed as . . .

. . . as Iowa's final two scoring drives. This was the redemption period for the Hawkeyes, who outgained ISU, 475-310, in total offense.

Cornerback Desmond King, who looked shaky to bad on punt and kick return and who was trailing on the TD pass to Wesley, blew off all of that and ripped through ISU's punt coverage for a 34-yard return to set up the Hawkeyes. Junior wide receiver Riley McCarron finished the drive, grabbing a beautiful 25-yard pass from Beathard to give Iowa a 24-17 lead with 2:14 left. In the first half, McCarron dropped a crucial third-down reception.

'I think the biggest thing was dealing with adversity,' McCarron said. 'You have a good play, a bad play, you have to put it behind you. Everybody does that, it's football, man.'

Iowa's swarm was as well executed as . . .

. . . Beathard. Period.

You could argue he kept Iowa from the bottom of everything in the first half. He did it every which way possible. On Iowa's first-half TD drive, he erased poor field position with a 44-yard scramble. Then, he finished it by putting a 14-yard TD pass where only wide receiver Tevaun Smith could reach it.

'The most impressive way about the way C.J. played was his poise,' head coach Kirk Ferentz said. 'He doesn't get rattled. It would've been easy to get rattled. I've seen quarterbacks get rattled here on our team.'

Beathard was one of the last Hawkeyes to leave the interview area. He almost left his backpack behind, which would've been a bummer. He took a few steps and pivoted back for it.

The Hawkeyes didn't forget a thing.

For a more detailed breakdown of this game, click here.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com