Iowa football Game Report: Hawkeyes 28, Illinois Fighting Illini 0

News, notes and anecdotes from Iowa's 28-0 win over Illinois.

Play Of The Game

The Set Up — On a scale of stuck in cement to sinking in quick sand, that kind of was Iowa's offense for most of the first half of Saturday's 28-0 victory over Illinois.

The Hawkeyes' first three drives were all punts with the first two going three-and-out. It got worse from there. The next two drives were a C.J. Beathard interception and then running back Akrum Wadley fumbled at the Fighting Illini's 1-yard line.

So, punt, punt, punt and then interception and fumble. This so wasn't what Iowa was shooting for in a windblown game on the plains in Champaign.

As it kind of has the last two weeks, Iowa's defense again dragged the offense around by the scruff. After Wadley's fumble, the Hawkeyes forced a three-and-out.

Because of the windy conditions (winds gusted to 40 mph at Memorial Stadium) Iowa trotted out two punt returners.

Dun dun dunhhhh.

What happened — Senior Riley McCarron lined up on the left and senior Desmond King, the Big Ten's No. 2 punt returner, lined up on the right. Illinois punter David Reisner picked McCarron. Why not? That was the play. King is the one with the resume. Or maybe Reisner didn't pick McCarron. It was so windy, the kicking nets behind the benches had to be laid on the ground.

McCarron caught the punt. King threw a block on a gunner. It was a middle return.

Iowa's punt return unit opened the middle of Illinois punt cover unit like a tuna can.

The Result — McCarron ran untouched right down the middle for a 55-yard TD. It was McCarron's second punt return this season (he had a 38-yarder vs. Northwestern). It was Iowa's first punt return for a TD ... get ready for this one ... since former defensive end Drew Ott returned a kick a Nebraska punter booted into one of his blockers 12 yards for a TD in 2014.

This seemed to reboot the Hawkeyes in a stadium that held just 39,901 fans on a cloudy, dreary, windy, miserable day in the plains.

'We came out a little slow, so it definitely felt good to get the momentum going,' McCarron said. 'Special teams played a huge role today, especially with the wind.'

-Marc Morehouse

Report Card

A — You wouldn't give Illinois' troubles to a monkey sitting on a rock.

-Mike Hlas

B+ — When they write the book on this game, they'll stop writing and maybe watch a 'Seinfeld' rerun.

-Marc Morehouse

A- — This is one of those games that will like it was great when you look at the box score 20 years from now.

-Jeremiah Davis

Basketball School

You didn't need to ask around Friday to know Illinois is a little more interested in its men's basketball team than its football squad.

It doesn't help that the Illini took a 3-7 record into Saturday's football game here against Iowa. On top of that, the front page of Friday's Champaign News-Gazette sports section was dominated by the news five-star recruit Jeremiah Tilmon of East Saint Louis, Ill., committed to play at Illinois next season.

Tilmon is a 6-foot-10 player who waited until the last day of the autumn signing period to commit to Illinois. As of now, the Illini's 2017 recruiting class is ranked in the nation's top 10.

The current Illinois team beat Detroit Mercy Friday night in Champaign, 89-69, to improve to 4-0. Scott Richey of the News-Gazette predicted an 88-72 Illini win in Friday's edition, so nicely done, Scott.

-Mike Hlas

Kicking History

Never underestimate college football's ability to get weird.

Iowa shut out Illinois, 28-0, on Saturday, for its first shutout since 2010. That's not the weird part. The weird part came in the fact that the Illini didn't kick off at all in Saturday's game. Coach Kirk Ferentz elected to take the wind at the beginning of both the first and second half, which meant punter Ron Coluzzi got an extra kickoff than expected.

It's the first time that's happened under Ferentz, for sure, but statisticians were unsure when the last time it had happened at all. Coluzzi sure was surprised by it.

'I've never heard of that,' Coluzzi said. 'I didn't even know it was a rule, honestly, for me to kick off at the beginning of the game and at halftime. So when they said I was up, hitting a kickoff, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, all right.''

-Jeremiah Davis

By The Numbers

159 — Combined rushing yards allowed the last two weeks by Iowa

50 — Yard touchdown run for LeShun Daniels, his second longest of the year

30 — Approximate miles per hour of the wind at Memorial Stadium on Saturday

13 — Career interceptions for Desmond King, tying Tyler Sash for fifth all-time

10 — Drives that ended in a punt for Illinois, out of 14

10 — First downs all game for Illinois

6 — Years between Iowa shutting out an opponent

5 — Combined touchdowns by LeShun Daniels and Akrum Wadley the last two weeks.

2 — Straight weeks Manny Rugamba forced a turnover

1 — Career punt return touchdowns for Riley McCarron

0 — Kickoffs for Illinois, which received both opening and third quarter kickoffs

-Jeremiah Davis

Injury Report

The Hawkeyes came into Saturday's game at Illinois without a handful of players, and for the first time in several weeks, were able to escape the game without losing another starter or key contributor to injury.

Offensive lineman Ike Boettger missed his first game of the season with a leg injury, making it all five Iowa offensive line starters to miss at least one game this season due to injury. He was replaced at right tackle by Sean Welsh, who moved out from right guard — where Welsh had been every week but Week 3, when he was out with injury. Keegan Render got his fifth straight start at left guard.

Fellow offensive lineman Cole Croston missed his third straight game, dealing with a nagging ankle injury. Levi Paulsen got his first start at right guard, as Iowa trotted out its seventh different offensive line combination in 11 games.

Tight end George Kittle missed his second straight game, also dealing with a leg injury. Kittle, Croston and Boettger did not make the trip to Illinois.

Defensive back Miles Taylor made the trip and participated in parts of warmups, but did not play for the second straight week, dealing with a concussion.

'I think George has the best opportunity (to get back next week), and Ike was climbing the ladder — he couldn't play today,' Ferentz said. 'My guess is, if at all possible, (Boettger) will be out there, but he's got to show us he can play, too. Miles got cleared yesterday and could've played today, but he didn't practice, so there was no sense putting him in there. Croston I doubt (for next week), but we'll see.'

-Jeremiah Davis

Up Next

Iowa returns to Kinnick Stadium for one final time this season next week for Senior Day. The Hawkeyes (7-4, 5-3) host Nebraska on Black Friday for the sixth annual battle for the Heroes Trophy. The close to the regular season still does not have a television or kickoff time designation. The Huskers (9-2, 6-2) are coming off a home win against Maryland.