Iowa moves to 4-0 with 62-16 rout of North Texas

Iowa is 4-0 for the first time since 2009, now heading to Wisconsin next week, also for the first time since 2009.

The Hawkeyes blew out North Texas 62-16 in front of 56,041 fans at Kinnick Stadium in their final nonconference game Saturday afternoon.

It's the highest Iowa point total since a win over Northwestern in 2002.

Jordan Canzeri became the first Iowa player to score four rushing touchdowns in a game since Shonn Greene in 2008. He finished with a game-high 115 yards on 22 carries.

Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard was a perfect 15-for-15 passing with two touchdowns in the first half and finished the day 18-of-21 for 278 yards in three quarters of work.

CJB's 15 consecutive completions best start for B1G QB since UW's Russell Wilson's 16 of 16 in 2011.

— marcmorehouse (@marcmorehouse)

Linebackers Josey Jewell and Bo Bower added exclamation points with interception returns for touchdowns in the second half.

Canzeri rushed for touchdowns of 16 and 10 yards in the first quarter, his second giving him the outright Big Ten lead with six (now eight) scores this year.

J. Canzeri run for 16 yds for a TD - ESPN Video

Iowa gained 342 yards of offense in the first half while holding North Texas to 149.

Beathard threw second-quarter scoring strikes of 43 yards to George Kittle and 81 yards to Tevaun Smith. Both of those drives lasted less than a minute.

Smith led all receivers with 115 yards on four catches.

C. Beathard pass,to T. Smith for 81 yds for a TD - ESPN Video

One of only a few Hawkeye misplays resulted in the Mean Green's lone touchdown. Derrick Mitchell's first touch at running back was a reverse and a fumbled pitch. One play later, wide receiver Carlos Harris threw a six-yard TD to Chris Loving to cut Iowa's lead to 28-13.

But Iowa responded with a near-six-minute drive, capped by Canzeri's three-yard run, his third TD of the half, with 1:57 left in the half.

North Texas came out of the locker room looking like a new team on offense. But despite gaining 104 yards on a pair of drives, the Mean Green only accounted for three points.

Drew Ott stripped Andrew McNulty at midfield and Nathan Bazata recovered to halt North Texas' second drive. Iowa then drove to the goal line for Canzeri's fourth score.

Jewell returned a pick 34 yards for a score on the next drive.

A. McNulty pass intercepted for a TD,J. Jewell return for 34 yds for a TD - ESPN Video

Akrum Wadley added a two-yard rushing TD in the fourth, and Bo Bower capped the scoring with a pick six off backup QB Josh Greer.

Trevor Moore converted 3-of-3 field goal attempts for the Mean Green.

Iowa travels to Wisconsin to open Big Ten play at 11 a.m. next Saturday.

J. Greer pass intercepted for a TD,B. wer return for 88 yds for a TD - ESPN Video