This is going to be a tough one to swallow.
It’s not that the Hawkeyes lost, it’s how they lost.
Fumbles by both quarterbacks and a fumble punt led to 17 points off turnovers. Throw in an 87-yard touchdown pass and the Hawks’ chance to repeat as West champions were over.
I know injuries are part of the game.
Sam LaPorta, who leads the Hawkeyes with 53 receptions and 601 yards, didn’t even suit up.
I thought Luke Lachey stepped up big time with seven catches for 89 yards including a fourteen-yard touchdown when he dragged two Cornhuskers into the end zone. Spencer Petras was sacked for an eight-yard loss in the second quarter on the Iowa 39, fumbled the ball and Nebraska recovered. Eight plays later, the Huskers kicked a field goal and led 10-0.
Spencer was hurt on the play and did not come back in but Alex Padilla did a decent job coming off the bench.
The 6-1 junior from Colorado was 16-33 for 141 yards including a 14-yard TD pass to Luke Lachey in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 10, 24-14.
There was still 6:49 left in the game.
Drew Stevens kicked a field goal to make the score 24-17 with 5:41 left.
On Iowa’s last three drives, Alex was 3-10 including an interception with 23 seconds left.
The worst injury for Iowa came in the first quarter when Cooper DeJean left the field for good with an injury. The defensive backfield is pretty thin with injuries and Cooper’s backup gave up an 87-yard TD pass for the first points of the game.
Iowa Offense
I thought Iowa could run the ball and they did.
The Hawks ran for 124 yards including Kaleb Johnson’s 44-yard blast off tackle for Iowa’s first score to make it 24-7 in the third quarter.
Nico Ragaini had seven catches for 60 yards but only two other Hawkeyes caught passes.
“We didn’t do the things you have to do to be successful,” said Kirk Ferentz. “Credit our opponent, they did.”
Iowa Defense
The Huskers came into the game averaging 129 yards on the ground.
They only came up with 51 against the Hawks.
That is the eighth time this season Iowa has allowed fewer than 100 yards on the ground.
Iowa had two sacks and seven tackles for loss.
The alarming stat was QB Casey Thompson going 20-30 for 278 yards and three touchdown passes. For the season, Casey has thrown 17 TD passes, ten interceptions, and is completing 63% of his passes.
The only good thing about Black Friday is that the men and women both won their basketball games Friday night.
Flashback Game 2003
Iowa 26 Penn State 14
Nate Chandler passed for two touchdowns and ran for one as the 16th-ranked Hawkeyes handed the Nittany Lions their fourth straight loss. Nate was 13-26 for 174 yards and moved their record to 6-2. Matt Melloy and Ramon Ochoa each caught TDs for the Hawkeyes and Fred Russell ran for 148 yards. Chad Greenway blocked in the third quarter and Jermire Roberts picked it up and returned it for a 32-yard score.
The Hawks would finish 10-3 that year including a 37-17 victory over Florida in the Outback Bowl.
Hawkeye Men
The Iowa men had three games last week hosting the Omaha Mavericks then flying to Florida to take on Clemson and TCU.
The Hawks flew by the Mavericks 100-64 as Kris Murray put on another highlight reel while looking a lot like this twin brother Keagan. Kris was 13-17 from the floor, 4-6 from three, and scored a career high 30 points with seven rebounds playing 29 minutes. This year, after four games, Kris is averaging 23.8 points, shooting 62% from the floor, 48% from three and is 14-14 from the free-throw line.
Last year Keagan, after four games, averaged 25.5 points, shot 55% from the floor, 40% from three and 75% from the free throw line.
They both can drive, both are good free throw shooters, both play defense and can shoot the three.
In his two years, Keegan shot 55% from the floor, 37% from three and 75% from the free throw line.
So far, Kris is shooting 49% from the floor, 39% from three and 71% from the free throw line.
Can Kris keep that up for the season?
Iowa 74 Clemson 71
The Hawks had three players in double figures led by Patrick McCaffery with 21.
Kris Murray and Philip Rebraca took care of the boards with 12-10 respectively as Iowa had a 46-32 advantage on rebounds.
The Hawkeyes had 12 assists, only nine turnovers and a had 10 more second chance points.
Freshman guard Dasonte Bowen came off the bench, scored nine points in 11:36 minutes.
TCU 79 Iowa 66
You start with TCU having a 58-42 advantage on points in the paint.
Iowa also shot only 17.6 % (3-17) from three and had 15 turnovers.
Ahron Ulis and Dasonte Bowen came off the bench to score 15 and eight, respectively.
Ahron was 7-8 from the floor with one assist, one steal and one turnover.
Dasonte played 20 minutes and was 2-2 from three.
Hawkeye Women
Iowa 73 Oregon State 59
The Hawks were led by Caitlin Clark with 28 points, eight assists and nine boards.
Caitlin had 18 points in the first half and has scored more than 20 points in every game this year.
The Hawks had a 12-0 advantage on fast break points.
Monica Czinano and McKenna Warnock chipped in 17 and 12.
“I was happy with 18 assists on nine turnovers,” said Lisa Bluder. “We always strive to go two for one in those categories.”
UConn 86 Iowa 79
The 9th-ranked Hawkeyes might have played their best first half of the season against the 4th-ranked Huskies.
Iowa led 41-35 at halftime and led by 11 in the third quarter but UConn finished strong and pulled away at the end. The Huskies have good size, five star players, and wore the Hawks down at the end.
Caitlin Clark had 25 but was only 2-11 from three. Kate Martin had the game of her life going 6-6 from three and finishing with a career high 20 points. Kate came into the game shooting 25% (3-12) from three.
I always thought if Kate could make one or two threes per game, that would give Iowa four 3-point shooters.
The size of UConn took out Monica Czinano.
The two time All Big Ten center came into the game shooting 67% from the floor.
Against the Huskies, Monica shot 3-7 (42%) from the floor.
Wrap Up
The Hawkeye men were 2-1 and the women 1-1.
The wrestlers beat Penn 26-11 with Cobe Siebreht getting the only pin at 157.
The loss to Nebraska still stings and it will be interesting where the Hawks go Bowling.
