Bohnenkamp: Iowa-Minnesota Takeaways

Hawkeyes Inch Closer to Big Goals with Saturday's Win in Twin Cities

Nov 19, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Spencer Petras (7) hand the ball off to running back Leshon Williams (4) during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. (Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports)

One win away from back-to-back Big Ten West championships.

Iowa’s 13-10 win at Minnesota on Saturday wasn’t easy, but it never is for these Hawkeyes, who were given up for dead in late October and now suddenly have a title within their reach after a four-game winning streak.

A victory over Nebraska next Friday at Kinnick Stadium, and the Hawkeyes will be making a return trip to Indianapolis.

Jack Campbell’s interception return — it originally looked like he had scored a touchdown but he was ruled to have stepped out of bounds — set up Drew Stevens’ 21-yard field goal with 28 seconds left that won the game.

Iowa (7-4 overall, 5-3 Big Ten) gave up 399 yards to the Gophers (7-4, 4-4), 263 to running back Mohamed Ibrahim, who cut through the Hawkeyes’ defense all day. But the Hawkeyes’ defense forced two turnovers — a fumble by Ibrahim and the interception by Campbell — that stopped potential scoring drives by Minnesota.

“When it counted, we got what we really needed,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said in a post-game radio interview.

“At times it didn’t look pretty, but man, we kept fighting,” Campbell said.

The takeaways from Saturday’s game:

CAMPBELL IN THE RIGHT SPOT

Campbell has built a career of being in the right place at the right time, and that was the case in the second half.

Campbell had 10 tackles, but he was the one who forced Ibrahim’s fumble at the Iowa 9-yard line. One possession later, he caught the tipped ball deflected by cornerback Riley Moss and raced toward the end zone.

“I got my hand in there and popped it up,” Moss said. “Campbell’s always running to the ball. It was a good thing he was running to the ball on that play. He ended up grabbing the ball and running down the sideline.”

IBRAHIM BREAKS LOOSE

Iowa came into the game ranked eighth nationally in rushing defense, allowing 88.6 yards per game.

But the Hawkeyes could not contain Ibrahim, who had 39 carries.

“He wore us out,” Ferentz said.

Ibrahim had 14 carries on Minnesota’s 16-play, 88-yard possession in the fourth quarter, but his last carry was the one when he fumbled.

“I would say it’s his ability to see the whole field,” Campbell said of what Ibrahim does well. “Some of those big long runs he had, I felt they were designed for him to come back to the field, but he cut them to the boundary.”

QUICK START

Iowa’s offense scored 10 first-quarter points, then didn’t score again until Stevens’ game-winning field goal.

The Hawkeyes had just 59 rushing yards, but quarterback Spencer Petras had one of his best games of the season, completing 15 of 24 passes for 221 yards.

Petras targeted nine different receivers, with seven having at least one reception.

LOSING LAPORTA

Iowa’s first offensive play of the game was a 58-yard pass from Petras to tight end Sam LaPorta.

LaPorta, Petras’ favorite target all season, had four catches for 95 yards, but only played the first quarter before getting injured.

Luke Lachey, LaPorta’s backup, came in and didn’t miss a beat. Lachey had five catches for 77 yards.

TAYLOR PINS THE GOPHERS

Punter Tory Taylor has made big kicks, and he and the rest of Iowa’s special teams came through with two big plays.

Taylor landed four punts inside the Minnesota 20-yard line, including back-to-back punts in the second half which led to the Gophers starting possessions at their own 3-yard line..