Northwestern 14, Iowa 10
When: 3:30 PM ET, Saturday, November 10, 2018
Where: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
Temperature:
27°
Head Official:
Ron Snodgrass
Attendance:
66493
By Field Level Media
Bennett Skowronek caught the go-ahead 32-yard touchdown with 9:27 remaining, and visiting Northwestern clinched its first Big Ten West Division title with a 14-10 victory over No. 21 Iowa Saturday in frigid Iowa City.
Needing to win along with losses by Wisconsin and Purdue, the Wildcats (6-4, 6-1 Big Ten) received help from Penn State and Minnesota, respectively, and did just enough offensively while coming up with key defensive stops.
The Wildcats took a 14-10 lead thanks to some acrobatics by Skowronek. On first-and-10, Skowronek raced down the left sideline, gained separation on defensive back Michael Ojemudia and made the diving catch with his arms stretched out and landing face-first.
Northwestern followed by forcing a three-and-out and two fumbles on Iowa's final three possessions. On the first fumble, Cameron Ruiz stripped Iowa running back Mekhi Sargent around midfield and Travis Whillock recovered.
After Northwestern was forced to punt with 3:37 remaining, the defense came up with another turnover just 1:07 later when Ivory Kelly-Martin was stripped by Joe Gaziano, and Ruiz recovered.
Freshman Isaiah Bowser gained a career-high 165 yards on a career-best 31 carries, including a 34-yard TD run early in the third quarter.
The Wildcats finished 7 of 19 on third downs after failing to convert six third-down tries in the first half.
Clayton Thorson completed 15 of 30 passes for 122 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions as Northwestern won its 10th straight game against a divisional foe and secured a trip to its fourth straight bowl game.
After the game ended, coach Pat Fitzgerald gathered his players to reveal that Purdue lost to Minnesota and Wisconsin fell to Penn State, and the news sent the team into a frenzy.
Iowa (6-4, 3-4) dropped its third straight close game as it gained 64 rushing yards after entering the game averaging 156.7 yards.
Nate Stanley completed 27 of 41 passes for 269 yards and a 28-yard touchdown to Ihmir Smith-Marsette.
After the teams traded field position during the first half, the Hawkeyes took a 3-0 lead 56 seconds before the break on a 46-yard field goal by Miguel Recinos. Northwestern went ahead 7-3 with 9:19 left when Bowser raced down the left side.
The Wildcats were close to extending their lead, but defensive back Jake Gervase intercepted Thorson at the Northwestern 39. Two plays later, Smith-Marsette easily scored after a play-action fake by Stanley to put Iowa up 10-7 with 4:27 remaining in the third.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Team Stats Summary
| |
Yards |
Scoring |
Defense |
| Team |
Tot |
Rus |
Pas |
TD |
FG |
INT |
Sck |
FF |
| Northwestern
|
306 |
184 |
122 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1.0 |
2 |
| Iowa
|
333 |
64 |
269 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2.0 |
0 |
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