Minnesota at Iowa

Oct. 21, 2023 | Iowa City, Iowa | Kinnick Stadium

 

POSTGAME NOTES

Minnesota (4-3, 2-2) defeated Iowa (6-2, 3-2), 12-10, on Saturday afternoon inside Kinnick Stadium.

  • Minnesota snapped an eight-game losing streak in the series, dating back to 2014. It is the Gophers’ first win in Iowa City since 1999.
  • Iowa is now 2-1 in trophy games this season and 26-9 in its last 35 rivalry trophy games.

 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

  • QB Deacon Hill completed 10-of-28 passes for 116 yards in his third career start.
    • Hill had a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter — the first rushing touchdown of his career.
  • WR Diante Vines finished with three receptions for a career high 62 yards in the game. He two catches, including a career-long 36-yarder on Iowa’s opening drive, which led to a field goal.
  • WR Nico Ragaini had four catches for 28 yards, moving him into eighth place on Iowa’s all-time receptions list (139 catches, 1,465 yards).
  • LB Jay Higgins had a game high 14 tackles his sixth game with 10+ tackles this season (seventh of his career). Higgins has registered 101.5 tackles this season.
  • DL Joe Evans had one sack and six total tackles in the game. Evans has a team-best 3.5 sacks this season and 22 sacks for his career, moving him into a tie for ninth place in program history with Leroy Smith (1988-91).
    • Evans has 3.5 career sacks against Minnesota.
  • P Tory Taylor had nine punts for 444 yards for a 43.9 yard average and a long of 57. Five of his nine punts were downed inside the 20 and four went over 50 yards.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

  • Iowa opened the game with an 11 play, 70-yard scoring drive that resulted in a 23-yard Drew Stevens field goal. It is the fourth time this season the offense has scored on its opening drive.
  • Iowa’s defense has kept back-to-back teams out of the end zone and eight teams without a touchdown since the start of the 2022 season.
  • The unit has allowed one touchdown or less in six of the first eight games of 2023 and 15 of the last 21 games.
  • Iowa has allowed 14 or fewer points in 14 of its last 21 games.
  • The Hawkeye defense allowed 239 yards of total offense. It is the 22nd consecutive game the unit has allowed 400 or fewer yards, the longest active streak nationally.
  • The Hawkeyes have played in front of eight consecutive sellouts to open the 2023 season.
  • Minnesota won the toss and deferred to the second half. The Hawkeye have played 309 games under head coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa has opened the game on offense 226 times (145-81). The Hawkeyes have opened the game on defense 83 times (47-36).

 

INSTANT REPLAY

1)            Diante Vines reception – ruled complete (confirmed)

2)            Deacon Hill touchdown run – ruled complete (confirmed)

3)            Karson Sharar tackle, reviewed for targeting – ruled clean (overturned); Sharar is disqualified for remainder of game

4)            Corey Crooms reception – ruled complete (overturned)

5)            Addison Ostrenga reception – ruled complete (confirmed)

6)            Cooper DeJean punt return touchdown – ruled a fair catch (overturned)

 

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes are on a bye during Week 9.  Iowa returns to action Nov. 4, facing Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago.