Iowa isn’t quite in control of its own destiny in the Big Ten West, but with an Illinois trip to No. 3 Michigan looming next week, it sort of feels that way. Thank you very much, Purdue Spoilermakers.
On a day where Purdue handed Illinois its second straight loss, the Hawkeyes took advantage and took care of business at home, topping Wisconsin, 24-10, thanks to more terrific defense and special teams.
After the Badgers turned an early Spencer Petras strip-sack fumble into a 32-yard field goal, Iowa went to work. It started early in the second quarter when the Hawkeyes forced the Badgers’ third punt of the day and Deontae Craig got through to block it, setting Iowa up at the Wisconsin 17-yard line.
Offense was tough to come by for much of the day, but Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras followed that blocked punt with a 13-yard completion to tight end Sam LaPorta. Kaleb Johnson then ran it in from four yards out and the Hawkeyes had their first lead of the day.
Then, after the two teams traded a pair of punts, Cooper DeJean jumped a Graham Mertz pass and ran it back for a 32-yard pick-six score. He wasn’t done, though.
In the second half, after Iowa had backed Wisconsin up with a Tory Taylor punt that was downed at the Badgers’ 1-yard line, the Hawkeyes forced another punt and Cooper DeJean returned it 41 yards to the Wisconsin 18-yard line.
Kaleb Johnson ran for four yards, Petras found LaPorta for nine yards to set up first and goal from the 5-yard line and then Petras eventually snuck it in from one yard out for what was ultimately the score that put it out of reach.
It’s another happy Saturday in Hawkeye land, and Iowa fans definitely had fun with the win. Here were some of the best social media reactions from the victory that has the Hawks seemingly two wins away from a return trip to Indianapolis.