This is more like it. For the second straight week, Iowa controlled a Big Ten game from start to finish.
Iowa (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) is back above the .500 mark after downing Purdue, 24-3, and the Hawkeyes are just one win away from qualifying for bowl eligibility.
Hawkeye quarterback Spencer Petras threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes, connecting with tight end Sam LaPorta for a 16-yard touchdown and then with wide receiver Nico Ragaini for a 29-yard score. The San Rafael, Calif., native finished 13-of-23 passing for 192 yards with those two passing touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Iowa’s defense did Iowa defense things. The Hawkeyes harassed Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell into a pair of interceptions that safety Kaevon Merriweather and linebacker Seth Benson came away with. On the day, Iowa forced seven Purdue punts and held the Boilermakers on downs on three occasions.
Iowa turned the Merriweather interception into the Ragaini touchdown and the Benson interception into a 26-yard field goal. Iowa added a 75-yard touchdown run from budding star running back Kaleb Johnson on the second play of the second half. That was all it took.
Iowa put it on cruise control from there, shutting out Purdue in the second half en route to another three-score victory. Hawkeye social media had a blast with the convincing win and responded accordingly to Iowa’s complete performance. Here was the best from Hawkeye Twitter.