Postgame podcast: Thoughts on Iowa's win
Bottom line: Iowa won. Three other Big Ten West teams that entered Saturday tied for first didn’t. So the Hawkeyes’ unconventional 10-7 win over Northwestern — a style of victory that is actually becoming conventional for Iowa — puts them alone in first in the West.
We break down the game and the scene at Wrigley Field on The Final Score podcast.
Kirk Ferentz's takeaways from the win
Cooper DeJean's postgame thoughts
Iowa QB Deacon Hill describes key pass to Kaleb Brown
Iowa experiences couple ‘fun’ plays with Cooper DeJean on offense
After its previous reluctance to give Cooper DeJean a nod on offense, Iowa’s coaching staff greenlit the playmaking defensive back play sparingly on the other side of the ball in the Hawkeyes’ 10-7 win over Northwestern.
For Hawkeyes, defense plus witchcraft equals first place in Big Ten West
Iowa uglied it up yet again on offense, but had just enough to go home happy with a 10-7 Wrigley Field win over Northwestern.
Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins: "It's hard to be 7-2 in the Big Ten. I feel like maybe people are forgetting about that."
Iowa vs. Northwestern Game Report
Here’s a look at Iowa’s 10-7 win over Northwestern at Wrigley Field, including the turning point, key numbers and notes to know.
Iowa's Cooper DeJean said today's game at Wrigley "felt like a home game."
"All I saw was a lot of black and gold. I didn't see much purple and white."
Iowa's Cooper DeJean: "We fought til the very end. Wasn't clean. A lot of the wins aren't."
Drew Stevens redeems himself as Iowa pulls off nail-biting at Wrigley Field
The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field were quite friendly to Iowa football. Iowa kicker Drew Stevens, after missing a 53-yard attempt earlier in the game, redeemed himself with the 52-yard game-winning field goal with 14 seconds remaining.
Iowa alone atop Big Ten West standings
Illinois just beat Minnesota 27-26.
Updated Big Ten West standings:
Iowa 4-2
Minnesota 3-3
Wisconsin 3-3
Nebraska 3-3
Illinois 2-4
Northwestern 2-4
Purdue 1-4 (plays at Michigan tonight)
Final: Iowa 10, Northwestern 7
The Hawkeyes improve to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten, staying in the West Division lead (tied with Minnesota if the Gophers hang on against Illinois).
Northwestern is now 4-5, 2-4.
Iowa calls its third and final timeout. One second left. Northwestern ball on its own 42.
Iowa takes the lead
Drew Stevens kicks a 52-yard field goal.
Not quite a walk-off, but maybe a go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth?
It was a seven-play, 37-yard drive with Deacon Hill's 23-yard pass to Kaleb Brown being the key play.
Iowa 10, Northwestern 7 (0:14 4th)
Right. Down. The. Middle.
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 4, 2023
A HUGE last second FG for @HawkeyeFootball. #BigTenSaturday pic.twitter.com/VfsaxASdy5
Two straight Leshon Williams runs and a pair of Iowa timeouts. Third-and-7 for the Hawkeyes at the Northwestern with 35 with 24 seconds left.
Kaleb Brown has his first catch of the season at a pivotal time. Iowa ball on the Northwestern 38, 48 seconds left.
Touchdown Northwestern: Wildcats tie it up late
Cam Johnson comes down with a 5-yard touchdown catch on third-and-4.
Jack Olsen kicks the PAT to tie the score.
It was a six-play, 22-yard drive that featured two third-down conversions on Brendan Sullivan passes.
Iowa 7, Northwestern 7 (1:50 4th)
We are ALL TIED UP!@nufbfamily | #BigTenSaturday pic.twitter.com/x6dLdIemcd
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 4, 2023
Excellent A.J. Henning punt return, and the Wildcats take over at the Iowa 22. 5:15 to go.
Iowa offensive lineman Beau Stephens is down with an injury. Stephens is carted off the field.
Another timeout for field repair. A rough day for the Wrigley grass.
Timeout for field repair
Some sort of sinkhole has opened at the Iowa 2. I think they lost a Buick in that thing.
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) November 4, 2023
Northwestern with a drive that used 9:24 and produced no points. Divots being replaced furiously by the grounds crew at the Iowa 2.
A game-changing goal-line stand
Northwestern had first-and-goal at the 2 and turned it over on downs, wasting an 18-play, 66-yard drive that took 9:24 off the clock.
The Wildcats converted a fourth-and-1 from the Iowa 16 with a pitch to Anthony Tyus III for a 3-yard gain. Pass interference on Cooper DeJean in the end zone then set up the Wildcats at the 2.
First-and-goal: Cam Porter picks up a yard, but Ethan Hurkett and Nick Jackson make the stop.
Second-and-goal: Brendan Sullivan is stuffed on a QB sneak.
Third-and-goal: Jay Higgins delivers a big hit to stop Porter.
Fourth-and-goal: Another Sullivan sneak is stopped. Kyler Fisher gets credit for the tackle.
Iowa 7, Northwestern 0 (6:36 4th)
1st-and-goal ❌
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 4, 2023
2nd-and-goal ❌
3rd-and-goal ❌
4th-and-goal ❌@HawkeyeFootball's D comes up clutch and stuffs Northwestern. 😤
💻: Peacock pic.twitter.com/jHfhd20tPe
Through 3 quarters: Iowa 125 yards and 7 points, Northwestern 70 and 0.
End 3rd: Iowa 7, Northwestern 0
If the current scores hold (which is a big "if"), the Hawkeyes would be in sole possession of first place in the Big Ten West.
Illinois leads Minnesota 21-20 in the third.
Iowa runs the ball for a gain of 4 on third-and-16, and Tory Taylor takes the field again.
First career TD for Addison Ostrenga.
Of course a player named "Addison" scored a touchdown at Wrigley Field.
Touchdown Iowa: Hill to Ostrenga
Deacon Hill bootlegs and hits a wide-open Addison Ostrenga for the first points of the game, a 2-yard touchdown pass.
Drew Stevens' extra point is good.
It was a seven-play, 25-yard drive after Anterio Thompson's blocked punt. It included Hill's third-and-1 QB sneak conversion.
Iowa 7, Northwestern 0 (9:04 3rd)
The first points of the game belong to @HawkeyeFootball!#BigTenSaturday pic.twitter.com/mIRd1C0G1W
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 4, 2023
Iowa offensive linemen Mason Richman and Rusty Feth are questionable, per Iowa sports information.
Iowa blocks Northwestern punt
Anterio Thompson got his hand on Hunter Renner's punt after the Wildcats lost 7 yards on their first drive.
Iowa starts its first drive of the second half at the Northwestern 25.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (13:03 3rd)
Impact play 😤@ThompsonAnterio x #Hawkeyes
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) November 4, 2023
pic.twitter.com/tPpaRsxlLI
Iowa center Logan Jones is in street clothes with a boot on his right foot after halftime.
The Wildcats have but 29 yards, and it isn't the worst half of offense I've seen a team play in the last two games I've covered.
Half: Iowa 0, Northwestern 0
A baseball score while playing at a baseball stadium. 110 combined yards of offense between Iowa and Northwestern.
Yahya Black with a sack on first down. Iowa calls its first timeout, 44 seconds left in the half.
Iowa goes three-and-out
Iowa has 82 total yards in the first half.
Northwestern takes over at its 25.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (0:49 2nd)
Northwestern goes three-and-out
Northwestern has 22 total yards in the first half.
Iowa takes over at its 28.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (2:25 2nd)
Hill sacked on first down, Iowa punts from Northwestern 40
Iowa lost 4 yards when Aidan Hubbard sacked Deacon Hill on first down and a drive that started in Northwestern territory basically went nowhere.
The Hawkeyes punted from the Northwestern 40 on fourth-and-4 and Tory Taylor's kick went into the end zone.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (3:32 2nd)
Northwestern goes three-and-out
Ethan Hurkett with a TFL on that drive. Deontae Craig and Logan Lee teamed up to bring down QB Brendan Sullivan for no gain on first down, as well.
After an incompletion, a low punt is downed at the Northwestern 46. Can the Hawkeyes finally capitalize?
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (5:00 2nd)
DeJean brings some excitement, but Iowa still punts
Iowa handed the ball to Cooper DeJean on its first play of the drive and he picked up 7 yards on the ground. He lined up on the outside for a couple snaps.
But the Hawkeyes lost a yard on a second-down completion and Deacon Hill's third-and-8 pass was incomplete.
The Wildcats get it back at their 12.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (6:22 2nd)
🚨IOWA JUST PUT COOPER DEJEAN ON OFFENSE🚨 pic.twitter.com/MTs2drIJfU
— Heavens! (@HeavensFX) November 4, 2023
Cooper DeJean gets the ball on offense
Cooper DeJean now averaging 7 yards per carry this season.
Northwestern's fifth penalty helps lead to a punt
Third-and-2 turned into third-and-7 for the Wildcats thanks to a false start. Cam Johnson nearly came up with a big gain with a catch down the sideline but couldn't hang on.
Cooper DeJean somewhow spun out of a tackle on a bouncing punt and came up with a 12-yard return to the Iowa 26.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (9:08 2nd)
The Hawkeyes have reached Northwestern territory on all three drives and have zero points to show for it.
Interception in the end zone
Iowa QB Deacon Hill's 5-for-5 start comes to an end with an interception.
His pass on second-and-6 from the Northwestern 26 was intended for Nico Ragaini at the goal line, but Theran Johnson had the coverage and made a play on the ball for the interception.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (11:44 2nd)
End zone interception for @NUFBFamily!
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 4, 2023
📺: Peacock pic.twitter.com/Pr9EYPxIuH
Different look on the Iowa offensive line (left to right): DeJong, Stephens, Elsbury, Colby, Dunker.
The Hawkeyes have 24 rushing yards on 13 carries... 1.8 yards per carry.
End 1st: Iowa 0, Northwestern 0
After picking up its first first down of the game, Northwestern lost 17 yards on second-and-5 when an early snap flew past the quarterback and running back.
Iowa gets it back at its 33 after a 27-yard Hunter Renner punt.
We're nil-nil 12 minutes into the game. Northwestern has minus-6 total yards. The Italian beef at Al's #1 was every bit as good as I remembered it.
Screen pass loses yardage, field goal is no good
Leshon Williams was hit immediately by Xander Mueller after catching Deacon Hill's third-and-8 screen pass, losing 4 yards to the Northwestern 36.
Drew Stevens' 53-yard field goal attempt missed off the upright.
That was a six-play, 27-yard drive.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (3:01 1st)
Northwestern's third pass interference penalty gives the Hawkeyes a first down at the Northwestern 34.
Logan Jones is back in at center to start the Hawkeyes' second drive.
Nick Jackson sack on third down
Iowa forced a three-and-out on Northwestern's first possession. Nick Jackson sacked Brendan Sullivan for a loss of 8 to the NU 6 on third-and-8.
Cooper DeJean returned the punt inside the Northwestern 15 but Iowa's Jaxon Rexroth was flagged for an illegal block in the back.
So the Hawkeyes instead start at their 37.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (6:21 1st)
Deacon Hill fumbles on third-and-7
Iowa recovered the fumble forced by Jaylen Pate but a loss of 8 brings the punt team out at the Northwestern 39.
Iowa ran for 19 yards and picked up 17 via Northwestern penalties on its opening drive. It had 1 passing yard.
Northwestern starts its first drive at its 12.
Iowa 0, Northwestern 0 (8:33 1st)
Death, taxes and Northwestern defensive pass interference penalties. Two of them in the first 4-plus minutes give the Hawkeyes first downs.
Tyler Elsbury in at center for Logan Jones, who heads to the medical tent.
Hawkeyes begin in 12 personnel. Stilianos and Ostrenga starting at TE. Williams at RB. Vines and Ragaini at WR.
Weirdest Swarm ever, from a baseball dugout across the field to a sideline Iowa shares with its opponent. Big Ten scores are on the center field scoreboard. Northwestern flags are flying from the foul poles. Hog Butcher for the World, Tool Maker, Stacker of Wheat.
Hawkeyes win the toss and choose to receive.
"Let's Go Hawks" and I-O-W-A chants here at Wrigley. A very pro-Iowa crowd.
A swarm out of a dugout.
Big Ten West update
Nebraska and Wisconsin both lost. The four-way tie for first place in the Big Ten West is now a two-way tie between Iowa and Minnesota.
Gophers play Illinois today, also at 2:30.
Quarterback Marco Lainez is working with the second-team offense in Iowa's pregame warmups.
No surprises with the Hawkeyes' first-team offensive line... Richman, Feth, Jones, Colby and Dunker.
Iowa second-team defensive back T.J. Hall, as expected, will not play against Northwestern. Most other first or second-team players will be available, though.
Here is the full availability report:
OUT
• DB TJ Hall
• RB Terrell Washington
• WR Reese Osgood
• LB Zach Twedt
• TE Luke Lachey
No players have a questionable designation.
Iowa safety Xavier Nwankpa is warming up with a cast on his right hand.
NFL scouts are expected from the Bears, Broncos, Colts, Packers, Chargers, Saints and Titans for today's Iowa-Northwestern game.
Also a rep from the ReliaQuest Bowl is expected to be here.
Iowa vs. Northwestern storylines
3 keys for Iowa: The secondary vs. Brendan Sullivan, stanching Northwestern’s pass rush and staying healthy on a surface not menat for football. Here’s the analysis from John Steppe.
Gameday feature: Iowa’s Rusty Feth is the “epitome of grit” on the field and a “gentle giant” and humorous leader off the field.
Hlas column: Chicago's Big Ten Team plays another of Chicago’s Big Ten teams in Chicago.
Northwestern perspective: Seemingly thrown to the wolves, interim head coach David Braun has Northwestern playing good football.
Fun Facts: The last time Iowa played a Big Ten opponent in a baseball stadium was in 1904 when it faced Minnesota at Athletic Park in Cedar Rapids. Here are 20 things to know about Iowa-Northwestern.
Analysis: Kirk Ferentz wishes he “kept everybody healthy,” but Iowa’s recent offensive woes go beyond injuries.
Big picture: Kirk Ferentz clarified his coaching future after ambiguity in Tuesday’s news conference remarks.
Iowa vs. Northwestern predictions
Mike Hlas: Iowa 9, Northwestern 6 (10 innings)
John Steppe: Iowa 21, Northwestern 9
Jeff Johnson: Iowa 9, Northwestern 3
Rob Gray: Iowa 19, Northwestern 17
Beth Malicki: Iowa 24, Northwestern 13
Todd Brommelkamp: Iowa 21, Northwestern 18
How to watch Iowa vs. Northwestern
Kickoff time: 2:30 p.m. (CT)
TV channel: none
Live stream: Peacock — NBC’s streaming service starts at $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. Its website has information about supported devices, including mobile apps and TVs.
Broadcast announcers: Paul Burmeister (play-by-play), Kyle Rudolph (analyst), Zora Stephenson (sideline)
Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network | The Varsity Network app | SiriusXM channel 387