Hlas: Iowa’s offense won’t play in Peoria, or Champaign, or anywhere
The latest indignity is another doozy for the Hawkeyes: Six points at Illinois on a night they needed just 10, The Gazette's Mike Hlas writes.
Hlas: Iowa’s offense won’t play in Peoria, or Champaign, or anywhere
The latest indignity is another doozy for the Hawkeyes: Six points at Illinois on a night they needed just 10, The Gazette's Mike Hlas writes.
Watch highlights from Illinois' 9-6 win over Iowa
Kirk Ferentz believes Iowa football ‘can’t change dramatically’ during bye week
As for solutions to an offense that began play Saturday ranked 130th out of 131 FBS teams in yards per game and then didn’t score a touchdown in a 9-6 loss to Illinois, Kirk Ferentz ruled out any major changes, The Gazette's John Steppe writes.
Game Report: Illinois 9, Iowa 6
The Gazette's Mike Hlas takes a look at the turning point, key numbers, notes and more.
Nonexistent offense plagues Hawkeyes in 9-6 loss to Illinois
Illinois bested Iowa, 9-6, as the Hawkeyes’ offense again struggled mightily, The Gazette's John Steppe writes in this game recap.
Final: Illinois 9, Iowa 6
This is the Illini's first win over the Hawkeyes since 2008.
The Hawkeyes fall to 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten going into their bye week.
Illinois is 5-1, 2-1 and tied for the Big Ten West lead.
"We played an Iowa-type game and came out on top," Illinois Coach Bret Bielema told BTN.
WHAT AN ENDING 🤣@IlliniFootball gets the win ‼️ pic.twitter.com/MhoXizGpEb
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 9, 2022
One more chance
Iowa used its three timeouts and forced an Illinois punt. The Hawkeyes have it at their 16, down three with 1:12 to go.
Spencer Petras picked off
That likely does it. The Iowa QB was hit from behind by Seth Coleman and his throw sailed into the hands of Matthew Bailey at the Illinois 33 with 1:36 left.
PICKED OFF. 😱@MatthewBailey_7 x @IlliniFootball pic.twitter.com/V8EJscneAQ
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 9, 2022
Illinois takes the lead
One play after an Iowa TD was overturned, Fabrizio Pinton gave Illinois the lead with his third field goal of the game.
This one was from 36 yards. It was a nine-play, 26-yard drive for the Illini that took 4:30.
Illinois 9, Iowa 6 (2:49 4th).
It's good. 🙌@Fabriziopinton x @IlliniFootball pic.twitter.com/a7ShpDtCfe
— Illinois on BTN (@IllinoisOnBTN) October 9, 2022
Iowa touchdown overturned
Illinois QB Artur Sitkowski was thrown down by Lukas Van Ness and lost the ball, which was scooped up by Riley Moss and returned 82 yards for the apparent first touchdown of the game. But the call was overturned. Replays showed Sitkowski was down before losing the ball.
Illinois maintains possession at the Iowa 18 with 3:01 left.
Quinn Schulte INT at the goal line
A huge play for Iowa's defense. Artur Sitkowski had just completed a 21-yard pass to a leaping Jonah Morris to the Iowa 8.
Two plays later, Schulte stepped in front of a receiver and picked off Sitkowski at the 1 with just under 10 minutes to go.
INTERCEPTED AT THE 1 YARD LINE. 😤@quinnschulte5 x @HawkeyeFootball pic.twitter.com/SFZjHOgvPz
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) October 9, 2022
Iowa punts
A promising Iowa drive is derailed. A screen pass to Sam LaPorta resulted in an 8-yard loss and Spencer Petras was hit on third-and-14.
Illinois has it at its 19 with 13:21 to go.
End 3rd: Iowa 6, Illinois 6
Iowa is on the move, with the Petras runs followed by a 21-yard Leshon Williams run and 11-yard gain for Kaleb Johnson.
The Hawkeyes start the fourth quarter with the ball at the Illinois 42. They rushed for 74 yards in the third quarter and are up to ... 46 for the game.
Explosive QB runs
Iowa was backed up at its 2 after a 42-yard Hugh Robertson punt and called a QB sneak to make some room. Spencer Petras' 6-yard rush was the Hawkeyes' longest of the night ... until Petras scrambled for a 15-yard gain on third-and-2.
A late-hit penalty would have been tacked on, but Iowa was flagged for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, including one on an assistant coach.
Petras sacked, Iowa punts
Seth Coleman sacked Spencer Petras on third-and-22 for a 7-yard loss to the Iowa 11.
Iowa was already backed up because Kaleb Johnson was flagged for a facemask penalty on a 3-yard run. The Hawkeyes currently have minus-18 yards rushing.
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Iowa goes three-and-out to start the second half
Spencer Petras was sacked for a loss of 8 on second-and-6 and the Hawkeyes punted away after an incomplete pass.
Update: Illinois also went three-and-out.
Big Ten Network analyst Jake Butt predicts the first team to score a touchdown will win.
Halftime: Iowa 6, Illinois 6
Iowa moved the ball well at times as it looked to take the lead before the half (mostly thanks to Sam LaPorta), but again struggled in Illini territory.
Drew Stevens' 45-yard field goal, though, missed wide left.
It could have been a closer attempt. A reverse lost 9 yards on second-and-10 from the Illinois 18. Iowa goes to the half with minus-10 rushing yards.
LaPorta had five catches for 99 yards in the opening half, including a 32-yard catch that set up the field goal attempt near the end of the half.
The #Hawkeyes' drive chart from the first half: pic.twitter.com/p2hvvocpUX
— John Steppe (@JSteppe1) October 9, 2022
Iowa settles for 3
It's messy. Here's what Iowa's offense did after getting the ball at the Illinois 5:
First-and-goal: Incomplete pass.
Second-and-goal: 3-yard loss and unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Third-and-goal: 9-yard completion
Fourth-and-goal: Illinois offside, 27-yard Drew Stevens field goal is good.
Iowa 6, Illinois 6 (2:48 2nd).
Illinois fumbles deep in its own territory
Riley Moss crushed Isaiah Williams (who also muffed a punt earlier) after a short reception and the ball popped free, recovered by Iowa's Seth Benson at the Illinois 5.
The play stood after review. Iowa's offense should be able to convert this time.
IOWA DEFENSE >>>@HawkeyeFootball takes over in the Red Zone 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/VpDcFqVVyQ
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 9, 2022
Iowa can't take advantage of the special teams error
Here's what Iowa's offense did after getting the ball at the Illinois 35 from a muffed punt:
First-and-10: Sack.
Second-and-16: 5-yard pass, nearly intercepted.
False start.
Third-and-16: Incomplete pass.
Punt.
Iowa had already punted again by the time BTN got this tweet sent pic.twitter.com/DRzlHzTtC5
— Nathan Ford (@NathanTFord) October 9, 2022
Illinois muffs the punt
Tory Taylor's booming 50-yard punt bounced right off the chest of Isaiah Williams and into the hands of Iowa's Jack Campbell.
It had been back-to-back three-and-outs for the Iowa offense. Keith Randolph Jr. brought Petras down for a 10-yard loss on third-and-11, but the Hawkeyes get it back at the Illinois 35 thanks to special teams.
This couldn't have worked out any better for @HawkeyeFootball 😅 pic.twitter.com/6pka3b5XNG
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 9, 2022
Another Illinois field goal
Fabrizio Pinton put the Illini back in front with a 37-yard field goal.
It was a nine-play, 37-yard drive for Illinois that took 4:05. Artur Sitkowski has completed 5 of 6 passes for 19 yards since replacing the injured Tommy DeVito.
Illinois 6, Iowa 3 (8:00 2nd).
End 1st: Iowa 3, Illinois 3
Tommy DeVito left the game with an injury late in the opening quarter. He was 6-for-11 passing for 62 yards.
Rutgers transfer Artur Sitkowski replaced him.
Iowa ties it up
Sam LaPorta found some space on Iowa's opening drive. The Iowa tight end caught passes from Spencer Petras for gains of 31 and 30 yards on third-and-6 and third-and-9.
But the Hawkeyes went nowhere after getting to first-and-goal at the 7 (actually backward, with a couple negative plays and a third-down false start penalty on Tyler Elsbury) and settled for a field goal.
Drew Stevens' 32-yard field goal evened the score, capping a 10-play, 59-yard drive that took 5:07.
Iowa 3, Illinois 3 (3:51 1st)
Illinois takes the lead
Illinois converted two fourth downs on its opening drive, but opted for a field goal on its third fourth down. Fabrizio Pinton converted from 27 yards.
It was a 17-play, 66-yard drive that took 5:57. The second consecutive week Iowa has given up points on the game's first possession.
Illinois 3, Iowa 0 (9:03 1st)
Nick DeJong out
Iowa announces offensive lineman Nick DeJong won't play. Tyler Elsbury will start at left guard.
OL Nick DeJong is unavailable tonight. Expect to see Tyler Elsbury start in his place at LG. #Hawkeyes
— IowaFBLive (@IowaFBLive) October 8, 2022
Pregame Iowa injury updates
The Gazette's John Steppe reports from Memorial Stadium:
• True freshman WR Jacob Bostick made the trip to Champaign and is participating in early warmups.
• DB Terry Roberts is again participating in early warmups. He was limited to special teams in the Michigan loss, but Kirk Ferentz was optimistic Tuesday about a larger role against Illinois.
• DL Yahya Black is participating in early warmups. Ferentz said on Tuesday Black was on an “upward path” in his injury recovery, but was not expected to play this week.
How to watch Iowa-Illinois
Kickoff time: 6:40 p.m. (CT)
TV: Big Ten Network
Live stream: FoxSports.com
Get ready for Iowa-Illinois
Some pregame reading to catch up on before the game:
» 3 keys and a prediction for Iowa-Illinois
» Hlas: Bret Bielema could give us an actual Iowa-Illinois rivalry