Minnesota at Iowa Postgame Notes September 29, 2012 Iowa regained possession of the Floyd of Rosedale traveling trophy

as a result of todays 31-13 victory over Minnesota. Iowa has won nine of the last 12 meetings. Iowa has won the last six meetings in Iowa City, dating back to 2001. Iowa has now won three of its last four Big Ten openers, beating Minnesota (2012) and Penn State (2010 and 2009). Iowa improves to 55-41-5 in 100 Homecoming games. Iowa has won its last four Homecoming games. The Hawkeyes are 15-3 on Homecoming since 1995, and 11-2 since 2000. Iowa improves to 7-9 against the Gophers on Homecoming. Today was Kirk Ferentzs 200th game as a head coach. It also marked the first time Iowa and Minnesota has ever played in the month of September. Iowas defense collected forced four turnovers (three interceptions and one fumble) today. The Hawkeye defense has collected at least one takeaway in 68 of its last 79 games, dating back to 2006. Tanner Miller intercepted a Minnesota pass in the first quarter. DE Steve Bigach forced his first career fumble, while LB Christian Kirksey recovered his second career fumble in the third period. CB Greg Castillo had his first career interception in the third quarter, and Kirksey returned an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Iowa did not have a turnover today, marking the third time this season it has played turnover-free football (Northern Illinois, UNI and Minnesota). Iowas defense forced four turnovers (three interceptions and one fumble) and sacked Minnesota QB Max Shortell two times today. After allowing six sacks in the season opener, the Hawkeye offensive line has not allowed a sack the last four games. LB Christian Kirksey returned an interception 68 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The interception return for a touchdown was the third longest in school history. Iowa has had an interception return for a touchdown in each of the last five years. Iowa has had an interceoption return for a score in 10 of the last 12 seasons and 10 of 13-plus seasons under Kirk Ferentz. Iowa posted 21 second-quarter points, marking the most points the Hawkeyes scored in a quarter and half this season. Defensively, the Hawkeyes did not allow Minnesota to cross midfield and held the Gophers to only one third-down conversion in the first half. Iowa dominated play in the first half of play. The Hawkeyes had 12 first downs compared to only three from Minnesota. Iowa had 328 yards of total offense compared to only 75 for the Gophers. Iowa also maintained possession for 19:02, while Minnesota had the ball for only 10:58 in the first 30 minutes of action. Mark Weisman reached the 100-yard rushing plateau for the third straight game (UNI, Central Michigan and Minnesota) on his ninth carry of the first quarter. Weisman had carries of 27 and a career-long 44 yards in the first quarter. Weisman had an 8-yard TD in the second period, marking his seventh touchdown in 10 quarters, dating back to the start of the UNI game (Sept. 15). Weisman finished the game with 177 yards on 21 attempts. The sophomore has totaled 519 yards rushing on 74 carries this season. The 519 yards rushing are the most by a Hawkeye in the first five games of the season since Shonn Greene had 665 yards in 2008.

WR Jordan Cotton caught a 47-yard flea-flicker TD pass, RB Mark Weisman to QB James Vandenberg, in the second quarter. The scoring reception was the first of Cottons career. Cotton finished the contest with two catches and 44 receiving yards. PK Mike Meyer, who entered todays game ranked third nationally in field goals made per game, made a 47-yard field goal in the first half, his only attempt. He improved to 10-of-11 this season and 38-of-48 for his career in field goal attempts. Meyer now has 200 points, ranking ninth in career scoring. Meyer also made 4-4 PATs today extending his school-record consecutive made streak to 67. Iowa was 2-2 in the red zone today, scoring two touchdowns. The Hawkeyes have scored on 162 of the last 183 red zone possessions (108 TDs and 54 FGs), dating back to the Michigan State game in 2008. Iowa is 143-164 combined inside the red zone its last 48 games. Minnesota was 1-1 in the red zone, scoring a TD in the third period. QB James Vandenberg was 18-31 for 192 yards. He has completed (ENTERING TODAY----) 377658 pass attempts for 4,527 yards and 30 touchdowns in his career. His 192 yards today increased his career total to 4,527 yards, surpassing Kyle McCann for seventh on Iowas career passing chart. Iowa was led defensively by LB Anthony Hitchens, LB James Morris and LB Christian Kirksey. The trio combined for 27 tackles, two sacks, one fumble recovery and one interception, which was returned 68 yards for a touchdown by Kirksey. PK Mike Meyer made a 44-yard field goal on its opening possession. It marked the fifth straight week the Hawkeyes scored on their first drive (3 FGs, 2 TDs). Minnesotas first possession resulted in an Iowa interception. The Gophers are the second Hawkeye opponent to not score on their opening possession this season (Northern Illinois). Micah Hyde had a season-long 27-yard punt return in the second quarter. Hyde finished the game with four returns for 35 yards. Andrew Donnal started his first career game today, starting at right guard in place of the injured Austin Blythe. Iowa won the toss and elected to receive. The Hawkeyes have started on offense three times (Northern Illinois, Central Michigan and Minnesota) and defense twice (Iowa State and UNI) this season. The Hawkeyes have started on offense in 138-of-167 games. Iowa is 16-13 in the games it has started on defense under Ferentz. Instant replay was used four times today. 1) A Minnesota pass down the sidelines ruled incomplete was overturned after replay. Instead of an incomplete pass, replay showed that Iowa safety Tanner Miller intercepted the pass and landed in bounds. 2) Later in the first quarter, an Iowa punt appeared to have touched a Minnesota player and recovered by Iowa. However, replay upheld the ruling on the field, showing that an Iowa player blocked the Gopher player into the ball. 3) Minnesota challenged a Gopher pass ruled incomplete on the sidelines in the second quarter, but the play was not overturned. 4) A Mark Weisman 5-yard TD run was reviewed and overturned. After review, the ruling changed from a TD to down at the 1/2-yard line. Iowa improved to 11-3 in games played on Sept. 29. Iowa is idle next week before returning to action on Oct. 13 in its first true road game of 2012. The Hawkeyes will travel to East Lansing, Mich., to face nationally-ranked Michigan State at 11 a.m. (CT).