Iowa 38, Troy 21
It wasn’t pretty. Heck, in the 1st half, it might have been ugly. The Hawkeyes trailed 14-10 to the winless Trojans at the end of the first quarter but rebounded for a 17 point victory. Kaleb Johnson has emerged as the star on offense with another big game — 25 carries, 173 yards and 2 TD. Johnson’s 33 yard TD run early in the 4th put Iowa up by 10 and then Jaziun Patterson broke a 39 yard TD run to give Hawk fans some insurance.
Iowa survived big plays from Troy’s Devonte Ross. The game was a showcase for the Junior Wide Receiver who caught a 63 yard TD pass to tie the game at 7-7, then returned a punt 77 yards for another score to give Troy a 14-10 lead. Ross would add a 62 yard TD catch with a minute left in the third quarter to put the Trojans within 3. You wonder if a game like this doesn’t attract attention from a bigger school and Ross goes into the transfer portal at the end of the season.
Cade McNamara was efficient in the passing game but not dynamic. The Senior was 19-23 for 176 yards. Ten different receivers caught at least one pass the the longest was a 33 yarder to Kaden Wetjen. Every other reception was under 20 yards. Jay Higgins had another great game on defense with seven tackles. Brian Allen had 2.5 sacks, Ethan Hurkett finished with 2 sacks and Yahya Black had 1.5 sacks.
Iowa goes to 2-1 on the season, next up the Hawkeyes will look to take Floyd of Rosedale back from Minnesota.
NW Missouri St. 32, #25 Ft. Hays St. 20
The Bearcats dominated the second half and got the running game going for the first time all season. In their first two games, Northwest had a combined net 15 yards of rushing — against the Tigers Tank Young had 14 carries for 57 yards and 2 TD while Jadon Brady added 7 carries for 30 yards. All told, the Bearcats finished with 138 yards rushing.
Northwest’s bread and butter continues to be in the air. Chris Ruhnke was 33-41 for 273 yards, 2 TD and 3 INT. The Tigers jumped out to a 14-0 lead but Young converted a 4th and 2 on a 10 yard TD. After the teams traded field goals, the Bearcats scored just before the end of the first half on a Ruhnke 5 yard TD to Brady.
The Bearcats had the ball to start the 2nd half and went on a long 14 play drive that used over seven minutes. Young would end it with a four yard TD to make it 24-17. The Tigers added a field goal to cut the lead in half but Ft. Hays St. was deep in their own territory late in the 3rd quarter when QB Jack Dawson was called for intentional grounding in the end zone. That is a safety and the Bearcats led 26-20. Both teams traded interceptions and with Northwest on the Fort Hays St. 44, Young broke a 32 yard run to set up a 2 yard TD pass from Ruhnke to Wentric Williams for insurance.
Northwest avoided an 0-3 start which last happened in 1994. The 1-2 Bearcats will visit Missouri Southern next Saturday.
Nebraska 34, Northern Iowa 3
It was a workmanlike effort for the Huskers against their second FCS opponent in three games. Dylan Raiola continues to show that he is a star in the making — 17-23 passing for 247 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT. Raiola spread the wealth — ten different receivers caught a pass. The play of the game came in the first half, Nebraska up 14-3 and Raiola scrambled away from UNI pressure and hit Jaylen Lloyd for a 59 yard pass play. That would set up a Jacory Barney 10 yard run on a reverse and the Big Red led 21-3 at the half. It was cruise control from there.
Nebraska is now 3-0, they open up Big Ten play on Friday night hosting Illinois.
