Floyd of Rosedale remains in possession of Hawkeyes after a 27-22 win over the Minnesota Gophers at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.
Minnesota had a chance to tie the game at 24-all on a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter, but Tanner Morgan’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage and the Hawkeyes held on for the victory.
The Gophers had a final gasp and got the ball to the Iowa 35-yard line with 12 seconds to go, but Morgan could evade pressure and was stripped of the ball and time ran out.
The loss drops the Gophers to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the Big Ten, where they are now one game behind Iowa and Wisconsin (the Badgers beat Northwestern 35-7). Both Iowa and Wisconsin are 5-2 in Big Ten play, tied for the West division lead.
Iowa entered the game with one of the best defenses in the nation, and the eight-ranked run defense in the country. They were allowing just 98 rush yards per game, but the Gophers rushed for 204 yards while controlling the ball for nearly 40 minutes of the game.
Ky Thomas had 29 carries for 126 yards and Mar’Kiese Irving added 80 yards on 17 carries.
But Morgan and the passing game was almost nonexistent for the majority of the game, aside from a clutch 68-yard touchdown pass from Morgan to Chris Autman-Bell to cut Iowa’s lead to 24-22 with five and a half minutes to go.
Morgan finished 14-of-30 for 183 yards and the one touchdown. However, 100 of Morgan’s 183 yards came on two completions on the final drive and the 68-yarder to Autman-Bell.
The Gophers have not beaten Iowa since 2014 and they haven’t won at Iowa since 1999.
The Gophers play at Indiana next Saturday.
