Northwestern at Iowa
Oct. 26, 2024 | Iowa City, Iowa | Kinnick Stadium
Iowa (5-3, 3-2) defeated Northwestern (3-5, 1-4), 40-14, on Saturday inside Kinnick Stadium.
The victory is head coach Kirk Ferentz’s 201st as the Hawkeye head coach – second-most in Big Ten history. He is four wins shy of
tying Ohio State’s Woody Hayes for the league record.
The Hawkeyes have won 12 of their last 15 Homecoming games and are 63-44-5 all-time.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES – – – – – – –
QB Brendan Sullivan completed 9-of-14 attempts for 79 yards in his first extended playing time as a Hawkeye.
o Sullivan also rushed for 41 yards on eight attempts and scored a 6-yard touchdown. It was his third rushing
touchdown of the season and the sixth of his career.
o He has led Iowa in the red zone eight times this season with eight scores (7 TDs, 1 FG).
RB Kaleb Johnson recorded his sixth 100-yard game of the season, finishing with 109 yards on 14 attempts with three
touchdowns – a 26-yard score in the second quarter and 41 and 25-yard scores in the third.
o Johnson has scored at least one touchdown in eight straight games — the longest streak by a Hawkeye in the
Ferentz era.
o He has six games this season with two or more rushing touchdowns – the most by a Hawkeye since 2011 (Marcus
Coker).
o Johnson has two games with three rushing touchdowns and three total games with three TDs (2 rushing, 1
receiving).
o It was his 14th, 15th and 16th rushing touchdowns of the season – the most by a Hawkeye since 2013 (Mark
Weisman, 16).
o Johnson has 1,144 yards on 146 carries which ranks 12th-most yards in single season history. He is now eight yards
from cracking the top-10 in single season history.
o He has 20 rushes of 20+ yards this season, including nine TDs of 25+ yards.
o Johnson has scored 102 points this season – the ninth-most in a single season.
PR Kaden Wejen had an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter.
o The return is a career long and the seventh longest punt return for a touchdown in program history.
o Wetjen finished with 176 return yards – his third straight game with 100+ return yards.
§ He is the first Iowa player since at lead 2000 with 100+ kickoff/punt return yards in three consecutive
games. The last Big Ten player to accomplish the feat was Maryland’s Javon Leake in 2019.
DB Quinn Schulte had a second-quarter interception – his second of the season and fifth of his career.
LB Jay Higgins had an interception (and 10-yard return) in the third quarter. It was his third interception of the season (tied
for the team lead) and the fourth of his career.
o Higgins also finished with a team-high eight tackles. He has led or tied for the team lead in tackles in all eight
games.
DL Will Hubert had a fourth quarter fumble recovery – the first of his career.
P Rhys Dakin had six punts for 263 yards, averaging 43.8 yards.
o He had three punts fair caught at the 6 and one downed at the 4 in the second quarter. One of the punts that was
fair caught ultimately resulted in an Iowa safety.
MISCELLANEOUS – – – – – –
The Hawkeyes scored on offense, defense and special teams. It is the first time Iowa has scored in all three phases since
the 2021 season – a 28-21 road win at Nebraska.
Iowa has scored 40 points against two Big Ten opponents for the first time since 2020 and the team has three 40-point
games this season – the most since 2017 (4).
Iowa’s offense produced 28 points in the third quarter of today’s game. It marks the most points scored in a quarter since
the Hawkeyes registered 28 at Illinois in 2018.
Iowa’s defense allowed 163 yards of total offense and didn’t allow a touchdown.
o It is the second time this season the unit has held its opponent under 200 yards.
o It is also the least amount of yards the defense has surrendered to a Big Ten foe since Nov. 11, 2023 at Rutgers.
o It was the second time this season, Iowa’s defense has given up less than 200 yards. (Illinois State)
Iowa recorded a safety in the second quarter on Max Llewellyn’s sack.
o It is the fourth straight season the defense has registered a safety (2021 – Lukas Van Ness at Nebraska; 2022 – Joe
Evans/Jack Campbell vs. South Dakota State; 2023 – Joe Evans vs. Illinois).
The Hawkeyes have returned a punt for a touchdown in consecutive seasons (2023 – Cooper DeJean).
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o It was Iowa’s 19th non-offensive touchdown since 2020 – tied for the third-most in the FBS over that span.
Iowa drove 62 yards on 10 plays on their opening drive of the game, resulting in a Drew Stevens’ 24-yard field goal. It was
the first time this season the team has notched points on its opening drive. – – –
Iowa put together a seven play, 78-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter.
o The Hawkeyes have scored a touchdown in their first drive of the second half in three straight games and five
times this season.
Iowa recorded its ninth and 10th interceptions in the game – matching its season total from the 2023 season.
o The Hawkeyes have had at least one interception in every game on the year and the unit has forced two or more
turnovers in five games.
o Iowa forced a total of three turnovers in the game, tying a season best.
Iowa won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. The Hawkeyes have played 323 games under head coach Kirk
Ferentz. Iowa has opened the game on offense 235 times (150-85). The Hawkeyes have opened the game on defense 88
times (51-37).
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes will return to action Nov. 2, hosting Wisconsin in a battle for the Heartland Trophy inside Kinnick Stadium. The kickoff
time has yet to be announced.