(RV) Iowa at Minnesota
Sept. 21, 2024 | Minneapolis | Huntington Bank Stadium
POSTGAME NOTES
(RV) Iowa (3-1) defeated Minnesota (2-2), 31-14, Saturday night inside Huntington Bank Stadium
– The victory is head coach Kirk Ferentz’s 199th win as a member of the Big Ten Conference, tying him with Chicago’s Amos
Alonzo Stagg for second place all-time.
– Iowa has won five straight over the Gophers in Minneapolis and nine of the last 10 meetings overall.
– The Hawkeyes are 28-10 in their last 38 rivalry trophy games and 9-4 in their last 13 Big Ten openers.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
– Junior Kaleb Johnson notched his second career 200-yard game and fourth consecutive 100-yard game, finishing with a
career-high 206 yards on 21 attempts with a career-high three touchdowns — a 1-yarder in the first and 15 and 40-yards in
the third.
o He is the first Hawkeye with three TDs in a game since Tyler Goodson in 2021.
o Johnson had runs of 23, 21, 24, 40 and 33 yards in the game – his eighth, ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th rushes of 20+
yards this season. He has four TD runs of 25+ yards this season.
o He is the first Hawkeye to post four straight 100 yard games since Mark Weisman in 2012.
o Johnson now has eight career 100-yard games, which are tied for the 12th most in program history.
o He has two touchdowns in four consecutive games – a first for a Hawkeye since Mark Weisman in 2014 (5 straight
games).
§ He is the first Iowa RB with two or more touchdowns in the first four games of the season since Tavian
Banks in 1997 (12 touchdowns).
§ His nine touchdowns are the most by an Iowa RB since Mekhi Sargent in 2018.
– Junior QB Brendan Sullivan had a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter – his first rushing touchdown as a Hawkeye
(fourth career).
– QB Cade McNamara completed 11-of-19 attempts for 62 yards to improve to 20-5 as a starter.
– Senior LB Jay Higgins had a first quarter interception to set up Iowa’s first touchdown drive. It was his second interception
of the season and third of his career.
o Higgins also had nine tackles – which led the team. (He has led or tied for the team lead in tackles in all four games
this season).
– Graduate DB Quinn Schulte had a fourth quarter interception – his first of the season and fourth of his career.
– Sophomore DB Deshaun Lee made his first start of the season, where he finished with eight tackles which was one short of
tying his career best.
– Junior K Drew Stevens connected on a 46-yard field goal in the third quarter – a season long.
o Stevens is 6-for-6 in field goal attempts this season, including 3-for-3 from 40+.
– Freshman Rhys Dakin had five punts for 248 yards (49.6 average), including a career-long 55-yarder in the second quarter.
o Three of his punts were downed inside the 20 and two traveled 50+ yards.
MISCELLANEOUS
– Iowa’s rushing attack churned out 272 yards against Minnesota – tying for the most against the Gophers since 2015.
o The yardage was the most allowed by the Gophers this season; Minnesota entered the game allowing 74.3 rushing
yards per game.
o It is the first time Iowa has rushed for 200+ yards in four straight games since 2013 (five straight to open the
season).
– Iowa scored on its first four offensive possessions in the second half – three touchdowns, one field goal.
– The Hawkeyes have come-from-behind in the second half to win its last two games (trailed 14-10 vs. Troy; 14-7 at
– Minnesota).
– Iowa had an interception in the first and fourth quarters — its fourth and fifth of the season — and turned it into seven
points.
o The Hawkeyes have a 7-2 advantage in turnovers this season, where they have turned the miscues into 19 points.
– The Hawkeye defense allowed 79 rushing yards to Minnesota – the fourth straight opponent under 100 yards.
– It is the 32nd consecutive game Iowa’s defense has allowed fewer than 400 yards — the longest active streak nationally.
– Iowa won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. The Hawkeyes have played 319 games under head coach Kirk
Ferentz. Iowa has opened the game on offense 233 times (149-84). The Hawkeyes have opened the game on defense 86
times (50-36).
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes are idle on Sept. 28. Iowa returns to action Oct. 5, traveling to Columbus for a road game at Ohio State.
