Iowa Football: Hawkeyes Meltdown In Madison

Road games continue to be a struggle for the Hawkeyes after a heartbreaking destruction.

The Hawkeyes got completely manhandled in every way, shape and form. Not only did they put up only 66 yards of total offense, but they couldn’t stop the Badger offense. Well, despite Josh Jackson’s two pick-6’s, which, by the way, were the only two scores for Iowa the entire game. Yes, that means that the Hawkeyes got shut out offensively.

Not even a field goal was allowed by the Badger defense, which made this game completely out of reach for the Hawkeyes. After setting Ohio State in flames a week ago, Iowa looked like a MAC team with a 2-7 record going into this game. Everything was off, every single category. Play-calling, play execution, defense, etc. Hopefully this game will be a wake up call as we head into the final stretch of the regular season, hoping for a glorious bowl win for the first time since 2010.

Iowa accounted for 66 yards of total offense. Sixty-six yards.

An even scarier stat-line than that is the fact that Stanley threw 24 passes which were caught 8 times. Akrum Wadley and James Butler both carried 8 times during this game and accounted for only 53 yards combined. With Nathan Stanley’s 41 yards of passing, and 69 yards of total rushing, how did Iowa only get 66 yards total? Well, Stanley had been sacked all game… giving up 35 yards just by that alone.

The offensive game was way out of wack, and definitely didn’t look like a top-20 team. This game has been announced as one of the worst offensive yardage game by a team in the top-25 team in 20 years. And one of the main problems was the play-calling. On top of that, the execution of the plays were horrendous.

Overall on the offensive side there is nothing else to really say. Nothing worked at all, literally, against this Badger team.

Josh Jackson was Iowa’s only source of light all game long.

Josh Jackson contributed for two interceptions in which were returned for touchdowns. So technically, without his brilliant ability, this game could have been a zero on the scoreboard next to Iowa. That’s a scary thought.

Defensively overall, there were three interceptions. Two of those went to Jackson, of course, then one to Jake Gervase. The Wisconsin offense consistently ran over this Iowa defense all game long and put up 38 points. The game overall was just a disastrous meltdown of what could have been a win over another top-10 team which would’ve had Iowa soaring into the top-15. This season is just described as “what could have been…”

Again, Iowa looked like an incomplete, losing-record MAC team against Alabama. Although, there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel. The Hawkeyes have a great shot at winning out and finishing 8-4 with a chance at a great good bowl game.