4. Turnovers/Penalties
It doesn’t take a genius to realize turning the ball over can lose games. The Hawkeyes gave it away twice against Purdue, both on fumbles at inopportune times. To pile on, Iowa committed 10 penalties for 100 yards. Against Northwestern, Spencer Petras threw three interceptions. The Hawks have simply had too many self-inflicted wounds to overcome.
Running backs Tyler Goodson and Mekhi Sargent have been the catalysts for Iowa’s offensive success. The two combined for 207 scrimmage yards against Purdue and were the safety valves Petras needed in times of trouble. But as fate would have it, both Sargent and Goodson would give it away when they were needed most.
Against Northwestern, Iowa entered the second quarter with a 17-0 lead. Three interceptions by Petras in the final three quarters ultimately led to Iowa’s demise. Iowa scored three points after the first quarter.
Committing penalties and turnovers isn’t characteristic of a Kirk Ferentz-coached ball club. The Hawkeyes’ chances of winning were decreased dramatically in their first two games because of their own ineptitude. They’ll need to clean it up moving forward, especially against tougher opponents like Wisconsin and Penn State.