Win No. 206 was good, but getting the first Big Ten Conference win is better.
Kirk Ferentz stated that, no disrespect to last week's emotional win over UMass, but getting a conference win is always more important.
The Hawkeyes had the tough task of traveling to Piscataway, New Jersey, for their first Big Ten Conference game, and it was on a short week.
Iowa had to ramp up their preparation for the game earlier than normal, but they were able to stay the course and get the win.
In a strange game by Iowa standards, the offense carried the load after the defense could not stop Rutgers in the first half.
The Rutgers offense threw the ball up and down the field, scoring points at will, and forced the Iowa offense to respond.
Iowa's offense found a way to respond after each Rutgers score, and the defense made great halftime adjustments to allow only seven points in the second half. Ferentz was proud that his team competed for the full 60 minutes.
During his postgame press conference, Ferentz stated the first half did not go as scripted, but the team hung in there and competed for the full 60 minutes of the game.
He also noted that in order to be a good team, you have to win games like.
Ferentz also stated that he has really liked this group since January, but they are "hardly a finished product."
He still doesn't know how good the team is, but he appreciates how hard they have worked and how they have improved each week.
Ferentz stressed that as long as the team continues to grow and believes in each other, they will be fine down the stretch as the competition continues to ramp up.