It was a struggle all day for No. 9 Iowa’s offense, as the Hawkeyes lost at Wisconsin 27-7.
It’s the second-straight week Iowa scored just seven points in a defeat, with a bye week sandwiched in between.
Iowa fell to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten. Wisconsin improved to 5-3, 3-2.
» Box score: Wisconsin 27, No. 9 Iowa 7
» Recap: Nonexistent offense plagues No. 9 Iowa in humbling loss to Wisconsin
» Hlas column: If only the Hawkeyes had some offense ...
» Gallery: Photos from Iowa’s loss to Wisconsin
4th Quarter updates
Final: Wisconsin 27, Iowa 7
Iowa finished with just 156 yards of total offense, averaging 2.84 yards per play.
5:42 4th: Wisconsin 27, Iowa 7
Alex Padilla entered the game at quarterback for Iowa and completed a 6-yard pass to Nico Ragaini.
But then he lost 3 yards and was sacked by Noah Burks for a 7-yard loss and the Hawkeyes punted.
12:54 4th: Wisconsin 27, Iowa 7
Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz ran in his second 1-yard touchdown of the game on a sneak.
The touchdown was set up by a pass-interference penalty on Matt Hankins in the end zone on third-and-6 from the 9.
Play was delayed late in the third quarter when Wisconsin’s Clay Cundiff left the stadium in an ambulance after appearing to suffer a severe leg injury.
3rd Quarter updates
3:53 3rd: Wisconsin 20, Iowa 7
Key play in the game as Iowa tried to continue a comeback effort.
The Hawkeyes handed the ball to fullback Monte Pottebaum two plays in a row. He gained a yard on third-and-2 from the Wisconsin 41, but was spotted short of the line to gain on fourth-and-1.
Graham Mertz has thrown nine straight incompletions for Wisconsin, but the Iowa defense will have to keep giving the offense more opportunities.
8:21 3rd: Wisconsin 20, Iowa 7
Iowa put together its only successful drive of the game to this point after a 17-yard Charlie Jones punt return to the Wisconsin 40.
It resulted in the Hawkeyes’ first points, with quarterback Spencer Petras sneaking into the end zone from 1 yard out.
Big plays on the drive included 12-yard runs from Tyler Goodson and Keagan Johnson.
2nd Quarter updates
1:05 2nd: Wisconsin 20, Iowa 0
A 12-yard pass from Spencer Petras to Sam LaPorta on third-and-5 gave Iowa its first first down of the game.
It was a short-lived success. Two straight incompletions followed, then C.J. Goetz sacked Petras on third down for a loss of 5 to the Iowa 37.
2:51 2nd: Wisconsin 20, Iowa 0
Wisconsin settled for a field goal after Chez Mellusi rushed twice for 4 yards and the Hawkeyes forced an incompletion on third-and-6.
Collin Larsh connected from 32 yards to make it a 20-point game.
4:18 2nd: Wisconsin 17, Iowa 0
Iowa’s defense isn’t getting much help from the rest of the team.
The Hawkeyes forced a Wisconsin punt, but Max Cooper muffed it and the Badgers recovered at the Iowa 18.
Starting punt returner Charlie Jones left the game earlier with an injury.
7:40 2nd: Wisconsin 17, Iowa 0
Another Iowa fumble, and this time Wisconsin cashed in.
Ivory Kelly-Martin dropped the ball on a second-and-9 handoff from the Iowa 2 and Noah Burks recovered at the 1.
Graham Mertz ran a QB sneak for a 1-yard touchdown on the next play.
8:30 2nd: Wisconsin 10, Iowa 0
Wisconsin chose to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 and the Hawkeyes came up with a goal-line stand.
The Badgers handed the ball to fullback John Chanal, who tried to leap into the end zone, but was turned away by Jack Campbell and Seth Benson.
10:49 2nd: Wisconsin 10, Iowa 0
Things went from bad to worse for Iowa as the offensive line was completely overwhelmed.
Spencer Petras was sacked by Isaiah Mullens and Leo Chanal for a loss of 7 to start the drive, Tyler Goodson rushed for no gain, then Petras was sacked and stripped by Nick Herbig. Keeanu Benton recovered the fumble at the Iowa 8.
That series put Iowa’s total offensive yardage at minus-1 for the game.
12:18 2nd: Wisconsin 10, Iowa 0
Collin Larsh kicked a 29-yard field goal to give the Badgers a 10-point lead.
Iowa’s Zach VanValkenburg and Jermari Harris stopped big Wisconsin back Braelon Allen on third-and-2 after Noah Shannon got the initial push, forcing a loss on the play and the field-goal attempt.
Allen rushed five times for 42 yards on the seven-play, 45-yard drive.
1st Quarter updates
End 1st: Wisconsin 7, Iowa 0
Iowa’s first quarter: Nine plays, 12 yards, three punts.
Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen bounced out of a tackle to rip off a 28-yard run and get the Badgers into Iowa territory entering the second quarter.
3:08 1st: Wisconsin 7, Iowa 0
Graham Mertz found wide-open tight end Jake Ferguson in the back of the end zone after play action for a 4-yard touchdown pass on third down and the first points of the game.
It was an eight-play, 65-yard drive for the Badgers.
Mertz had a great start, completing 7 of 8 passes for 68 yards and a TD.
8:40 1st: Iowa 0, Wisconsin 0
Iowa went three and out on its first drive, picking up positive yardage only on a 5-yard Tyler Goodson carry.
Wisconsin rushed for 16 yards and gained two first downs on its first possession but a third-and-6 pass from around midfield was broken up by Jermari Harris and the Badgers also ended up punting.
Injury report
Iowa will be without cornerbacks Riley Moss and Terry Roberts against Wisconsin. Iowa announced Jermari Harris will start.
Roberts was injured in practice this week.
Moss also missed the Purdue game after being injured against Penn State.
Pregame storylines
Punting is winning? That theory might be put to the test Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.
As John Steppe writes in his analysis, these are two grueling defenses meeting two struggling offenses.
Mike Hlas notes that the over/under for total points scored in Iowa-Wisconsin was set at 37 earlier this week four points lower than any other game in the country this week. That would match the lowest O/U of any college game this season.
Sounds like a game for a mullet-bearing fullback to shine.
Here are some Iowa-Wisconsin Fun Facts and our staff predictions.
How to watch Iowa vs. Wisconsin
Time: 11:02 a.m. CT
TV: ESPN
Live stream: ESPN.com (TV provider login required)
Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network
Listen online: The Varsity Network
Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Spencer Petras (7) rushes for a short gain on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisc.. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)
