NFL
By: Zachary Draves
The #25 Iowa Hawkyes concluded their non-conference stint of the season at home against the Broncos of Western Michigan with a treacherous, but nonetheless convincing victory 41-10. This makes them the only Big Ten West team to start the season 3-0.
It was a game that was unexpectedly gritty and enduring.
For much of the first half, the Hawkeyes were struggling to find a rhythm. Their offense was absent of leading RB Kaleb Johnson who was out with an ankle injury. Early pressure brought to bear on QB Cade McNamara hampered the passing game.
The Broncos were the first to score when WR Anthony Sambucci scored on a 64 yard drive on a sharp pass by QB Treyson Bourguet on 3rd down and 7 with 5:40 left.
Then as the Hawkeyes were trying to get back into it, the game was put under a weather delay after a flash of lighting was seen in the distance. For 42 minutes, everything stood still and there was some anticipation of a repeat of last year’s Nevada game, in which there was a three hour delay with the game concluding in the early morning hours.
Shortly after play resumed, the Hawkeyes were dealt a blow when TE Luke Lachey sustained what looked to be a serious foot injury. He had to be helped off the field and was later seen on the sidelines in a cast and with crutches.
(Courtesy: Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
In the first minutes of the second quarter, the Hawkeyes managed to claw their way towards momentum. A 44 yard drive set up kicker Drew Stevens to convert on a 41 yard field goal to put the Hawkeyes on the board for the first time in the game at 7-3.
At the 8:26 minute mark, RB Leshon Williams broke open for a 53 yard rush that set up for a 3 yard touchdown pass by McNamara to WR Diante Vines, giving him his first career touchdown and the Hawkeyes an 10-7 lead.
(Courtesy: Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)
The Broncos answered back with a 66 yard drive that set up for a field goal by kicker Palmer Domscke to make it a one point game 11-10.
After an 18 yard punt return by cornerback Cooper DeJean, with 1:37 left in the first half, McNamara ran a screen pass to find Williams open for a touchdown on one play to give the Hawkeyes a 14-10 lead at halftime.
In the second half, the Hawkeyes picked up the energy that had been lacking before. Their running game was immeasurable and defined their offense.
Their defense, which had played strong overall, was an effective force keeping the Broncos at bay offensively to where they didn’t score for the remainder of the game.
This period was also captured the following highlight reels:
- After Iowa forced the Broncos to punt on their own 25 yard line, DL Anterio Thompson broke through the line and blocked the punt attempt in the back for a safety.
https://x.com/HawkeyeFootball/status/1703229941901348870?s=20
- With 4:02 left in the third quarter, true freshman RB Kamari Moulton scored his first career touchdown on three yards out. McNamara then converted to TE Erik All for the two point conversion.
- LB Jay Higgins forced Western Michigan to fumble at their 17 yard line, setting up a three play drive culminating in Moulton scoring his second touchdown on a one yard rush.
https://x.com/HawkeyeFootball/status/1703178710172553536?s=20
- In the final 30 seconds of the game, third year walk on RB Max White scored his first career touchdown on a two yard rush
(Courtesy: Savannah Blake/The Gazette)
Williams finished with 145 total rushing yards and 172 all-purpose yards. McNamara went 9/19 in attempts for 103 yards and two touchdowns. The Hawkeyes rushed for a season high 254 total yards. Iowa’s defense has allowed one touchdown or less in 12 of its last 16 games, dating back to the start of the 2022 season.
Afterwards, Coach Kirk Ferentz spoke towards the nature of football as he praised his players for their valency.
“I am happy with the way our guys responded,” he said. “It was not the kind of start we had hoped for certainly, but they fought through some things. One thing about football, it’s a full 60-minute game, always has been, always will be, sometimes more than that. That’s why you play the full 60. You never know what’s going to happen.”
McNamara acknowledged the effectiveness of the running game.
“Even though they were going to bring a lot of stuff in the passing game, with some of that stuff they had to leave a lot of gaps, ” he said. “We were able to kind of control the tempo, and honestly the offensive line did an unreliable job again.”
For Moulton, this was the culmination of everything he had worked for and paid tribute to his late mother and grandmother.
“I have been working so hard for this, “ he said. “It felt good to get out there. I did this for my mom and my grandma, since they’ve passed, and I know they’re looking down and are happy for me, and proud of me. We’re always told by our coaches to stay prepared, so when my name was called, I was just excited to get out there and be there for my team. There were a few jitters going out there, but at the end of the day, it’s football. Nothing new.”
The Hawkeyes return to action Sept. 23, traveling to University Park, Pennsylvania, to take on Penn State (3-0) at Happy Valley. The game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. (CT) and be televised live on CBS
