Iowa kicks off the 2015 season with a 31-14 win over FCS #2 Illinois State

Iowa City, IA -- The University of Iowa was happy to finally get out and play someone other than the Black & Gold teammate on the other side of the football, as they kicked off the 2015 College Football season at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday.

The preparation paid off, as the Iowa Hawkeyes open the 2015
season with a solid 31-14 win over Illinois State at Kinnick.

The Hawkeyes wore down Illinois State in the First Half
Iowa scored 17 unanswered points in the first half on route to a 31-14 win over Illinois State to open the season. The Hawkeyes scored on back to back opening possessions to take a 14-0 lead. The Hawkeyes lead 17-0, after a Marshall Koehn, senior PK, 40 yard field goal to close out the first half. The Iowa defense completely bottled up the Redbirds offense in the first half, holding the Redbirds to zero yards rushing and 36 yards passing.

In his first career start at Kinnick Stadium, C.J. Beathard lead the Iowa offense,
contributing 15-24, 211 yards, 1 TD passing, along with 2 rushing TDs for Iowa.

The Hawkeyes nearly doubled up the Redbirds in total offense, finishing with a 423-231 advantage. Iowa eclipsed the 200-yard mark on the ground, finishing with 202 yards on 43 carries, while finishing with 221 yards through the air.

Iowa senior DE 95 Drew Ott recorded two sacks, while
junior DT 67 Jaleel Johnson played very solid as a new starter.

Iowa’s defense stifled the 2014 FCS runner-up, limiting the Redbirds to 79 yards through the first three quarters. Illinois State scored all 14 of its points in the fourth quarter, where it nearly doubled its offensive output, piling up 152 yards. Illinois State redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Kolbe replaced a dinged Tre Roberson.

The Hawkeyes scored 31 points to open the scoring in the Iowa-Illinois
season opener, as junior WR 89 Matt VandeBerg finished Iowa's scoring on
the day, on this nine yard TD pass to complete a perfect day in the Redzone.

The Hawkeyes have won 14-of-17 season openers under Kirk Ferentz, averaging 35.3 ppg in the 14 wins. Iowa is 95-29-2 (.762) in home openers.

Oh Nellie!

Iowa's 99-yard scoring drive on its second possession was its first 99-yard scoring drive since 2002 at Miami (OH). 

Iowa DE 95 Drew Ott recording one of his two QB sacks against former IU,
present Illinois State QB 5 Tre Robeson, who made his first career start as a
QB at Kinnick Stadium, back during the 2011 season.

Iowa finished the game with five sacks, all in the opening half. Senior DE Drew Ott had two sacks. Redshirt freshman DE Parker Hesse, senior DE Nate Meier, and sophomore LB Ben Niemann each had one. It was the first career sack for Hesse and Niemann. 

The coin toss was important strategy for Iowa, since it gave Iowa's physical offensive game strategy an early boost winning the toss. In 17 seasons as Iowa's head coach, Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes received the opening kickoff in 163-201 games (96-67). Iowa has started the game on defense in 38-of-201 games under Ferentz (20-18).

Junior Iowa RB 29 LeShun Daniels, Jr. made his first career start.

Junior RB LeShun Daniels, Jr., carried Iowa's rushing attack with career-highs in yards (123) and carries (26). Junior QB C.J. Beathard finished 15-of-24 for 211 yards with a touchdown. Senior RB Jordan Canzeri had four catches for 90 yards, also a rushing touchdown; while junior WR Matt VandeBerg had six receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown. 

Senior RB 33 Jordan Canzeri reacts after scoring a rushing TD, after leading 2014
College Football rushers, without a rushing TD during the season.

On defense, senior WLB Cole Fisher had a career-high eight tackles in his first career start, while Iowa's senior DEs Ott (two sacks) and Meier (three tackles for loss) combined for five tackles for loss.

True freshmen WR Jerminic Smith, WR Adrian Falconer, and OL James Daniels played today. Daniels is the first true freshman to play offensive line since Bryan Bulaga in 2007.

The Hawkeyes have played 57 consecutive games without a missed or blocked PAT, the longest streak of any school in the nation. Iowa has converted on 172 consecutive PATs during the streak.

Instant replay was not used today. The NCAA has a new booth replay system and it off to a very effective start, as witnessed over the course of three days of the first five day weekend opening the 2015 College Football season.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, dean of B1G coaches, in his 17th
season at the helm. Illinois State Brock Spack, a former Purdue
player and two-time assistant coach speak before kickoff.
Spack was very positive about Iowa ahead and after today's game.
Both programs have a lot to play for in 2015.

The Iowa Hawkeyes (1-0) return to action Sept. 12, traveling to Ames, Iowa, for the Cy-Hawk Game against Iowa State. Game time is 3:45 p.m. (CT) on Fox Sports from Jack Trice Stadium, in Ames. Iowa State (0-0) kicks off at 7 p.m. tonight against Northern Iowa (0-0) in Ames. Illinois State (0-1) and UNI will play each other in Missouri Valley Football Conference play, later this season.

College Football kicks off on Saturday, August 29 with FCS #1 North Dakota State

Saturday, August 29th

NAIA: #15 Baker at #6 Grand View 11:00 am espn3 Link

FCS #1 North Dakota State at FCS #12 Montana 2:30 pm ESPN 

It isn't Ames, Iowa this season for the North Dakota State program that has dominated FCS Football the past four seasons. Can the four-time defending champions make it five in a row during the 2015 season?

The Bison carry both the MVfC banner, as they travel to Montana to kickoff against a Grizzlies program that returns 23 starters from a team that were a runner-up in the Big Sky Conference, last year.

Cedar Rapids Washington alum is on the offense line for this Montana team:
68 McCauley Todd OL 6-7 295 JR Cedar Rapids, IA

The Bison has former Iowa preps on the roster, as well.

Next Saturday, FCS #2 Illinois State, another MVfC program, will open at Kinnick Stadium vs. the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Bison are scheduled to travel to Iowa City in 2016 to also face off with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa defeated Northern Iowa in the 2014 opener 31-23.

Iowa Hawkeyes beat Penn State 24-3 on Homecoming; while State of Iowa Division I teams go 3-0 in Week 5

The Iowa Hawkeyes (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) open Big Ten play with a solid 24-3 win over Penn State (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) on Homecoming on Saturday night. Like the 2002 season, Iowa heads into Big Ten season at 3-1, and like 2002, Iowa opened with a solid win over Penn State. Unlike 2002, which was an offensive dominated game, defense shined on Saturday night this year.

Iowa for the past couple years has been compared to Alabama by Phil Steele, the noted college football magazine. Call Iowa a version of Alabama lite. Like the #1 Alabama program, both programs own a 24-3 win at home over the Nittany Lions this season.

Iowa's base 4-3 defense held ground and kept the Nittany Lions out of the end zone again. Other than a first minute TD on the first drive at Happy Valley last year, the Hawkeyes have kept the Nittany Lions out of the end zone for the past 119 minutes, as a happy coach Kirk Ferentz responded to Gary Dolphin on the Hawkeye Sports Network, after Saturday's game. As Gary Dolphin noted, the Hawkeyes have held the Nittany Lions without a touchdown for seven straight quarters now.

Iowa's defense was outstanding during last year's Penn State game in Happy Valley. This year, with two key newcomers in the linebacker corp, Iowa played solid football again. Senior Jeremiha Hunter, from York, PA, was the only returning starter, but junior Tyler Nielsen and true freshman James Morris were solid, as well. Morris entered the game in the second quarter, with Iowa ahead 10-0, after seniors Jeff Tapinian and Troy Johnson went out with injuries. Iowa has already lost junior Bruce Davis with an ACL injury at the MLB position.

It all started, as it has in the past three wins over Penn State, with the defensive line. Iowa has five outstanding lineman, with DE Adrian Clayborn, DT/DE Christain Ballard, DT Karl Klug, DT Mike Daniels and DE Broderick Binns. Ballard, pictured to right, was outstanding on Saturday night. He was considered by most the player of the game. Klug pulled off a couple tackles equal to his 2008 performance. Clayborn continues to garner the attention of most offensive coordinators and OL coaches.

Further, junior cornerback Shaun Prater had an outstanding game, including a 33 yard INT and a TD saving open field tackle at the tail end of the first half. Senior safety Brett Greenwood made some key open field tackles, as well.

Senior QB Ricky Stani, sophomore LT Riley Rieff, sophomore RB Adam Robinson, senior FB Brent Morse, senior WR Derrell Johnson-Koulanos, who missed last year's game, junior WR Malvin McNutt and senior TE Allen Reisner were all key performers on offense. The special teams units were solid, though Penn State took our return squads completely out of the game. Senior punter Ryan Donahue continues to show why he is one of the nation's best. True freshman place kicker Mike Meyers was perfect on the day.

Iowa will get a bye week next week, then head to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines (5-0, 1-0) on Homecoming for the Wolverines faithful, in Week 7. The Iowa-Michigan series, since 1981 has been one of the better rivalries in the Big Ten. The 1981 game, which was a 9-7 win in coach J. Hayden Fry's third season. It brought an end of the Ohio State-Michigan dominance in the Big Ten. Wasn't the 1981 game in Ann Arbor a Homecoming game for Michigan, as well?

Iowa is now 12-11 in the PSU series. Iowa's Kirk Ferentz is now 8-2 head to head, as a head coach vs. all-time great Joe Paterno. Ferentz has the oldest tenure among Big Ten coaches, with the exception of Joe Pa, who is in his 45Th season as head coach and 61St overall on the sidelines for the historic Penn State program.

Iowa will open Big Ten play in 2011, in the new-improved Big Ten, at Penn State in Happy Valley. Will Joe Paterno be on the sidelines again in Iowa City in 2012?

For now, the quest for the Rose Bowl has started in 2010. Iowa is 1-0, with Ohio State, Michigan State, Northwestern and Michigan, after opening Big Ten play in the first weekend in October. It should be another exciting season of Big Ten football, as the 2010 College Football season heads into Week 6.

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Since the 7-35 loss at Iowa in Week 2, Iowa State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12 North) has been playing competitive football, as they returned to Big 12 play on Saturday night at Jack Trice Stadium. Iowa State beat Texas Tech (2-2, 0-2 Big 12 South) 52-38, after taking a 24-0 lead early. ISU coach Paul Rhoads beat his old boss, first year coach Tommy Tuberville at Texas Tech. Rhoads was a defensive coordinator at Auburn for Tuberville, ahead of becoming the ISU head coach in '09.

Utah (4-0, 2-0), Top 10 team, will visit Ames this Saturday for the Cyclones final OOC match up for the 2010 season. The Cyclones will work to remain competitive, after a near miss at Arrowhead Stadium over Big 12 North leader, Kansas State (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) and back to back wins over UNI and Texas Tech at Jack Trice.

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The University of Northern Iowa is only 2-2, but they have won two big MVfC games to start the 2010 season. On Saturday, UNI beat South Dakota State (0-4, 0-2 MVfC) 24-14 in the UNI-dome. Turnovers have been a heartache for the Panthers much of the 2010 season, but were not a thorn on Saturday. UNI will travel to #13 Southern Illinois (2-3, 1-1 MVfC) on Saturday.

Unlike Week 3, where Iowa fell at Top 25 Arizona (5-0, 1-0 Pac 10) and both Iowa State and UNI fell short to Kansas State and Stephen F. Austin, respectively, the State of Iowa shined on Saturday.

peace