The Home Team has won three straight in the Battle of Floyd of Rosedale

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Iowa Hawkeyes (3-1) will be playing its second road game and rivalry contest in three games on Saturday when the team looks to defend Floyd of Rosedale against Minnesota (4-0) on its Homecoming.

It is the Big Ten opener for each team, as it was last year, in Iowa City, when Iowa won 31-13.

The home team has won three straight in this series, with Iowa winning nine out of the last 12 over Minnesota. Iowa has never won outdoors in TCF Bank Stadium, losing two games by a combined total of four points (2010, 2011). Iowa last won in Minneapolis in 2008, in the final game in the Metrodome for the Golden Gophers (55-0).

First-year Iowa receivers coach Bobby Kennedy said Friday afternoon that the receivers have been upbeat and ready to go after winning their last three games. Iowa lost season opener on a costly interception by first year starting sophomore quarterback Jake Rudock, and a last minute field goal to lose by three vs. Northern Illinois, where Jerry Kill coached prior to moving to Minnesota in 2011.

"The mood around the team has been extremely positive this week," said Kennedy. "They're excited to be here in Minneapolis because it's the start of Big Ten play and tomorrow is another trophy game that holds a significant meaning."

After playing in front of a sold out crowd at Iowa State two weeks ago, the Hawkeyes will face another boisterous crowd on Saturday at a sold out TCF Bank Stadium. Kennedy said the team prepared for the anticipated crowd noise at practice.

"We practiced with crowd noise and loud music during the week, so our guys really had to focus," Kennedy said. "They handled it well."

Iowa's passing offense has made strides the last couple games and will face the Big Ten's ninth-ranked team in passing defense tomorrow -- the Golden Gophers have allowed 270 yards per game through the air this season. Kennedy has seen improvement in the Hawkeye receivers.

"I'm pleased with progress, but we're not a finished product," said Kennedy. "We have to keep improving every week. The great thing about (our receivers) is that they want to be good, so they work extremely hard in practice. They're moving in that direction."

Leading the Hawkeye receiving corps is junior Kevonte Martin-Manley, who ranks fifth in the league in receptions (5.0 per game). Kennedy likes the leadership qualities the Hawkeye junior is instilling in his teammates.

"His work ethic is infectious on his teammates," Kennedy said. "They see that he works so hard and what I always tell Kevonte is that is the only way he can work. He has good ability, but he's maximizing his ability. The other guys get their cue from him and they're moving forward."

Martin-Manley appears to mirror head coach Kirk Ferentz on the field. A business-like mind set for KMM, whether as a receiver or on special teams.

The motto for the receiving corp heading into the Big Ten opener:

"Go out and play hard. We have to be aggressive and get after them," said Kennedy.

The chatter out of Minneapolis this week with the Minnesota Golden Gophers is 'hate' and the rivalry, playing for Floyd of Rosedale. The pig became a trophy to reduce the hate driven by Minnesota in the 1930s, so it seems ironic to hear it today, again from the Golden Gophers. 

Look for a physical game found in the trenches, whether it was during the series in the 1980s when Iowa coach was an offensive line coach for Iowa or today, as the two teams walk out on the TCF Bank field.

A key in the Iowa-Minnesota game on Saturday?

Success on third down, either on defense or offense, can often go a long way in determining the outcome in college football. Iowa football defensive coordinator Phil Parker knows the importance of the Hawkeye defense getting off the field on third down.

Part of that success depends on what happens on first and second down. The Hawkeye offense is converting 52% (34-66) of its third down opportunities, and is 1-3 on fourth down. Many of those 66 opportunities have been short yardage situations, which add to the chances of converting those opportunities.

In addition to its third down success, Iowa's average time of possession is 35:48 per game through four outings. That figures ranks first in the Big Ten and third in the nation. Iowa's third down conversion percentage is third in the league and ranks 20th nationally.

The Hawkeye defense has performed well on third down in the four non-conference games. Hawkeye opponents are converting just 24.1 percent of third down opportunities, a figure that ranks third in the Big Ten and eighth in the nation. Parker knows the down and distance plays a big part in that success by his Hawkeye defense.

"That helps our defense a lot, it keeps us off the field a little," said Parker. "Time of possession is big; you don't have to run as many plays. Once again, it comes down to preparation and execution and it's what our kids have done in all areas, offense, defense and special teams."

The Iowa defense has come up with a number of turnovers in four games, collecting six interceptions and three fumbles. In Iowa's most recent win over Western Michigan, senior cornerbacks B.J. Lowery returned two interceptions for touchdowns and WR  Martin-Manley had two touchdowns on punt returns.

"I think a lot of it comes from the preparation during the week," said Parker, following Iowa's Thursday practice. "We spend a little more time on third down preparation, and the guys are starting to get a better understanding of what you have to do on third down. Obviously, if you get them in third and long it is better, you have a better opportunity. We've been doing a better job on first and second down, and we're trying to be aggressive with it."

Parker is pleased with the overall play of the defense through four games, and says every down is important to being a good defense.

"I think what we are doing is playing a lot of base defense on first and second down," said Parker. "We try to keep them to three yards or less on first down, make it second and eight, third and eight. That gives us an advantage. The last couple of games we have been forcing third and five, third and six. It gives us an opportunity, but it still comes down to execution and preparation, and our kids are doing a good job right now."

Minnesota, Saturday's opponent, has also dominated time of possession at just under 33 minutes per game. The Golden Gophers average 282.2 rushing yards per game and rank fourth in the Big Ten in scoring at over 41 points per game.

"Obviously you need turnovers, get a possession back for the offense," said Parker. "That's what we're doing, getting stops on third down, getting three and outs, or getting a turnover to set up the offense. That's our job, to get the ball back, that's what we do."

Minnesota enters the game with a perfect 4-0 record and Parker has been impressed with what he has seen of the Golden Gophers.

"They are very good up front, a good offensive line with excellent running backs," said Parker. "Either of the two quarterbacks can run the ball. They have receivers who are tough, hard nose kids, who can catch the deep ball on play action. It's a great challenge for us, they are very talented."

The game has three major phases, and each team will work to win the battle on offense, on defense and on special teams. Iowa put all three phases together in the 59-3 win over Western Michigan (0-4). However, unlike WMU, the Golden Goohers are completing games.

Iowa and the Golden Gophers kick off at 2:36 p.m. Saturday in Minneapolis in the annual battle for Floyd of Rosedale. ABC will televise the game to a majority of the nation, while all other sections of the nation can view the contest on ESPN2.

This is the oldest rivalry for the Hawkeyes, as the two foes meet for the 107th time in the series.

Iowa opens Big Ten play Saturday at Minnesota

Iowa City, Iowa -- The Hawkeyes open Big Ten play Saturday at Minnesota at TCF Bank Stadium. The game will be televised by ABC beginning at 2:30 p.m. (CT), with reverse mirror on ESPN2. Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham and Jeannine Edwards will call the action.

Iowa won its third-straight game, improving to 3-1 with a 59-3 rout of Western Michigan on Sept. 21 inside Kinnick Stadium. Minnesota is 4-0 with victories over UNLV (51-23), New Mexico State (44-21), Western Illinois (29-12) and San Jose State (43-24).

Iowa has won three of its last four conference openers, including a 31-13 win over Minnesota in last year's opener. The Hawkeyes are 6-8 in Big Ten openers since 1999. The Hawkeyes are opening the Big Ten season on the road for the 11th time in 15 seasons under coach Kirk Ferentz. In its previous 10 conference openers on the road, Iowa has won three times (42-35 OT at Penn State, 2002; 24-7 at Illinois, 2006; 21-10 at Penn State, 2009).

Iowa also won the first Big Ten road game last year, with a 19-16, 2 OT game at Michigan State.

Defense set the tone in final non-conference game for Iowa.

You can't win a football game if you don't score. On the flipside, you don't lose many when allowing three points.

That was true Sept. 21 for the University of Iowa, by frustrating Western Michigan in its final nonconference tune-up. It was the lowest point-total allowed by the Hawkeyes in 38 games -- dating back to Oct. 2, 2010, and not so coincidently, a 20-3 win against Penn State. The last time Iowa lost a football game when allowing three points was 76 years ago when Irl Tubbs was coach and FDR was President of the United States.

The tone was set on the opening kickoff Saturday when Western Michigan's Dareyon Chance was clobbered by Iowa linebacker Marcus Collins after a 15-yard return.

"That's big momentum for us," said UI senior cornerback B.J. Lowery, who finished the day with four tackles and two Pick-6 interceptions. "Even on the kickoff when Marcus Collins had the big hit, that got us going right there."

"Coach (Kirk) Ferentz asks in practice, `Who is going to be that guy who is going to get that spark?'" said UI senior defensive lineman Dominic Alvis. "As soon as Marcus clocked his guy, it sent electricity through the defense. We're getting out there and we're getting excited and it adds a spark to the entire team. It fueled our fire."

The fire kept burning for three hours and two minutes. Twenty minutes into the game, UI junior receiver/punt returner Kevonte Martin-Manley had more touchdowns (two) than the Broncos had first downs (zero) or rushing yards (one). On six straight possessions, the Hawkeye defense held Western Michigan to three downs-and-punt. The Broncos were 1-of-14 converting on third down.

"We have a good defensive unit," Alvis said. "We're not there yet, but every week we're taking strides and you can see that in the way we play. We showed up from the get-go and getting off the field on third down is our goal, that's our money down, and it is great when we give the offense a chance to score points."

For three straight games Iowa's defense has held opponents to less than 75 yards on the ground. Western Michigan gained 74 yards on 20 carries, Iowa State had 59 yards on 24 attempts, and Missouri State was held to 70 yards on 23 rushes. The Hawkeyes have not allowed a first-half touchdown since the season opener. The defense has yet to give up a rushing touchdown in 2013.

Senior defensive captain, middle linebacker James Morris is waiting for an opponent to "pin their ears back and run at us."

"It is one game and we're trying to build something," said Morris, who had a team-high seven tackles and moved to No. 15 on the all-time career tackle chart with 316. "We don't want to be a one-hit wonder. We want to be competitive down the stretch in October and November. We feel good about what we did, but we're still building."

After four games, the Hawkeyes are ranked 19th in the country in total defense (290.8 yards per game) and Iowa is one of four Football Bowl Subdivision teams yet to surrender a rushing touchdown. That is 128 straight rushing attempts without the opponent reaching the end zone.

"We showed up, were ready to play and didn't let off the gas," Alvis said. "We played like veterans and we played like we should. I'm fortunate to be part of a group guys who take pride in this unit -- there are a lot of playmakers out there."

One playmaker is Lowery. Just when you thought he could do nothing to top his high-flying interception at Iowa State on Sept. 14, he comes back seven days later and returns two interceptions for touchdowns. To put an exclamation point on the second one (from 13 yards), Lowery dove and stretched the ball inside the pylon.

"I learned it from Micah Hyde," Lowery said with a laugh.

Hyde's return for a score following an interception by Tyler Sash highlighted a 37-6 win against No. 5 Michigan State in 2010.

Lowery's two interception touchdown returns is an Iowa record and ties for second-most in NCAA history.

The 2010 season came up twice in reference to Saturday's victory. In that year, Iowa was also 3-1 in nonconference play, and went on to defeat three nationally rated teams and win the Insight Bowl.

The fate of the 2013 team is undecided, but there is no denying it has energy and oomph heading into the conference opener Sept. 28 in Minneapolis.

"This supplies momentum going into the next game and it is an exciting feeling as a player," Alvis said.

"This win is big for us knowing we have to go into Big Ten play next week," Lowery added. "That gives us momentum going to Minnesota."

After a 4-8 season in 2012, the 3-1 start is beginning to raise some eyebrows in the Big Ten media and that Iowa may be one of the biggest surprises this year in the conference. For Big Ten Legends Division teams, the Western Michigan win by Iowa was the most well rounded displays in victory this season.

Iowa wins Trifecta; Hawkeyes roll 59-3 over Western Michigan

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa football team scored four offensive and four non-offensive touchdowns en route to a 59-3 thrashing of Western Michigan on Saturday inside Kinnick Stadium.  It was a trifecta in all three phases, as Iowa scored on offense, on defense and on special teams.

The 59 points are the second-most in a single game in the Kirk Ferentz era and the most points by the Hawkeyes since scoring 62 in a 62-10 victory over Northwestern on Nov. 9, 2002.

Iowa piled up 446 yards of total offense, including 258 yards on the ground, while limiting Western Michigan to 209 yards and just nine first downs. Sophomore Jake Rudock finished 10-of-15 for 134 yards with two touchdowns, while junior Jordan Canzeri paced the Hawkeye rushing attack with 73 yards and a score. Eight different Iowa players had a reception with junior Damond Powell leading the squad with two catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.

The two players of the game were junior wide receiver/punt returner Kevonte Martin-Manley and senior B.J. Lowery. Martin-Manley finished with four returns for 184 yards -- the second-most in a single game in school history -- with two touchdowns, while Lowery picked off two Bronco passes and returned them for scores, becoming the first player to accomplish the feat in Iowa history.

Iowa dominated the first half, building a 24-0 lead before surrendering a Bronco first down. The Hawkeye defense held Western Michigan without a first down its

Martin-Manley set up Iowa's first score with a 44-yard punt return to the Western Michigan 22. Iowa drove 19 yards on eight plays down to the 1, but the Broncos stopped junior Mark Weisman for a 2-yard loss on third-and-goal from the 3. Senior Mike Meyer's 20-yard chip-shot field goal made the score 3-0. The points were Iowa's first on a game-opening drive this season.

On Iowa's third possession, the Hawkeyes used a six-play, 45-yard drive to stretch the lead to 10-0. Iowa converted a fourth-and-3 from the Bronco 38 with a 12-yard completion to senior C.J. Fiedorowicz. Following a 5-yard Weisman rush to the 21, Rudock connected with Jacob Hillyer for a 21-yard touchdown pass. It was Hillyer's second-straight game with a touchdown reception.

Iowa's defense and special teams then pushed the advantage to 24-0 in a two-minute span. After the defense forced its fourth-straight three-and-out, Martin Manley fielded a 47-yard Bronco punt at the Iowa 17 before returning it 83 yards for the score. The return tied the seventh-longest in school history and was Iowa's first punt return for a score since Andy Brodell in 2008.

After Iowa's defense forced its sixth-straight punt, Martin-Manley struck again, fielding J. Schroeder's rugby-style punt at the Iowa 37 and scampering 63-yards for the touchdown. Martin-Manley is the third player in Big Ten history, and first since 1983, to have two punt returns for touchdowns in the same game.

The Broncos picked up their initial first down of the game at the 9:45 mark in the second quarter before moving 44 yards over eight plays into the red zone. On first-and-10 from the 19, senior safety Tanner Miller baited WMU quarterback Tyler Van Tubbergen into a pass toward the end zone, where he secured the interception to halt the drive.

Freshman running back LeShun Daniels, Jr., coughed the ball up on the first play of Iowa's ensuing drive to set up Western Michigan's only points of the game. After taking over at the Iowa 28, the Hawkeye defense surrendered its second first down before holding the Broncos to Andrew Haldeman's 23-yard field goal to make the score 31-3.

The Hawkeyes then pushed their lead to 38-3 at the half, scoring 14 points in a two-minute span.

Iowa's offense used a seven-play, 65-yard drive to make the score 31-3. On third-and-3 from its own 41, Rudock connected with junior Damon Bullock on a play-action pass into the flat for 16 yards. After a holding penalty pushed Iowa into a first-and-20, Rudock rushed 31 yards on the next play to the Bronco 22 before three doses of Weisman, including a 4-yard touchdown run, put the Hawkeyes into the end zone.

Iowa's defense then got on the board with 56 seconds remaining when senior B.J. Lowery intercepted Van Tubbergen's pass at the Western Michigan 35 and returned it 35 yards for the score.

On the Broncos' first possession of the second half, Lowery stretched Iowa's advantage to 45-3. Back-up quarterback Zach Terrell dropped back on first-and-10 from the 8, where his first attempt of the game was intercepted by and returned 13 yards for the score.

On his final possession of the afternoon, Rudock led Iowa on a nine-play, 64-yard drive to stretch the Hawkeye lead to 52-3. Rudock connected for Ray Hamilton for 16 yards on third-and-4 to move into Bronco territory and with Hamilton a second time for 19 yards on 3-and-7 to advance to the 20. The Hawkeyes then converted a third-and-19 via a 29-yard touchdown pass to Powell. It was the junior's first career touchdown reception.

Redshirt freshman C.J. Beathard led the Hawkeyes on its final scoring drive early in the fourth quarter, covering 83 yards on eight plays. On second-and-9 from the Iowa 18, Beathard connected with Powell for a 54-yard gain to the Bronco 28. Six plays later, sophomore Jordan Canzeri's 16-yard touchdown pushed the Hawkeye lead to 59-3 lead.

Beathard led Iowa 63 yards over 18 plays to the Western Michigan 3 over the final 9:26 before the Hawkeyes took three knees to end the contest.

Iowa (3-1) opens Big Ten play Sept. 28 at Minnesota (4-0), who defeated San Jose State to close out non-conference undefeated. The game will be televised on ABC beginning at 2:30 p.m. (CT).