MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kaleb Johnson rushed for a career-high 206 yards and three touchdowns, with two scores in a dominant third quarter that propelled Iowa past Minnesota for a 31-14 victory that gave the bronze pig trophy back to the Hawkeyes on Saturday night.
Having bitterly watched the Gophers hoist Floyd of Rosedale in Iowa last year after a controversial 12-10 loss sealed by a fair catch signal call that negated a punt return touchdown by Cooper DeJean, the Hawkeyes (3-1, 1-0) had a blast in the Big Ten opener on their border-state rival’s home turf.
Johnson’s NCAA-leading four-game rushing total jumped to 685 yards after the junior tailback turned a commanding performance by Iowa’s offensive line into a personal highlight tape.
“I just really appreciate them for opening up the holes for me and allowing me to do my thing,” Johnson said. “Without them, I’m not Kaleb Johnson. I just give credit to my o-line. My o-line scored them points, not me.”
Johnson made the best of his 21 carries by outracing the Gophers to the edges on the stretch zone plays and breaking a bunch of tackles once he cleared the line of scrimmage on other runs inside.
“It’s the small things. It’s the technique. It’s being in the right spots,” said Gophers linebacker Cody Lindenberg, who had 10 tackles and a sack.
Iowa topped 200-plus rushing yards for the fourth straight game, the longest streak for the program since 2013, in an eye-opening game against a Minnesota defense coming off consecutive shutouts of Rhode Island and Nevada.
The seasoned offensive line — left tackle Mason Richman, left guard Beau Stephens, center Logan Jones, right guard Connor Colby and right tackle Gennings Dunker — delivered a knockout punch after some recent struggles against the Gophers.
The Hawkeyes netted only 11 rushing yards in the game last season and, including the lost yardage on sacks, totaled a paltry 141 yards on 81 rushes over the last three matchups against Minnesota. Johnson was determined to reverse that trend.
“What I really appreciate is how he’s really taken on and put the team first,” Cade McNamara said. “I think the guys really appreciate that.”
The Gophers (2-2, 0-1) had the clear upper hand in the first half, taking a 14-7 lead on touchdown passes from Max Brosmer to Jameson Geers and Elijah Spencer. The only score by the Hawkeyes came after a 38-yard drive, thanks to a diving interception by linebacker Jay Higgins in the first quarter.
Iowa punted four straight times after that and went into halftime with only 107 total yards. McNamara, who finished 11 for 19 for 62 yards, had trouble finding any kind of a rhythm and had several throws glance off a receiver’s hands while luckily avoiding any interceptions.
“We were sitting there at halftime,” Higgins said, “knowing that we were better than that.”
The Hawkeyes took the second-half kickoff and scored the tying touchdown five plays. McNamara started with a bootleg completion to tight end Addison Ostrenga for 20 yards. Then Johnson did the rest, aided by a late hit penalty on Lindenberg as he ran out of bounds that provided a 15-yard gift.
Iowa’s next drive went 73 yards in six plays, capped by a 40-yard run by Johnson when he plowed through the line and sprang free into the secondary for a 21-14 lead.
“That’s where they want you. Now all of a sudden it’s like a boa constrictor, and you better start scoring some points really quick,” Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said.
The takeaway
Iowa: Overshadowed by the line-of-scrimmage dominance on offense was some fine work by the Hawkeyes front limiting the Gophers to 79 rushing yards. When Iowa last played here two years ago, Mohamed Ibrahim rushed 39 times for 263 yards for Minnesota. The Hawkeyes, who lost to rival Iowa State at home two weeks ago, avoided consecutive defeats to Minnesota for the first time since 2010-11.
Minnesota: Brosmer, the sixth-year transfer from New Hampshire, has helped give the Gophers their best passing attack in five seasons. He went 17 for 26 for 165 yards and the two scores before halftime, matching the most first-half completions since Fleck arrived in 2017.
“When we gave Max time, he looked really good back there,” Fleck said. “Just got to continue to keep him in a rhythm.”
Up next
Iowa: Plays at Ohio State on Oct. 5. The Buckeyes, who were ranked third in this week’s Associated Press poll, have won their last eight home games in the series. The Hawkeyes last won at Ohio Stadium in 1991.
Minnesota: Plays at Michigan on Sept. 28. The Wolverines, who were ranked 18th in the latest AP poll before beating No. 11 USC on Saturday, has not hosted the Gophers since a 33-10 win in 2017.
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