Second-half safeties lead Iowa past South Dakota State 7-3

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s protection got here up with two second-half safeties, and the Hawkeyes opened the season with a 7-3 win over South Dakota State on Saturday.

Neither group might do a lot offensively. Iowa completed with 166 yards of offense, whereas South Dakota State had 120. The 2 groups mixed for extra punts (21) than first downs (16).

“Clearly a really uncommon scoring line,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz stated. “You have bought 3 (within the first quarter), 2 (within the third quarter), 2 within the fourth. I’ve by no means been round a recreation like that. However we’ll take it at present.”

Iowa ranked seventh nationally with 4 defensive touchdowns final season, so the Hawkeyes are used to getting factors from that facet of the ball. They usually wanted them on a day when the offense struggled.

“The usual’s been set,” stated linebacker Jack Campbell, who recorded one of many safeties and completed with 12 tackles.

The primary security got here after Iowa’s Tory Taylor had his punt downed on the South Dakota State 1-yard line within the third quarter. One play later, Campbell grabbed operating again Isaiah Davis after he took the handoff and introduced him down one yard in need of getting out of the top zone.

The second security got here within the fourth, when Iowa’s Joe Evans sacked quarterback Mark Gronowski ultimately zone on a second-and-11 play.

“We’re making an attempt to attain as a lot as we will on the defensive facet, nevertheless we will do it” stated Iowa security Quinn Schulte.

The Hawkeyes saved South Dakota State pinned in its personal territory for a lot of the recreation. Ten of Taylor’s punts have been downed contained in the Jackrabbits’ 20-yard line, together with one on the 2 and the one on the 1.

“Tory did a fantastic job,” Ferentz stated. “I do not assume if I’ve ever seen a punter so concerned in a recreation both.”

Taylor averaged 47.9 yards per punt.

“Discipline place was actually robust for us,” South Dakota State coach John Stiegelmeier stated. “It’s robust to go on the market and mentally assume we’ve bought to go 98 yards towards this protection.”

Iowa took a 3-0 lead within the first quarter on Aaron Blom’s 46-yard discipline purpose. The one factors for South Dakota State got here on Hunter Dustman’s 44-yard discipline purpose with 20 seconds left earlier than halftime.

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras accomplished 11 of 25 passes for 109 yards. Leshon Williams had 72 dashing yards.

Gronowski was 10 of 26 passing for 87 yards. Davis had 18 carries for 50 yards.

INJURY REPORT

Iowa was with out three offensive starters — broad receivers Keagan Johnson and Nico Ragaini, and operating again Gavin Williams. All three missed time in preseason camp due to undisclosed accidents. Beginning linebacker Jestin Jacobs left the sport within the second quarter with an harm and didn’t return.

South Dakota State tight finish Tucker Kraft, a second-team Related Press FCS All-American final season, was injured after catching a go within the first quarter and didn’t return.

THE TAKEAWAY

Iowa had one of many worst offenses within the nation final 12 months regardless of a 10-win season, ending 99th in scoring offense and 121st in whole offense. Petras’ struggles led to loads of boos from the sellout crowd at Kinnick Stadium, and with in-state rival Iowa State coming in subsequent Saturday, there can be loads of questions for Ferentz to reply. “I’ve nonetheless bought numerous confidence in him,” Ferentz stated. “I feel the noise on the surface might be so much louder than it’s on the within.”

South Dakota State, which fell to 2-10 all time towards FBS groups, struggled to maneuver the ball towards Iowa’s protection, which was among the finest within the nation final season.

UP NEXT

South Dakota State: Hosts UC Davis subsequent Saturday.

Iowa: Hosts Iowa State subsequent Saturday.

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