Aggies dig hole in third quarter, fall to Iowa
It was a beautiful game for one team, very ugly one for the other.
The former describes the University of Iowa’s 48-7 embarrassment of Utah State University Saturday afternoon in Kinnick Stadium.
The Hawkeyes had every aspect of their game plan working for them as their offense, defense and special teams each scored touchdowns.
This was the third game this season USU has let the opposing team reach at least 280 yards rushing as Iowa ran for 300.
Iowa, known for their strong rushing game, started the contest surprising the Aggies by passing the ball, going through the air nine times out of 16 plays in the game’s first drive.
The Hawkeyes had averaged 22.6 pass attempts through their first three games this season, but had 24 attempts by halftime.
“They surprised us how much they passed,” said Aggie safety Jamar Glasper in a radio interview following the game. “We knew they were a team that liked to run the ball and didn’t like to pass unless they needed to. It shocked us.”
Iowa mixed up their scoring charge as their offense notched 28 points, special teams 13 and defense seven.
Most of those came from big plays in a 24 point third quarter which put any chances of on Aggie comeback away.
Hawkeye running back Jermelle Lewis dashed through the Aggie defense for a 75 yard touchdown run with 10:42 remaining in the quarter to put Iowa up 31-7.
Just over a minute later USU’s Steve Mullins had a punt blocked from their own 19 yard line. The ball bounced all the way into the back of the end zone where Hawkeye Mike Follet pounced on the ball for the score.
Mullins, who lead the nation through the first three games with nine punts each game, had five Saturday.
With 3:34 left in the third and USU down 41-7, USU backup quarterback Jeff Crosbie came into try and add a spark to the Aggie offense, but the decision quickly backfired.
On a third down and seven from the Aggie 10 yard line Crosbie attempted a right side lateral pass to Robinson but was hit in this throwing motion and the ball went too far behind Robinson and rolled into the end zone where Hawkeye Jared Clauss picked up the ball for the game’s final score.
“Obviously, getting into their league schedule next week they had some things they needed to work on and that we were a team that they could to that [against],” said USU Head Coach Mick Dennehy.
The Aggies touchdown came with 4:52 left in the second quarter on what appeared to be a broken play. Quarterback Jose Fuentes made a lateral pass to Roger Robinson who then appeared as though he was going to make another pass down field but instead kept the ball and sprinted 25 yards to the endzone.
Just because the Aggies were 22-point underdogs coming into the game and playing team from a big conference, USU wideout Gary Coleman said there is no consolation in the loss.
“We lost [Saturday],” he said. “I don’t care who we lose to. We can lose to a Big Ten team or a small independent team. It doesn’t matter.”
Fuentes went through his first game this season without throwing and interception as he was 21-36 passing with 214 yards.
USU had another abysmal rushing game collecting 21 yards on 20 carries with three different running backs.
“We are gonna work on that everyday of the week,” Coleman said. “We’re gonna get that right. The receivers need to do their part to make sure we can take away from the run.”
Said Dennehy, “We’re just way too inconsistent as a football team right now. I think we are doing some things pretty well but we’re not doing them well every single time.”
samhis@cc.usu.edu