HALFTIME BREAKDOWN: Iowa 24, Middle Tennessee State 0

First Quarter

Three drives, three scores for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa won the toss, and elected to receive. The Hawkeyes then drove 65 yards in nine plays, with Mekhi Sargent scoring on a 4-yard run to give Iowa a 7-0 lead.

Iowa’s defense then held Middle Tennessee State to minus-2 yards on the Blue Raiders’ first possession, the first three-and-out of the quarter.

The Hawkeyes put together a 9-play, 44-yard drive that took 5:01 off the clock. The possession stalled at the Middle Tennessee State 31, so Keith Duncan kicked a 49-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead. It was his ninth consecutive field goal of the season.

Another three-and-out for the Hawkeyes’ defense was the response — Cedrick Lattimore’s sack of MTSU quarterback Asher O’Hara on the first play doomed the possession. Iowa followed with a 5-play, 71-yard touchdown drive, with Nate Stanley dropping an 18-yard TD pass into the hands of wide receiver Brandon Smith to push the lead to 17-0.

Oh, those ankles of yours? Consider them snatched.

(via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/2k8hCPR1Cy
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 28, 2019

Key play

Stanley came close to his first interception of the season. His pass went through the hands of MTSU’s Reed Blankenship, and Iowa wide receiver Tyrone Tracy grabbed it for a 33-yard pass, setting up the touchdown pass to Smith two plays later.

By the numbers

• Iowa had a 200-26 edge in total yards, and 107-2 edge in rushing yards.

• The Hawkeyes had eight first downs. MTSU had zero.

• Iowa had a 11:47-3:13 edge in time of possession.

Second Quarter

Middle Tennessee State finally got a first down when O’Hara ran for 15 yards on second-and-3. But the Blue Raiders couldn’t keep the drive alive.

Then it became four consecutive scoring drives for Iowa. Toren Young opened the drive with with three carries for 33 yards, then Stanley threw a 38-yard pass to Ihmir Smith-Marsette on second-and-20 from the Iowa 48-yard line. Four plays later, fullback Brady Ross pounded into the end zone on a 1-yard dive, and Iowa was up, 24-0.

The Hawkeyes had to punt for the first time on their next possession, but the Blue Raiders weren’t getting anything offensively.

Iowa had a chance for points to close the half, getting to the MTSU 21-yard line. But Duncan missed his first field goal of the season wide-right from 39 yards.

It's the B1G, and we enjoy a good fullback TD.

Brady Ross just had the honor for @HawkeyeFootball. pic.twitter.com/KLuS7jmlVq
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 28, 2019

Key play

The pass to Smith-Marsette came after Stanley was sacked for a 10-yard loss. Smith-Marsette had a step on his man down the left sideline, and Stanley put the ball into a perfect spot.

By the numbers

• Iowa had 173 rushing yards, compared to just 24 by MTSU. Sargent had 14 carries for 91 yards.

• Iowa had 358 yards of offense, compared to 92 for MTSU.

• The Hawkeyes had a 17-5 edge in first downs.

• Time of possession: Iowa 19:31, MTSU 10:29.

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