Iowa fans were expecting a close game for good reason.
Kinnick Stadium is always a tough place to play for highly ranked opponents. Just ask Michigan last year or Penn State earlier this season.
While one of those teams got away with a win, No. 3 Ohio State didn’t come close, losing to the Hawkeyes in a big upset, 55-24.
A huge reason for the colossal game was quarterback Nate Stanley’s continual connection with tight ends Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson.
The tight end duo wound up with a combined 9 receptions for 125 yards and 4 of Stanley’s 5 touchdown passes.
“It was awesome,” Hockenson said. “A lot of fun to see us competing with these guys and being able to make plays. The coaches trusted us, Stanley trusted us. We came out, and competed our butts off, and came out with a W.”
The trust Stanley showed in his tight ends was evident from the very beginning. Although he started the game 1-of-6, the sophomore got into a groove in the second quarter and second half, carving up the Buckeye defense and finding his wide-open tight ends.
The crowning moments came in the second and third quarters, when the connection between the tight ends and their quarterback was unparalleled.
In the second, Stanley, after he had already rifled a touchdown to Hockenson, tossed a dime of a touch pass to Fant from 25 yards out to put the Hawkeyes up, 24-17.
In the third, Stanley and Hockenson connected again to take the game to the next level and turn it into a full-on shellacking.
Following an incredible fake field goal, Stanley still had a Buckeye on his leg after almost getting sacked, but somehow set his feet and launched a spiral right into the hands of the open Hockenson.
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That score made it 38-17 and ensured Iowa carried over its momentum from the first half.
It also proved that there is indeed a connection between Stanley and Fant and Hockenson, who entered the program in the same recruiting class last season.
While they’re still young and can improve, all three have already shown that they will make plays together for years to come.
“Both those [tight ends], they’ve got things they can get better at certainly, but I think they’re helping us out a lot, and Nate just seems to find them, too, when they get that chance,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “There’s no magic, nothing magic I can tell you. It’s just, hopefully, a part of the process.”
The tight ends weren’t the only offensive players making an impact. The running game finally found its stride against Ohio State, and the running backs combined for 239 yards.
Akrum Wadley carried the main load, racking up 118 yards, while James Butler added 74, including a big 53-yard scamper.
Toward the end of the game, Toren Young got his chance and made the most of it, recording 47 yards and a touchdown on just 5 carries.
Overall, the offense played a great game, putting up 487 yards of total offense. Fittingly, the compilation of passing yards and rushing yards reflects the total team effort in the victory.
For the players, it was something they won’t easily forget.
“It was just super special [in the locker room],” Stanley said. “It’s just super special to be able to be in there with your teammates that you spend so much time with throughout the season, and the off-season, and all the work that you put in. Just being able to see that pay off and to see the happiness and joy on each other’s faces is pretty special.”
