Iowa Shuts Down Arizona

It was a measure of revenge for the Big Ten this afternoon in Iowa City as the Iowa Hawkeyes knocked off the Arizona Wildcats, 27-17.

The Hawkeyes were led by their defense, which held Arizona's powerful rushing attack to 146 yards and kept the nation's No. 2 rusher, Arizona's Nic Grigsby, to just 74 yards on 11 carries. Arizona didn't score an offensive touchdown until 1:55 remained in the fourth quarter and only managed eight first downs all afternoon.

Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi started slowly, throwing a first-quarter interception which Arizona's Trevin Wade returned for a touchdown. Stanzi finished 20 of 32 for 205 yards.

Iowa's running game, which was thought to be a lost cause when projected starter Jewel Hampton went down with a kneee injury during the preseason, helped the Hawkeyes hold onto a lead from the second quarter on. Freshman running backs Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher both scored touchdowns on goal line plunges, Robinson from one yard out and Wegher from two.

Still, the Iowa defense was the difference maker today. The Hawkeye pass defense made Arizona quarterback Matt Scott struggle to find an open receiver. Scott completed only four of his fourteen pass attempts. He was replaced by backup Nick Foles early in the fourth quarter in what has to be considered an act of mercy.

The win doesn't exactly settle the score between the Pac 10 and Big Ten but it does leave Iowa as the last Big Ten team to win a bowl game and the last Big Ten team to defeat a team from the Pac 10, the SEC (South Carolina in last season's Outback Bowl), and the Big 12 (Iowa State last week).

For Arizona coach Mike Stoops it was an unpleasant return to Iowa City. Stoops played defensive back for the Hawkeyes in the eary 1980s, as did his older brother, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, and his younger brother, Arizona defensive coordinator Mark Stoops.

Arizona fell to 2-1 on the season in advance of a trip to Oregon State next Saturday. The 3-0 Hawkeyes will travel into a Happy Valley whiteout next weekend to face Penn State.