Iowa Flushes Out Gophers from Unbeaten Ranks

Published on 16-Nov-2019 by Alan Adamsson

Football - NCAA    NCAA Football Daily Update

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Iowa Flushes Out Gophers from Unbeaten Ranks

Maybe the Iowa Hawkeyes' moment of Big Ten title drama this season has passed, but they'll still have that little pig.

Their 23-19 victory over Minnesota's boat-rowers has ensured that the Floyd of Rosedale will remain in Iowa City for a fifth straight year.

Seems like knocking off a Big Ten title contender once a year at Kinnick Stadium is a Hawkeye tradition, too.

 

The 2019 season was shaping up to be a special one for the Golden Gophers. All but one of their road trips were as favorable as one could request -- Fresno State, Purdue, Rutgers, Northwestern -- so Minnesota's biggest travel challenge was always gonna be at Iowa.

It was too much to overcome:

 

Minnesota did everything but win. Dudes outgained Iowa, 431 to 290. They held the Hawkeyes to only three points on 69 yards in the second half.

But that shaky start -- spotting the hosts 13 points outta the gate -- was something the Gophers could not do and get away with it.

 

What this result does is add more intrigue to the Big Ten race. Wisconsin's back in the thick of it:

The Badgers come to Minneapolis on Sat 30 Nov, the week after the Nittany Lions visit Columbus in what amounts to a staggered semi-final with CFP implications.

Iowa's done its part to make this possible, and they got to keep a pig statue for what was basically their contribution to the post-season's big picture. No word if anyone put lipstick on it.