Stanzi Leads No. 6 Iowa Into Wisconsin

Madison, WI (Sports Network) - Ricky Stanzi threw for 218 yards and a touchdown, as 11th-ranked Iowa overcame a slow start to defeat Wisconsin, 20-10, at Camp Randall Stadium.

Derrell Johnson-Koulianos had eight catches for 113 yards for the Hawkeyes (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten), who extended the nation’s second-longest winning streak to 11 games. Iowa is off to its best start to a season since 1985 when the Hawkeyes also won their first seven games.

Scott Tolzien completed 15-of-25 passes for 143 yards and three interceptions for the Badgers (5-2, 2-2), who have lost six of their last eight against Iowa. Montee Ball accounted for Wisconsin’s only touchdown with a rushing score.

The Hawkeyes trailed 10-0 in the second quarter, but scored 20 unanswered points to end the game.

Iowa trailed 10-3 at the half and tied the score on a 24-yard TD strike from Stanzi to Tony Moeaki with 7:58 left in the third quarter. The nine-play, 54- yard drive came after Amari Spievey intercepted a Tolzien pass to end Wisconsin’s first drive of the second half.

Wisconsin then wasted an excellent opportunity to take the lead late in the third quarter when it started a drive on the Iowa 25-yard line after recovering a fumble by Stanzi. However, after a four-yard run by John Clay and two incompletions, Philip Welch missed a 38-yard field goal.

The Hawkeyes grabbed their first lead of the game just under two minutes into the fourth quarter as Adam Robinson ran 10 yards for a touchdown to give Iowa a 17-10 advantage. The seven-play, 79-yard drive was led by Stanzi, who completed all four of his passes for 64 yards on the march.

Iowa pushed their lead to 10 points on Daniel Murray’s 48-yard field goal with 5:17 left in the game.

Tolzien was then picked off twice in Wisconsin’s final two drives to end any hopes of a comeback.

After both teams went scoreless in the opening 15 minutes, Wisconsin jumped out to a 10-0 edge in the second quarter.

The Badgers opened the scoring just seven seconds into the second quarter when Welch booted a 34-yard field goal. The kick capped a 12-play, 56-yard drive for Wisconsin.

Ball then made it a 10-0 game on a 10-yard TD run with 8:09 remaining in the second quarter. The scamper ended a drive that began on the Wisconsin eight- yard line. Tolzien completed 5-of-6 passes for 67 yards during the lengthy drive.

The Hawkeyes would get on the board before halftime, as Murray kicked a 37- yard field goal with 5:25 left in the second quarter. The key play on the drive came on a 34-yard pass from Stanzi to Johnson-Koulianos.

Robinson led Iowa’s ground game with 91 yards on 20 carries...Florida came into this week with the nation’s longest current winning streak at 15 games....The current winning streak is the longest for the Hawkeyes since they compiled 20 straight wins from 1920-1923...Iowa gained 283 total yards in the game, while the Badgers finished with 230.

- Via Sports Network.