Tampa Florida — The University of Iowa football team was opportunistic as they picked up win number 9 on the season at the Outback Bowl in sunny and warm Florida.
The Hawkeyes scored 17 points off three Mississippi State turnovers, sending Iowa to a 27-22 victory over the 18th-ranked Bulldogs on Tuesday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium. It is Iowa’s first victory over a ranked opponent this season.
Iowa finishes the 2018 season with a bowl victory for a second straight season and it gives the Hawkeyes their first nine-win season since 2015. It is Iowa’s 15th season with nine or more wins in school history.
The Hawkeyes led 17-6 at the half before Mississippi State scored twice in a span of 18 seconds in the third quarter to take a 19-17 lead. Both touchdowns came following Iowa turnovers.
Iowa’s defense set up a go-ahead touchdown when junior Anthony Nelson tipped a Nick Fitzgerald screen pass attempt at the line of scrimmage and junior Chauncey Golston went up and got the interception, giving Iowa possession at the Mississippi State 20.
The Hawkeyes needed six plays before junior Nate Stanley connected with Outback Bowl Most Valuable Player Nick Easley for an 8-yard touchdown pass — his second of the game — giving the Hawkeyes a 24-19 lead.
Iowa’s defense stepped up from there.
On Mississippi State’s first possession of the fourth quarter, Fitzgerald hit Stephen Guidry on a 51-yard reception, but he was tripped up at the 1 on a tackle by sophomore Matt Hankins. After three unsuccessful Fitzgerald rushes, Mississippi State was forced to settle on Jace Christmann’s 20-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 24-22.
The Bulldogs threatened again on their next possession when Fitzgerald hit Osirus Mitchell for 34 yards on the opening play to the Iowa 31 and Mississippi State moved into the red zone on two Kylin Hill rushes. On first-and-10, Fitzgerald found Guidry in the end zone, but the ball popped off his chest into the arms of senior Jake Gervase for the interception.
The Hawkeyes went 50 yards over six plays with 42 coming on back-to-back completions to T.J. Hockenson. Iowa extended its lead to 27-22 on a 40-yard field goal from senior Miguel Recinos with 5:51 to play.
Iowa’s defense made two more stops in the closing minutes, including a game-clinching stop on a drive that started on the MSU 31 with 2:22 to play. The Bulldogs moved to the Iowa 32 over eight plays before Fitzgerald’s fourth down attempt fell incomplete to Farrod Green.
The Hawkeyes won despite being out-gained, 342-199. Mississippi State’s top-ranked defense shut down Iowa’s rushing attack, holding the Hawkeyes to -15 yards. Through the air, Stanley was 21-of-31 for 214 yards with three touchdowns.
Easley closed out his career with eight catches for a career-high 104 yards with two touchdowns. His second quarter 75-yard touchdown reception was an Iowa bowl record.
Defensively, Hankins led Iowa with nine tackles, including seven solo stops. Gervase had six tackles, one interception and three break-ups. Golston finished with two tackles, a fumble recovery, and an interception — the first of his career.
