SportsDirect Inc. staff
Jan 1, 2014
No. 14 LSU 21, Iowa 14: Sophomore Jeremy Hill rushed for a career-high 216 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries as the Tigers held off the Hawkeyes in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
Freshman quarterback Anthony Jennings made his first career start in place of the injured Zach Mettenberger and rushed for a score as LSU (10-3) set a school record with its fourth consecutive 10-win season while making its school-record 14th straight bowl appearance. Jennings was 7-of-19 for 82 yards and an interception.
Mark Weisman ran for 37 yards and a touchdown for Iowa (8-5), which entered the game averaging 188.6 yards rushing but was held to 76. Quarterback Jake Rudock was 9-of-22 for 102 yards and an interception before leaving in the fourth quarter with an apparent knee injury in favor of C.J. Beathard.
Hill rushed for 102 yards on 16 carries in the first half and bulled his way into the end zone from the 14 to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead 7:23 prior to intermission. Iowa cut the deficit in half on Weisman's 2-yard touchdown run with 5:52 left in the third quarter, which was set up by John Lowdermilk's 71-yard interception return.
Craig Loston intercepted Beathard's pass at the LSU 16 with 5:04 to go and Hill gained 87 yards on four carries on the ensuing drive - the last a 37-yard TD run with 2:02 left. After a 96-yard kickoff return by Jordan Cotton, Beathard threw a 4-yard TD pass to Kevonte Martin-Manley with 1:42 to go before LSU recovered the onside kick.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Lowdermilk appeared to score on a 72-yard interception return, but the video review revealed he dropped the ball just prior to crossing the goal line. Since no one picked up the fumble, Iowa was awarded the ball at the LSU 1 and Weisman scored three plays later. ... Hill tied a school record with his seventh 100-yard game of the season. ... The Tigers improved to 41-2 in non-conference games under coach Les Miles.