Iowa Hawkeyes vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Match Player Stats On Oct 08, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Oct 8, 2016

Junior running back Akrum Wadley broke loose on a decisive 54-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and Iowa defeated Minnesota 14-7 on Saturday in a Big Ten Conference game at Minneapolis.

Wadley rushed for 107 yards on 14 carries and his scoring gallop with 5:28 left in the game was the difference for the Hawkeyes (4-2, 2-1 in the Big Ten).

True freshman kicker Keith Duncan kicked two field goals as Iowa recaptured the famed Floyd of Rosedale Trophy and matched the school record of eight consecutive road victories set from 1920-23.

Sophomore running back Shannon Brooks scored the lone touchdown for the Golden Gophers (3-2, 0-2). Senior quarterback Mitch Leidner was only 13-of-33 passing for 166 yards and two interceptions, and nearly half his yards came on Minnesota's final drive.

The Golden Gophers took over with 2:39 remaining but Leidner's pass was intercepted on the first play when he threw the ball in the direction of Iowa sophomore free safety Brandon Snyder.

Minnesota again took possession with 1:26 to play and Leidner completed four passes for 75 yards to move the ball to the Hawkeyes' 13-yard line but the drive ended with four consecutive incomplete passes.

The Hawkeyes led 3-0 at the break and doubled the lead when Duncan booted a 28-yard field goal with 10:10 left in the third quarter.

The Golden Gophers responded with an eight-play, 58-yard drive with Brooks finishing it off by driving around right end and powering through a would-be tackler en route to a nine-yard score to give Minnesota a 7-6 lead with 6:17 left in the quarter.

Iowa was driving early in the fourth quarter when senior receiver Riley McCarron had the ball punched away by Golden Gophers senior linebacker Nick Rallis and senior linebacker Jack Lynn recovered it at the Minnesota 35-yard line.

The Hawkeyes reached the Gophers' 23 on their next drive before senior quarterback C.J. Beathard's third-and-13 throw in the right flat was intercepted by Minnesota freshman linebacker Kamal Martin.

Wadley broke loose on Iowa's next possession to change the complexion of the game.

Beathard completed 17 of 31 passes for 142 yards and two interceptions.

The lone first-half points came on Duncan's 22-yard field goal to culminate a 10-play, 60-yard drive.