’Cats Drop Conference Battle Against No. 19 Iowa, 24-10

EVANSTON, Ill. — Hosting a ranked opponent for the first time this season, Northwestern football fell 24-10 to No. 19 Iowa on Saturday night at Ryan Field. 

“We talked about it going into the week — that’s a darn good football team,” Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun said. “Our expectation and the way I still feel right now is that’s a football game we should win. I want to give Iowa a ton of credit. They do it the right way, have done it for a long time, and they earned the victory today.”

The Wildcats (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) faced a difficult test in their primetime matchup with the Hawkeyes (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten), who entered the game ranked second in the conference in scoring defense. The result ends Northwestern’s five-game home winning streak to start the year.

Redshirt junior quarterback Nicco Marchiol stepped in to make his first start as a Wildcat. He completed 24-of-32 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown. Marchiol rushed for a team-high 52 yards. 

Senior wide receiver Griffin Wilde hauled in five catches for 52 yards. Redshirt sophomore tight end Luke Dehnicke recorded 52 receiving yards on five receptions. Junior wide receiver Hayden Eligon II had a season-high five receptions for 33 yards.

Graduate student linebacker Kobie McKinzie racked up nine tackles, while redshirt senior linebacker Braydon Brus added seven tackles and a fumble recovery. Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Dominic Kirks posted his first career sack and forced a fumble. 

Redshirt senior safety Robert Fitzgerald tallied seven tackles and an interception in his first game back from injury. Fitzgerald has snagged an interception in his past three starts. He is the first Northwestern defensive back to record at least 225 career tackles and five interceptions since Godwin Igwebuike did so from 2013 to 2017.

After Iowa built a 14-0 halftime lead, senior kicker Jackson Kleather put the ’Cats on the board with a 45-yard field goal late in the third quarter. The Hawkeyes immediately answered with a kickoff return touchdown to extend their advantage to 21-3.

Facing a 21-point fourth-quarter deficit, Kirks came up with Northwestern’s second takeaway of the night, jarring a ball loose that Brus pounced on. The play marked Kirks’ first career forced fumble.

With 1:51 remaining in the game, Marchiol found Joseph Himon II for a two-yard touchdown, cutting the Iowa lead to 24-10.

The Hawkeyes recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran the clock down to the final whistle.

“We are not satisfied,” Braun said. “I’m not going to sit here and tell the group that our guys kept battling and I’m proud of it. We are not satisfied, I’m not satisfied, and our staff isn’t satisfied. But we also aren’t discouraged.”

Northwestern will face No. 12 Ohio State in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 14. Kickoff from Ohio Stadium is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on FOX.