Iowa defenders overwhelm junior running back Le’Veon Bell. Bell had 29 carries during the game. The Spartans fell to the Hawkeyes on Saturday. Justin Wan/The State News
The MSU football team couldn’t hang on to an early lead and fell to the visiting Hawkeyes, 19-16.
Junior linebacker Denicos Allen picked off Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg on the Hawkeyes’ opening drive to give MSU the ball on the Hawkeyes’ 26-yard-line. Junior running back Le’Veon Bell barreled ahead for a 14-yard touchdown on the fourth play of the drive to give the Spartans a 7-0 lead.
The Spartans held the lead for the majority of regulation until the Hawkeyes rode running back Mark Weisman for a nine-play, 68-yard drive that ended with Weisman taking in an eight yard score to knot it with 55 seconds remaining. The Spartans were unable to score on the final drive and the two teams headed into overtime tied, 13-13.
The teams traded field goals in the first overtime, and Iowa got the ball to begin the second. After MSU’s defense held, Iowa kicker Mike Meyer nailed a 42-yard field goal to give the Hawkeyes their first lead of the game.
On MSU’s posession, junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell’s pass intended for sophomore wideout Keith Mumphery was tipped into the air and intercepted by Iowa’s Greg Castillo, ending the game.
The Spartans fall to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the Big Ten with the loss.
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