Close losses continue to plague Hawkeyes
Iowa is trying to find answers for their first three-game losing streak in the Big Ten since 2012 as it prepares for a conference road game on Saturday against Illinois.
A month ago, the Hawkeyes (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) were 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the conference and had made their way into the country’s top 20.
The season proceeded to fall apart after that with a missed opportunity at Penn State in the late going to win there, a last-second field goal in a two-point loss at Purdue the following week and then last week’s 14-10 loss at home to Northwestern.
“With this loss, I feel like it’s probably the biggest wakeup (call) of the season with three consecutive losses,” Iowa cornerback Michael Ojemudia said. “If we go downhill from here, it’s going to be a really bad season.”
Picking up the pieces of a shattered season that held so much promise a few weeks ago won’t be easy. At best, Iowa can finish the regular season at 8-4 and go to a decent bowl. At worst, the record falls to 6-6 with losses to Illinois and Nebraska to end the year, relegating the Hawkeyes a lesser bowl.
A combination of things has gone wrong for the Hawkeyes, but essentially it boils down to their inability to win close games. The four losses are by a combined 23 points, which would be even fewer points if not for a garbage touchdown by Wisconsin in a September loss.
“You hear it so much, but I think this year we’re seeing how fine the line is between winning and losing,” center Keegan Render said. “We’ve obviously been on the short end of the stick a few times, and it’s frustrating.”
The deficiencies are definitely in the details, Render went on to say.
“That’s what makes Iowa between a 10-win team or an eight-win team,” he said. “It’s things so small, but at the same time, you can’t overlook it. We just need to go back to the drawing board and realize the importance of everything you do.”
What’s also frustrating for the Hawkeyes is their inability to put together a complete effort. The defense has performed well for the most part and is among the national leaders in points and yards allowed, but the offense has played sporadically, and the ground game can’t seem to get going.
“We’re just not finishing,” Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa said. “We’re not finishing drives. We’re not finishing tackles.”
In last week’s loss, Iowa outgained Northwestern in total yards, but the Hawkeyes managed only rushed for 73 yards rushing. Mekhi Sargent was the leading ground gainer with just 31 yards on 10 carries.
“We’ve just got to do better. We want to be better,” Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs said. “Just establishing the line of scrimmage. Kick your guy’s butt. If we do that, holes are naturally going to open up and our backs will find them. Win our one-on-one battles and we’ll be all right.”
The Hawkeyes have two games remaining to put the brakes on their skid, starting Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET, BTN) at Illinois (4-6, 2-5).
“We always talk about at the beginning of the year we want to be in these close games,” tight end T.J. Hockenson said. “And we do. That’s the mark of a good team. We just need to figure out to get over the hump and win.”
