116 3rd St SE Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401 Subscriber Services Our Journalists Sports Desk Our Columnists Our Writers Our Writers Our Photojournalists Data More Gazette Other Links [Home](https://www.thegazette.com/) / [Sports](https://www.thegazette.com/sports/) / [Iowa Hawkeyes Sports](https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-hawkeyes/) / [Iowa Football](https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-football/) 52-yard Stevens field goal with 14 seconds left gives Hawkeyes 10-7 win CHICAGO — The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field were quite friendly to Iowa football.It was evident when Hawkeye fans swarmed the Wrigleyville neighborhood hours before kickoff, easily outnumbering the “home” Northwestern fans about 7 miles from their campus.It was evident when the Hawkeyes’ signature “Let’s Go Hawks” and “I-O-W-A” chants rang through the Wrigley Field grandstands.Iowa star Cooper DeJean said it “felt like a home game.” Most importantly, it was evident on the football field spanning from where would usually be the Cubs’ dugout to the right field corner as the Hawkeyes walked away with a nail-biting 10-7 win over Northwestern.“Our football team played with a lot of heart and resolve out there,” Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said.

“It’s a tough, physical game.Very competitive.” Iowa kicker Drew Stevens, after missing a 53-yard attempt earlier in the game, redeemed himself with the 52-yard, game-winning field goal with 14 seconds remaining.Stevens knew it was going to be good right away.“As soon as I kicked it, I started celebrating,” Stevens said.“It was a three-second delay, and then the crowd starts.” Deacon Hill connected with Ohio State transfer wide receiver Kaleb Brown for a 23-yard gain to move the Hawkeyes (7-2, 4-2 Big Ten) into field-goal range at the Northwestern 38 with less than a minute remaining.

It was Brown’s first reception of the season.“We game-planned that pass all week,” Hill said.“We got the look we were planning for, so it was just my job to get him the ball.Thankfully, I did….Great play by Kaleb.” Northwestern (4-5, 2-4) advanced to its own 42-yard line as it tried to strike back in the final seconds before running out of time.

Iowa again benefited from a stellar defensive showing.Northwestern worked its way to the Iowa 2-yard line and had first-and-goal about midway through the fourth quarter.

But with Northwestern inches away from tying the game, Iowa’s defense made four critical stops to preserve the lead.It somewhat became a moot point when Northwestern scored a touchdown on its next drive via a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brendan Sullivan to Cam Johnson, though.The Wildcats’ scoring drive started in excellent field position after Iowa’s three-and-out and a 23-yard Northwestern punt return.“When we made that fourth-down stop, the ball was probably on the half-yard line,” linebacker Jay Higgins said.“That’s hard asking our offense to go drive 99 yards.” The scoreboard operators in Wrigley’s classic scoreboard in center field did not have much work to do early on, as neither team scored until the third quarter.Iowa finally struck first with a 2-yard pass from Hill to tight end Addison Ostrenga.

In typical Iowa fashion, a big play on special teams set up the offense to score.

Earlier in the quarter, Anterio Thompson blocked his second punt of the season.It set up Iowa with its best field position of the day, and the Hawkeyes took advantage with a seven-play, 25-yard drive that culminated with Hill’s play-action pass to Ostrenga.“That’s great complimentary football — getting the stop, getting the punt block and then coming back and converting that to a touchdown,” Ferentz said.

“That’s how we have to play, so that was big.” The Hawkeyes won despite — before the game-winning drive — another unimpressive offensive showing.Hill finished the day going 10-for-15 with a touchdown and an interception.Iowa, like Northwestern, tried to establish the run with 41 rushing attempts out of 56 offensive plays.Iowa’s attempts also were futile, averaging 2.5 yards per carry.“Offensively, we did some good things today,” Ferentz said.“Not enough, and that’s something we’ll just keep working at.” Iowa’s offensive line suffered several injuries, with Mason Richman, Rusty Feth, Logan Jones and Beau Stephens all exiting the game.“We got a couple guys banged up,” Ferentz said.

“We’ll see what it looks like tomorrow.That made the challenge a little bit more steep.” Away from the Friendly Confines, Iowa received some help in the Big Ten West standings.Wisconsin, Nebraska and Minnesota — the other three teams in the four-way tie for first place in the division to start play — all lost Saturday.That leaves the Hawkeyes in sole possession of first place in the Big Ten West with three games to go.“We still have to take care of us and focus on each week,” DeJean said.

“You can’t look too far ahead in the standings.” Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com [Iowa Football](https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-football/) Nov.4, 2023 2:17 pm6h ago [The Gazette](https://www.thegazette.com/the-gazette/) [Iowa Football](https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-football/) Nov.

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