Iowa Hawkeyes vs Minnesota Golden Gophers Match Player Stats On Oct 06, 2018

Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley threw four touchdown passes to lead the Hawkeyes past Minnesota 48-31 on Saturday at Minneapolis in the 112th meeting between the two schools.

It marked the fourth straight season that the Hawkeyes took home one of college football's most prestigious rivalry trophies, the Floyd of Rosedale.

Stanley threw for 314 yards for Iowa (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) with three of his scores coming in the first half. Iowa's dynamic tight end duo of Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson combined for three scores with each catching one touchdown and Hockenson rushing for another.

Minnesota's true freshman Zack Annexstad completed 17 of 33 pass attempts for 218 yards and three touchdowns. But Annexstad was also intercepted three times.

Despite being outgained 420-320, the Golden Gophers (3-2, 0-2) were able to keep the game close and trailed only 31-24 midway through the third period.

After the Gophers' Seth Green scored from a yard out to bring Minnesota within a touchdown, Iowa marched down the field and extended the lead to 14 on Fant's 17th career touchdown.

The Hawkeyes' defense stiffened as Minnesota turned the ball over on downs on its next possession. Interceptions on their next two possessions doomed the Golden Gophers.

Iowa's Riley Moss picked off Annexstad and returned the ball 36 yards to the Minnesota 9-yard line. Iowa was unable to move the ball and Miguel Recinos' 20-yard field-goal attempt was good as Iowa led 41-24.

The teams exchanged touchdowns to close out the scoring.

Stanley hit Hockenson from 3 yards out for the game's first score. On their next possession, Stanley found Ihmir Smith-Marsette from 60 yards out and Iowa led 14-0.

Annexstad got the Gophers on the board when Minnesota got the ball back. A 3e-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman completed a 10-play, 75-yard drive.

And then came an offensive explosion in the final six minutes of the half.

Down 21-10, the Golden Gophers failed on a fake-punt attempt to give Stanley the ball at midfield. Stanley made the Gophers pay when he connected with Nick Easley for a 21-yard score.

Minnesota was in business later when Thomas Barber, brother of Gophers' legend Marion Barber, picked up a Stanley fumble and advanced it to the Iowa 3-yard line. Two plays later, Green scored and the Gophers were down 31-24.

--Field Level Media