No. 15 Iowa 12, Minnesota 0: Hawkeyes Win Coveted Bronzed Pig

Read more about this low-scoring affair at SB Nation’s Iowa blog, Black Heart Gold Pants, and our Minnesota blog, The Daily Gopher.

Iowa City, IA (Sports Network) – Brandon Wegher scored the lone touchdown of the game, as 15th-ranked Iowa blanked the Minnesota Golden Gophers for the second straight season, 12-0, at Kinnick Stadium.

Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg, making his second start in place of injured starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi, completed 11-of-24 passes for 117 yards with one interception for the Hawkeyes (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten), who snapped a two-game skid and retained Floyd of Rosedale, a statue of a bronzed pig.

Adam Robinson had 72 yards on 12 carries for Iowa, which posted a 55-0 drubbing last year at Minnesota and has taken eight of the last nine meetings overall.

Adam Weber was 14-of-40 for 153 yards and fumbled twice for the Golden Gophers (6-6, 3-5), who lost two of three to end the regular season.

Iowa took the game’s opening kickoff and marched into the red zone before Daniel Murray drilled a 30-yard field goal.

The second quarter featured a bevy of offensive miscues. Weber lost the handle on successive drives in Iowa territory, botching the exchange on the snap and having the ball stripped by a Hawkeye defender while scrambling.

Vandenberg was then picked off by Marcus Sherels in the end zone following the second Minnesota turnover.

After a short punt by Minnesota resulted in positive field position for the Hawkeyes, Vandenberg was sacked by Gary Tinsley on third down to move Iowa out of field goal range.

The litany of mistakes continued when the Gophers’ MarQueis Gray was intercepted on the second play of the ensuing series.

Iowa finally capitalized on a blunder as Wegher took a handoff and leaped into the end zone for a one-yard score and 9-0 advantage with 52 seconds remaining in the first half after the extra point was blocked.

A 45-yard boot from Murray accounted for all the scoring in a third quarter dominated by the defenses.

Minnesota looked to finally dent the scoreboard, but failed to convert on 4th- and-goal from the two with just under 10 minutes remaining. The Gophers turned the ball over on downs on their next two possessions.

Iowa recorded its first 10-win season since 2004…Adams was sacked five times…Minnesota outgained the Hawkeyes, 201-171…Iowa converted 1-of-13 third downs, while the Gophers were 4-of-20…Derrell Johnson-Koulianos had 63 yards on seven receptions for Iowa.

- Via Sports Network.