Red zone is dead zone for IU

It looked like they could do it again. After spotting No. 15 Iowa a 17-0 first quarter lead, the IU offense moved the ball inside the Hawkeye 20-yard line six times in an attempt to pull out a comeback for the ages.\nBut the six trips into the red zone turned into just three points as IU (3-4, 1-2 Big Ten) dropped its Homecoming game 24-8 to the Hawkeyes (7-1, 3-0 Big Ten).\nThe IU offense was unable to score a touchdown despite putting up 481 yards of total offense.\n"Stats are for losers," said coach Gerry DiNardo. "We got what we deserved."\nIowa scored early and often. Junior running back Fred Russell led the Hawkeyes opening drive with five carries for 36 yards, including a three-yard touchdown run. Iowa has scored a touchdown on its opening drive six times this year.\nAfter IU went three-and-out on its opening possession, a 38-yard punt return by Iowa redshirt freshman Ed Hinkel gave the Hawkeyes the ball at the IU 34-yard line. The IU defense was able to hold the Hawkeyes to a 43-yard field goal by senior Nate Kaeding.\nAfter another three-and-out by the IU offense, senior quarterback Brad Banks used two completions and a pass interference call on IU to set up a two-yard touchdown run by Russell.\nIU has been outscored 68-26 in the first quarter of games this season.\nThe Hoosiers finally responded in the second quarter. With Iowa driving early in the quarter, senior defensive end Herman Fowler picked up a fumble by junior running back Aaron Greving at the IU 15.\nThe Hoosiers then moved the ball down the field in a way that no team has against Iowa this year -- on the ground. Junior running back Brian Lewis carried the ball eight times for 55 yards on the possession. Iowa entered the game giving up an average of just 56.1 yards per game on the ground.\nLewis finished the game with 25 carries for 123 yards. It was the first time this year that a player has run for 100 yards against the Hawkeye defense.\n"I thought the (offensive) line played pretty well," Lewis said. "It's just smash-mouth football. We had to get more physical with them, and that's what we've done."\nThe drive came to a halt on third-and-goal when senior quarterback Gibran Hamdan floated the ball into end zone, right into the waiting hands of Iowa junior linebacker Grant Steen.\n"I think they did a good job of covering my initial reads," Hamdan said. "I didn't really see the guy from the back side. To drive the ball like that and not come away with any points really hurt our team."\nThe first half ended in the same manner. On first down from the Iowa 13-yard line, sophomore Courtney Roby dropped an almost certain touchdown pass from Hamdan. Roby had three drops in the game.\nAfter getting sacked on second down, Hamdan was picked off by Steen again to end the half.\nAfter getting shutout for the first time in a half this season, IU got on the board on the first possession of the second half. With a pair of completions by Hamdan and seven straight carries by Lewis, IU moved the ball to the Iowa 21-yard line before the drive fizzled when Hamdan was sacked.\nHamdan took the sack due to the Hawkeyes tight pass coverage. Sophomore kicker Bryan Robertson kicked a 45-yard field goal to cut the Iowa lead to 17-3 with 8:39 left in the third.\nIU opened the fourth quarter at the Iowa five-yard line on second-and-goal.\nA false start moved the ball back to the 10-yard line, and once again IU was unable to get into the end zone, settling for a 23-yarder by Robertson to make it 17-6.\nThe Hawkeyes caught the IU secondary napping a few minutes later. Banks hit senior wide receiver C.J. Jones, who was 10 yards past the nearest defender when the ball was released, for a 65-yard touchdown to seemingly seal the game with 11:49 remaining.\nIU kept fighting, though, making three more trips inside the red zone before the end of the game.\n"We showed against Wisconsin that we can come back," Roby said. "We stopped ourselves."\nBut the only points the Hoosiers would be able to produce for the remainder of the game occurred when Iowa sophomore punter David Bradley ran the ball out of the end zone to take an intentional safety with 2:53 left to play.\nIU's final play of the game of the game was a Hamdan pass that was caught by Iowa's second-leading pass catcher on the day -- Steen. His third interception in the game set an Iowa single-game record.