Hawkeyes trail wildcats 14-10; Stanzi injures leg

At halftime, the No. 8 Iowa Hawkeyes trail the Northwestern Wildcats, but it isn't the scoring that has made this game.

In the second quarter, with Iowa up 10-0, junior quarterback Ricky StanziRicky Stanzi was sacked in the end zone and fumbled the football. Northwestern recovered the ball for a touchdown, but it wasn't the only damage done.

Stanzi laid motionless in the end zone, and eventually got up and walked back to the sidelines under his own power. But he would walk back to the locker room with what appears to be a leg injury. Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg came in to replace the Mentor, Ohio native.

Vandenberg's first pass would be intercepted, and the turnover led to a four-yard touchdown pass from Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa to Drake Dunsmore, putting the Wildcats up 14-10 with 5:20 left.

Iowa running back Brandon Wegher did run for a 64-yard touchdown on the ensuing Hawkeye drive, only to have the score be called back because of a holding penalty. Later on the drive, Wegher would lose his first fumble of the season.

However, Iowa senior safety Joe Conklin, starting in place of the injured Brett Greenwood, picked off a Persa pass in the end zone for a touchback, keeping the Hawkeyes within four at the half.

Beforehand, the Hawkeyes got off to a fast start for once. On the game's third play, Stanzi found sophomore wideout Marvin McNutt for a 74-yard touchdown strike one minute in to put Iowa ahead, 7-0.

The Hawkeyes would then get a field goal from 39 yards out by junior kicker Daniel Murray to increase the lead to 10-0 before Stanzi was injured.

BY BRENDAN STILES | NOVEMBER 07, 2009 12:27 PM