IOWA CITY, Iowa – Tyler Goodson ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns as Iowa throttled Michigan State 49-7 on Saturday.
Goodson led a balanced Iowa offense that racked up a season-high point total. The sophomore’s outing included a career-long 71-yard scamper, which set the Hawkeyes (1-2, 1-2 Big Ten) up for their sixth touchdown of the day.
Goodson scored on a 3-yard run early in the first to spark Iowa’s scoring. Quarterback Spencer Petras found wideout Brandon Smith to give Iowa a 14-0 with 4:31 left in the first quarter.
Another touchdown run by Goodson put Iowa ahead 21-0 in the second, but the Hawkeye defense and special teams stepped to the plate. Punt returner Charlie Jones took a kick 54 yards to the end zone. Minutes later, cornerback Riley Moss picked off Spartan quarterback Rocky Lombardi, returning the interception 54 yards for the score.
It was a shaky outing for Michigan State’s junior quarterback. Lombardi completed 17 of his 37 throws for 227 yards and three interceptions, just one game removed from a 323-yard, three-touchdown performance against No. 23 Michigan.
Iowa’s 49 points were the most it scored against Michigan State (1-2, 1-2) in 46 meetings. Saturday marked the largest margin of victory for the Hawkeyes since their 41-0 win in 1980.
THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan State: What could go wrong did go wrong for the Spartans on Saturday. Dropped passes, poor blocking, turnovers, and special teams gaffes piled up quickly. The Spartans converted seven of their 20 third-down attempts and turned the ball over three times.
Iowa: Iowa’s 49 points seemed like an emphatic release after two inconsistent games to start the year. The win gives the Hawkeyes much-needed momentum after staring at their first 0-2 record since 2000. The Hawkeyes utilized a balanced offensive (41 runs, 29 passes) to keep the Spartan defense honest.
UP NEXT
Michigan State: The Spartans host No. 13 Indiana next Saturday.
Iowa: The Hawkeyes travel to Minneapolis to face Minnesota next Friday.
