You could not write a more Iowa-like script to start this game. Two dropped passes for Iowa (including one that would have been a 30 yard gain). A blocked punt. Back to back three-and-outs for Iowa and Northern Illinois. A missed chip shot field goal from NIU.
All within in the first two and a half minutes.
Luckily, this is Iowa football, we’ve seen shaky starts before, and this was truly a game of two halves in a 33-7 win for the Hawkeyes — the 144th of Kirk Ferentz’s career, making him the winningest coach in Iowa history.