Iowa Football: 3 takeaways from slim win against Purdue in Week 8

2. The Iowa defense was hot and cold against the Boilermakers

Entering their Saturday showdown against Purdue in Week 8, the Hawkeyes had one of the best pass defenses in the country. Through their first six games, Iowa gave up an average of only 160 yards per game through the air as they ranked in the top 15 in pass efficiency defense.

With Jack Plummer continuing to start for the Boilermakers while first-string quarterback Elijah Sindelar continues to recover from a broken clavicle, Iowa had a great chance to continue their streak of shutdown performances against opposing aerial attacks. Instead, they allowed Plummer to put up a solid performance that kept Purdue in the game at Kinnick Stadium.

The quarterback finished 30-of-50 for 327 yards and two touchdowns through the air. He was sacked a couple times, and he threw an interception along the way, but it was otherwise a solid performance that exposed some vulnerabilities in the Iowa secondary.

Where Iowa excelled on defense was against the run. Boilermakers running back King Doerue struggled all day to find running room, finishing with only 26 rushing yards on 10 carries. Forcing Purdue to play one-dimensional offense, the Hawkeyes shut down the threat of an upset. Kirk Ferentz’s team proved just how much they rely on their defense to get the job done and keep them in games.