Iowa Football: 3 takeaways from last-second win over Nebraska

No. 17 Iowa football won “The Heroes” Trophy on a last-second field goal against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. What’d we learn?

Since it’s inception in 2011, the “heroes game” has been dominated by the Iowa Hawkeyes. Coming into this game, Iowa had won five games in this series. Make it six as they went on the road to defeat the Nebraska Cornhuskers 27-24.

This was a game of streaks.

The Hawkeyes looked as if they were going to run away with this one as they jumped out early and often against the Cornhuskers building a 24-10 lead at halftime.

The Cornhuskers, playing for their bowl lives, did not quit and and scored 14 unanswered points in the second half. After Nebraska’s last touchdown, the Hawkeyes and Huskers traded six punts as both defenses stalemated their offensive counterparts. Nebraska caught a break with an Iowa fumble, but couldn’t take advantage of the turnover and punted late in the fourth quarter.

Iowa senior quarterback Nathan Stanley made two huge passes to Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Sam LaPorta to set up a 48-yard field goal try for Keith Duncan which he nailed down the middle. Nebraska failed at the hook and ladder as time ran out on the Cornhuskers bowl hopes.

Here are three additional takeaways from this afternoon’s game.