Iowa explodes past Boilermakers

Billy Dicken finds a streaking Brian Alford for a 30-yard touchdown.
743k avi

Backup Rob Thein had a pair of touchdown catches and ran for a score as number 16 Iowa ran off 28 unanswered points in a span that briged the halves en route to a 35-17 victory that knocked 18th-ranked Purdue from the Big Ten Conference unbeatens.

The loss by Purdue (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) makes next weekend's battle between Michigan and Penn State the key matchup in determining the Big Ten's representative in the Rose Bowl.

Tavian Banks carried 24 times for 126 yards and a touchdown for Iowa (6-2, 3-2), which has won two straight games after its only two losses of the season.

Besides the tanden of Banks and Thein, who had 54 yards on 11 carries and caught three passes for 61 more yards, it was the Hawkeyes defense that made a halftime adjustment and took over the game, grinding Purdue's vaunted attack to a halt.

The Boilermakers offense entered the game with just four scoreless quarters in their first seven games of the season, but were limited to 52 yards and no points in the second half by Iowa. Defensive linemen Jared DeVries and Jon LaFleur each had a sack in the second half as Iowa decided to go after Purdue quarterback Billy Dicken instead of beefing up covereage in the secondary.

Dicken, who ran for a score, was 14-of-35 for 269 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions -- both by free safety Eric Thigpen.

Randy Reiners, making his second straight start for the injured Matt Sherman, was 11-of-20 for 169 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions as Iowa won despite turning the ball over four times and missing a pair of short field goals.