Controversial call helps Minnesota win against Iowa

IOWA CITY — Dragan Kesich made four field goals and Minnesota won at Iowa for the first time since 1999 to end an eight-game losing streak in the series, holding the No. 24 Hawkeyes to 12 yards in the second half in a 12-10. victory on Saturday.

With Rosedale’s bronze Floyd pig statue on the line in the cross-border rivalry, Iowa appeared to take the lead with 1:21 left when Cooper DeJean fielded a punt that had bounced near the sideline of Minnesota and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown. But after replay review, it was ruled that DeJean made a fair catch signal before fielding the punt, disallowing the return.

“(The official) thought it was a fair catch signal,” Minnesota coach PJ Fleck said. “I’m not a civil servant, am I?” But there was something. We’ve been called for this before, when we made a move before the catch, and the ball was dead right there. If that wasn’t the case, that was one hell of a play on this kid’s part. This guy can play.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said he thought the test was whether DeJean went out of bounds.

“Obviously he didn’t,” Ferentz said. “I appreciate the rebroadcast on this. That’s great, they’re doing their homework, make sure they’re right about that. But then, somehow, we moved from there to a whole other set of topics. It’s really difficult to accept the explanation we received.

DeJean said he thought the same thing.

“I had no idea,” he said. “I thought it was because I was close to the touchline.”

DeJean said he thought he didn’t make the good grip signal, saying he held out his left hand to balance himself.

“I didn’t think I figured that out for a good catch signal, I don’t think anyone on the field thought that,” DeJean said. “It’s hard to lose like that, yeah.”

Iowa still had the ball, but Justin Walley intercepted Deacon Hill’s pass with a minute left.

Trailing 10-3 at halftime, the Gophers (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) held Iowa (6-2, 3-2) to minus-2 yards in the third quarter.

“We knew we had to play the long game today,” Fleck said. “You have to play the long game with them.”

Fleck remembers a conversation he had last summer with Illinois coach Bret Bielema when they talked about how to play Iowa.

“He says, ‘There’s a strategic way to beat Iowa.’ And you have to commit to it,” Fleck said. “As tempting as it is, as frustrating as it can be sometimes, you have to stick with it.”

The Hawkeyes, ranked 130th in the nation in total offense, racked up 127 total yards while Hill, making the third start of his career, fumbled twice in Iowa territory while completing just 10 of 28 passes for 116 yards.

Iowa, which had its three-game winning streak snapped, was held to 11 rushing yards after averaging 147 in wins over Michigan State, Purdue and Wisconsin.

Kesich made a 43-yard field goal in the first quarter, then scored from 44 and 28 yards in the third quarter. His 31-yarder with 8:33 left gave the Gophers their first lead.

“We faced a ton of adversity today,” Fleck said. “We had every opportunity to go to bed. But we just wouldn’t do it. Our team, our players would not do it.

Minnesota: The Gophers, after a week off, found enough points against the Hawkeyes, wearing them down in the second half while taking advantage of Iowa’s offensive ineptitude. Minnesota quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis was 10 of 25 for 126 yards, but did not turn the ball over.

Iowa: The Hawkeyes’ offensive woes showed no signs of improving, and a defense that wore down in the second half failed to find a way to stop the Gophers. Iowa enters a bye week leading the Big Ten West, but with plenty of questions heading into the final month of the season. “Obviously there are a lot of things we can do better,” Ferentz said.

Minnesota: Hosts Michigan State on Saturday.

Iowa: at Northwestern on November 4.