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    • Five numbers that explain the Hawkeyes’ 20-17 loss at UCLA
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    Five numbers that explain the Hawkeyes’ 20-17 loss at UCLA

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    If Kirk Ferentz had drawn up a worst-case scenario for Friday’s West Coast showdown, it would have looked exactly like what unfolded under the Rose Bowl lights.

    Jay Higgins was injured. Brendan Sullivan was injured. Jackson Stratton actually took meaningful snaps. Most importantly, Iowa’s defense offered little resistance against a UCLA offense that was suddenly up and running after several dormant weeks. All told, it matched Iowa’s demoralizing 20-17 loss, which came in front of legions of Hawkeyes fans hoping for a rare Rose Bowl victory.

    As usual, there were remarkable numbers all over the final score. Here are five figures that told the story of the Hawkeyes’ Friday stumble.

    21…as in Kaleb Johnson set a new single-season program record with his 21st touchdown.

    It happened somewhat unceremoniously, given what unfolded next. But Johnson’s 2-yard score early in the first quarter officially further cemented his name in the Iowa record book.

    Johnson’s 21st TD of the season surpassed Shonn Greene’s 2008 record for most scores in a single season in program history. With at least two games remaining, Johnson believes he can add to that total.

    It was a tough night overall for Johnson, who found little room to run en route to just 49 rushing yards on 18 carries. Johnson would certainly have wanted the win, but this award will grow in appreciation over time.

    17…as in Iowa yielded 17-plus points in a quarter for the second time this season.

    The Hawkeyes’ second quarter was nothing short of disastrous. Sullivan threw an interception and then was stripped while running for a first down. That sparked UCLA’s 17-point second quarter after Iowa built a 10-0 lead, completely changing the game.

    From 2017 to 2023, Iowa’s defense had just one quarter in which it allowed more than 17 points. That was a fourth of 21 points that Michigan allowed to cap a 42-3 loss in the 2021 Big Ten title game. Now it’s happened twice this season.

    Ohio State burned Iowa with a 21-point third quarter to take a commanding lead. But that’s the state of Ohio. Allowing this to happen to UCLA is on another level.

    714…as of Friday, it was the first time in 714 days that Jackson Stratton threw a collegiate pass.

    Considering the circumstances, Stratton actually played quite well. He finished 3-for-6 passing for 28 yards, twice finishing on third down on solid completions to Jacob Gill. Stratton also added a 14-yard run that set up Drew Stevens for a long field goal opportunity that ultimately resulted in a first down on a leverage penalty.

    Stratton’s last official action came on November 25, 2022, when he played for Colorado State. He threw only one pass that day, an incompletion. Overall, Friday marked Stratton’s first significant action since Nov. 5, 2022, when he went 3-for-10 for 72 yards, one touchdown and an interception in a 28-16 loss to San Jose State.

    138…as in Jacob Gill’s 138 receiving yards gave Iowa its first 100-yard pass catcher in more than two calendar years.

    A solid performance that gets lost in the shuffle. Gill delivered the best wide receiver Iowa has seen in a while. His six-catch, 138-yard game made him Iowa’s first 100-yard pass catcher since Sam LaPorta’s 101 receiving yards in Iowa’s 9-6 loss to Illinois on October 8, 2022.

    Gill got the night started with a 32-yard screen and then a 59-yard reception on a Sullivan bomb that had the Iowa vibes going strong. Later, he hauled in two nice grabs from Stratton to set up Kamari Moulton’s tying touchdown.

    It will only be a footnote, though, after Iowa couldn’t finish the job.

    2…as in Brendan Sullivan threw two interceptions in a game for the second time in his collegiate career.

    On Friday, it often seemed like Sullivan was trying to do too much.

    He also seemed skittish in the pocket and paid for it with a few costly interceptions.

    Carson Schwesinger took the first and rumbled 13 yards, setting up a UCLA touchdown that made the score 10-10 early in the second quarter. Schwesinger also got the second, early in the third quarter.

    Combine those interceptions with his fumble, and it was a night Sullivan will want to forget.

    Dargan Southard is a trending sportscaster, covering Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.

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