No. 5 Iowa’s formula of relying heavily on opponent turnovers and miscues may eventually backfire, but it worked to perfection yet again on Friday night in a dominant 51-14 victory over Maryland. The Terrapins led 7-3 after the first quarter, but a cascade of turnovers in the second quarter allowed the Hawkeyes to open up a 34-7 halftime lead. They never looked back as they forced seven turnovers — six interceptions and one fumble, leading to 24 points — to assume the national lead in turnovers forced (16) and turnover margin (+3.25) entering Saturday’s full slate of action.
Additionally, Iowa entered Week 5 tied for second nationally in points off turnovers with 51, and it is now the runaway leader with 75. To put that into context, Notre Dame would need to force 24 points off turnovers against Cincinnati on Saturday to reclaim the national lead in that category.
Iowa moves to 5-0 and its defense further cements itself as one of college football’s premier units. Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa entered Friday with 10 touchdowns to just one interception, but his five picks doomed his team’s chances of improving to 5-0 for the first time since 2001. And, now, Tagovailoa has thrown more interceptions than any player in the country.
Though the defense stole the show again, the Hawkeyes enjoyed success with a balanced offensive attack that saw quarterback Spencer Petras throw for three touchdowns and run for two more. No one is going to mistake Iowa’s offense for a high-powered group, but it showed Friday that it can effectively play a complementary role to an elite defense. And, if nothing else, the seven turnovers are a resounding reminder that defense still matters in college football.
At 4-1, the Terrapins have some regrouping to do before a trip to No. 11 Ohio State next week. Maryland’s leading receiver Dontay Demus Jr. was carted off the field in the first half after his leg twisted awkwardly as he was tackled on a kick return. He entered as the Big Ten’s second-leading receiver, and the Terrapins will need to recalibrate without him if he’s forced to miss extended time.
Iowa, meanwhile, will head into a home showdown with No. 4 Penn State in Week 6 riding the momentum of its best all-around performance so far in 2021. If Penn State takes care of Indiana on Saturday, it would potentially set up the first top-five showdown between the Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions.