Big Ten Roundup : Iowa Interception Stops Spartans, 24-21

Iowa Coach Hayden Fry was a little ecstatic after his 11th-ranked Hawkeyes held off 17th-ranked Michigan State, 24-21, Saturday at East Lansing, Mich.

“I want you to know that you are probably blessed, because the Good Lord just reached down and touched me and maybe some of it rubbed off on you,” Fry told his players after they improved to 4-0 in the Big Ten opener for both schools. “This was the greatest team victory I have ever been associated with . . . it was just incredible.”

Ken Sims’ end zone interception of a pass by Dave Yarema with 1:25 remaining preserved the victory.

Michigan State (2-2) pulled to within 24-21 with 4:15 left when Yarema passed eight yards to flanker Mark Ingram. It was Ingram’s third touchdown of the game.

After a quick kick by the Hawkeyes, the Spartans drove to the Hawkeyes’ three-yard line. On a first down, Yarema rolled right and threw the ball directly into Sims’ hands.

“I prayed that they would throw the ball,” Fry said.

Yarema, who completed 23 of 36 passes for 271 yards and 3 touchdowns, said: “I probably would have thrown it again. I thought it was a touchdown.”

Iowa had taken a 24-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter on a 42-yard field goal by Rob Houghtlin.

“That was a tough loss for these kids,” Michigan State Coach George Perles said. “They put on a valiant charge at the end, coming up 3 1/2 yards short.”

Quarterback Tom Poholsky, making his first start at Iowa, completed 18 of 29 passes for 240 yards and 2 touchdowns in place of Mark Vlasic, who has a shoulder injury.

Michigan State tailback Lorenzo White sprained his left knee in the fourth quarter. He finished with 41 yards in 19 carries.

After a 14-14 halftime tie, Iowa scored on its first possession of the second half as Poholsky passed to Jim Mauro for a 50-yard touchdown.

Ohio State 14, Illinois 0--The Buckeyes limited the Illini to 32 net yards rushing in 27 attempts and forced 5 turnovers at Columbus, Ohio, in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Since a 40-7 loss to Washington three weeks ago, Ohio State has allowed 16 points and 1 touchdown.

“I can’t tell you why the defense is getting better,” said outside linebacker Eric Kumerow, who batted down 1 pass, had 2 sacks for 28 yards in losses and was in on 5 other tackles. “Washington was just one of those games. We were embarrassed enough to never let that happen again.”

Ohio State linebacker Chris Spielman was in on 12 tackles and also returned an interception 24 yards.

Quarterback Jim Karsatos ran 10 yards for a touchdown, and tailback Vince Workman passed 10 yards off an option play to Nate Harris for another score. That was all the offense Ohio State (3-2) needed. Illinois is 1-3.

Minnesota 36, Purdue 9--Quarterback Rickey Foggie ran for three touchdowns and passed for a fourth as the Gophers beat the Boilermakers at West Lafayette, Ind., in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Foggie twice went off right tackle for short touchdown runs, then later ran off left tackle for a third, and connected with split end Mel Anderson on a 23-yard pass play for another score.

Purdue’s passing game faltered with the departure of quarterback Jeff George, who suffered a mild concussion when he was sacked by Bruce Holmes on Purdue’s first possession.

The Boilermakers (1-3) and substitute quarterback Doug Downing were held scoreless until George returned in the second half.

Minnesota (2-2) scored on six consecutive possessions, beginning with Chip Lohmiller’s 46-yard field goal in a 20 m.p.h. crosswind in the second quarter.

Indiana 24, Northwestern 7--Led by tailback Damon Sweazy and quarterback Brin Dewitz, the Hoosiers scored on long drives on their first two possessions and went on to beat Northwestern in a Big Ten opener at Evanston, Ill.

Sweazy carried 23 times for 136 yards and was yanked from the game early in the second half. He was the key in the opening drive, capped by the first of two one-yard touchdown sneaks by Dewitz.

Indiana (4-0) limited Northwestern (2-2) to one first down and 47 yards in the first half and 205 yards for the game, most of which came against Hoosier reserves.