Big Ten Roundup : Given a Second Chance, Iowa Beats Minnesota

Rob Houghtlin, given a second chance at a winning field goal after Minnesota was penalized for too many men on the field, converted from 37 yards with one second to play Saturday night to give Iowa a 30-27 victory at Minneapolis.

Houghtlin had missed a 51-yard attempt on the preceding play.

Iowa quarterback Mark Vlasic, who didn’t start because of a shoulder injury, rallied the Holiday Bowl-bound Hawkeyes from 17-0 halftime and 24-10 third-quarter deficits. His 199-yard passing game featured 11 straight completions down the stretch.

Iowa (8-3 and 5-3) will play the Western Athletic Conference champion, either Brigham Young, Air Force or San Diego State on Dec. 30 at San Diego.

Minnesota, 6-5 and 5-3 and heading for the Liberty Bowl, finished in a third-place tie in the Big Ten with the Hawkeyes.

Minnesota freshman Darrell Thompson, the Big Ten’s leading rusher, gained 104 yards, giving him 1,240 to break Marion Barber’s school single-season rushing record of 1,210 set in 1978.

Michigan St. 23, Wisconsin 13--Bobby Morse rushed for a career-high 170 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Dave Yarema became Michigan State’s all-time passing leader as the Spartans ended their third straight winning season with a 6-5 record. Wisconsin finished 3-9.

Yarema completed 18 of 27 passes for 185 yards, giving him 5,809 yards to surpass Eddie Smith’s career passing mark of 5,706 yards.

Yarema also threw his 43rd touchdown pass at Michigan State, tying him with Smith for first place on the school’s all-time list.

Northwestern 23, Illinois 18--Northwestern’s John Duvic kicked three field goals in the fourth quarter as the Wildcats won at Champaign, Ill.

The victory improved Northwestern’s record to 4-7--the Wildcats’ best finish since 1973, when they were also 4-7. Illinois also finished 4-7.

Purdue 17, Indiana 15--Rod Woodson, playing offense and defense in an emotional farewell to Coach Leon Burtnett, rushed 15 times for 97 yards and caught 3 passes for 67 yards in leading the Boilermakers over the Hoosiers at West Lafayette, Ind.

Woodson, a senior cornerback, also forced a fumble to set up a touchdown in the final game for Burtnett, who announced his resignation two weeks ago.

Freshman Scott Schult preserved the victory for the Boilermakers (3-8) by blocking a field-goal attempt with 53 seconds remaining. Indiana finished 6-5.