PITTSBURGH – Kirk Ferentz is learning to embrace his inner riverboat gambler. And, for the moment, the Iowa coach is on a roll.
Mark Weisman ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns, including a 1-yard plunge with 6:56 left, to lift the Hawkeyes to a 24-20 victory over previously unbeaten Pittsburgh. The senior running back's 20th career score came at the end of a 13-play drive in which Ferentz opted to go for it twice on fourth down rather than attempt a short field goal.
"He has confidence in us," Weisman said. "So it's our job to get it done some way, somehow."
The Hawkeyes (3-1) trailed by 10 at the half but C.J. Beathard, who replaced injured Jake Rudock at the start of the third quarter, hit Damond Powell for a 62-yard gain to start the comeback. Weisman followed with a 10-yard sprint into the end zone. His second TD gave Iowa its first lead.
"It's a resilient team, this team," Weisman said. "The best Iowa teams are."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
