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Iowa's defense has been good this season - expect for when the Hawkeyes need it the most.
No. 21 Iowa ranks seventh in the nation with just 15 points allowed per game and is 16th in total defense at just 307 yards. But the Hawkeyes have given up long touchdown drives in the fourth quarter in all three of their losses. That's why Saturday's home finale against No. 8 Ohio State (9-1, 5-1) will be played more for pride than a shot at the Big Ten crown.
Iowa (7-3, 4-2) saw its league title hopes dashed after it gave up 14 fourth-quarter points and lost at Northwestern 21-17 on Saturday.
The Hawkeyes supposedly vaunted defense has allowed 62 points in the fourth quarter this season, which is more than the Hawkeyes have allowed in the second and third quarters combined.
''We just aren't executing our assignments,'' Iowa defensive lineman Karl Klug said. ''That's kind of uncharacteristic of an Iowa defense. That's not what we're looking for.''
Iowa's perplexing defensive issues began at No. 23 Arizona in September. After spotting the host Wildcats a 27-7 lead, the Hawkeyes made a furious comeback to tie the game at 27 in the fourth quarter. But behind quarterback Nick Foles, Arizona marched 72 yards and scored the game's final TD with just 3:57 left.
That one could have been dismissed because of the brutal desert heat - if hadn't kept happening.
Iowa took a 30-24 lead in the fourth quarter at home against fellow Big Ten contender Wisconsin and had the Badgers pinned deep in their own territory. But Wisconsin pulled out a brilliant fake punt to keep the drive alive, then converted another fourth down en route to a game-winning TD with just 1:06 to go.
A blowout of then-unbeaten Michigan State had seemingly put the Hawkeyes back on track. But they only survived what would have been a crushing upset at Indiana when an open Damarlo Belcher dropped the ball in the end zone with 28 seconds left.
Last week, Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa sliced apart Iowa's defense in the fourth quarter.
Persa led Northwestern on touchdown drives of 86 and 91 yards to vault into all-league consideration and send the Hawkeyes out of Evanston as losers once again.
The Wildcats used 11 plays on their game-winning drive, which was capped by a 20-yard touchdown pass from Persa to Demetrius Fields with just 1:22 left.
Iowa has allowed opponents to convert just over 36 percent of their third downs, but big stops have been tough to come by in critical moments late in games.
''There's been a lot of times where we've had them third-and-medium, third and five, six, and we haven't been able to get off the field,'' Iowa safety Tyler Sash said.
There have been a ton of theories thrown out there to explain Iowa's sudden inability to close out opposing offenses, like defensive coordinator Norm Parker's health issues and the injury woes at linebacker.
Perhaps the Hawkeyes have also missed their three previous starters more than anyone could have imagined.
Linebackers A.J. Edds and Pat Angerer, drafted by Miami and Indianapolis respectively, were two of the best in the Big Ten and excelled in pass coverage as well. Their absence has been exacerbated by injuries to Jeff Tarpinian and Bruce Davis that left true freshman James Morris as the starting middle linebacker.
Morris has really come on of late and seems primed for a strong career, but he's still a true freshman.
''I couldn't be more pleased, and all of us feel that way. But he's a young player who's learning on the fly. That's just how it goes sometimes,'' Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said about Morris.
Iowa replaced cornerback Amari Spievey, a third-round pick by Detroit in April, with sophomore Micah Hyde. Though Hyde's had his moments both good and bad, the Hawkeyes have given up 220 yards passing per game this season after allowing just 152.9 yards per outing in 2009.
Iowa's offense hasn't helped as of late, scoring just 35 points in the past two games. But had their defense been able to get key stops against Arizona, Wisconsin or Northwestern, the Hawkeyes might still be playing for the lofty goals that seemed so attainable before the season.
''We take pride in having a good defense, and we haven't shown that in those (three) games where we've given up those last drives. It's something we need to fix,'' Klug said.
