No. 13 Iowa off to best start since 1995

Published Oct. 4, 2009 9:31 a.m. ET

foxsports

The mystery of the 13th-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes only deepened Saturday.

What is indisputable, though, is that the Hawkeyes are off to their best start in 14 years - no matter how ugly it's often been.

Ricky Stanzi threw for a season-high 296 yards and three touchdowns and Iowa slipped past Arkansas State 24-21 on Saturday to improve to 5-0 for the first time under coach Kirk Ferentz.

But just one week after winning at Penn State to vault back into the Top 25, the Hawkeyes allowed the Red Wolves to hang around, much like they did in a narrow win over Northern Iowa in the opener.