By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The team with a lame duck offensive coordinator, and an offense that has been the source of ridicule and jokes this season is now incredibly the 2023 Big Ten West Division champion.

The Iowa Hawkeyes earned that distinction by edging Illinois 15-13 on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa only gained 281 yards and was just 6-for-16 on third-down plays.

But as so often has been the case this season, the resilient Hawkeyes still found a way to win, improving to 9-2 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten with one game left to play in the regular season at Nebraska next Friday.

Iowa will then face either Michigan or Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game on Dec. 2 at Lucas Oli Stadium in Indianapolis.

“I’m really proud of these guys,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said on the FS1 post-game interview on the field, his voice cracking with emotion. “What a crazy year. They just stick together and they really care about each other.

“That’s all you can do in sports. That’s all you do in life. So, the people that count, everybody is on board . They fought through things and I’m just so happy to see them get rewarded this way.”

Kirk Ferentz was given the game ball by defensive coordinator Phil Parker in what Hawkeye receiver Kaleb Brown said was a very emotional post-game celebration in the locker room.

Junior walk-on Kaden Wetjen had the daunting task of replacing the injured Cooper DeJean as Iowa’s punt returner on Saturday, and it was Wetjen’s 17-yard punt return in the fourth quarter in which he eluded multiple defenders that helped to set up Iowa’s game-winning touchdown.

Sixth-year senior defensive end Joe Evans, who also came to Iowa as a walk-on, and who chose to use his free Covid year this season, secured the win by batting down a pass on fourth down in the closing seconds.

Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill then took a knee, and the celebration was on.

“We’ve battled so much adversity and I’m just so proud of every single person in that locker room, players, coaches, every single person,” Evans said. “That’s why it just means more.”

Evans also gave an emotional pre-game speech in which he told his teammates how much they had to play for and that they should be the hungriest team out there.

“I’m so glad I came back for my sixth year,” Evans said.

This Iowa team certainly has its share of flaws on offense, but the goal is always to win games and Iowa has met that challenge nine out of 11 times this season.

This team has overcome multiple injuries to key players, especially on offense, and the firing of offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz with four games left in the regular season to reach this high point.

Iowa also overcame a 13-9 deficit in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, and it started with Wetjen’s gutsy punt return that gave Iowa a first down at its own Iowa 46 with just under seven minutes left to play.

Illinois was then called for defensive holding, giving Iowa a first down at the Illinois 30.

Sophomore running back Kaleb Johnson, who hadn’t played much in Saturday’s game until the fourth quarter, bolted through a huge opening in the middle of the line of scrimmage, cut to his right and then raced 30 yards for a touchdown, giving Iowa a 15-13 lead with 4:43 remaining.

However, Drew Stevens’ point-after kick was blocked, giving Illinois a chance to regain the lead with a field goal.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema, a former Iowa defensive lineman, chose to go for it on 4^th-and-2 from the Illinois 33, but the decision backfired when Evans deflected the pass at the line of scrimmage.

Wetjen had played a minor role until Saturday’s game, but he rose to the occasion when he was needed.

“That’s a good moment for him, too, talking about guys that maybe haven’t done a lot,” Kirk Ferentz said in his post-game press conference. “That’s the fun part about this, too, because you never know who’s going to do what.

“So, it makes it interesting, and it makes it fun.”

Kirk Ferentz, who is 68 years old, and in his 25^th season as the Iowa head coach, might be having his best coaching performance as the head Hawk, given the unusual circumstances.

Kirk Ferentz has now led Iowa to three division titles, including two West Division titles in the last three years.

He obviously didn’t like the decision to fire his son, which will go into effect after the season, but he kept it from becoming a distraction, and that is a testimony to his leadership and resiliency.

The players and coaches have just kept embracing the grind and now they’re the best in the West and nobody can take that away from them.

Emotions were running high in the moments before Saturday’s game as Iowa’s 20 seniors were honored on Senior Day.

Senior defensive tackle Noah Shannon, who was suspended for the entire season for gambling on sports, was among those honored. He received a loud ovation as he jogged on to the field to meet his parents.

Shannon was also the honorary captain for Saturday’s game, and he gave an emotional speech to his teammates on Friday in which he told them to cherish the moment.

Iowa trailed 10-9 at halftime despite more than doubling Illinois in time of possession, despite having more yards, despite averaging more yards per play and despite running six more offensive plays.

The problem is that Iowa only had 43 yards in the second quarter, while Illinois had 99.

The offense continued to struggle in the second half, but when the game was on the line late in the fourth quarter, Brian Ferentz’s offense came through at crunch time.

Saturday’s victory was Kirk Ferentz’s 195th as a Big Ten head coach and he moved past former legendary Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler to third place among Big Ten head coaches.

Kirk Ferentz as a proud father shared an emotional embrace with Brian Ferentz after the game.

Saturday’s game was Brian Ferentz’s last at Kinnick Stadium as his firing will take place after the season.

“We had Senior Day today, and then also his last day here, so, there was some sentimental value to that certainly,” Kirk Ferentz said. “I’m just glad it tuned out the way it did. I’m just really proud of him. I think it’s just admirable the way he’s handled a really tough situation.

“I’m not quite sure I know how’s he done it. But I really am proud of him as a dad. And I can’t say enough about that. But I do try to keep things separate. And I’m really proud of him as a head coach, too.”

Illinois 3 7 0 3 – 13

Iowa 2 7 0 6 – 15

I – safety, John Paddock tackled in end zone

IL – Caleb Griffin 52 FG

I – Addison Ostrenga 4 pass from Deacon Hill (Drew Stevens kick)

IL – Reggie Love 1 run (Griffin kick)

IL – Griffin 29 FG

I – Kaleb Johnson 30 run (kick blocked)