Instant reaction podcast. Hawkeye Nation.com. Andrew Downs here with you on a Saturday that was good for the soul.

Something we needed to see in that second half as Hawkeye fans is the Iowa Hawkeyes

pulled out a 40 to nothing win over Illinois State in the season opener,

a sold out crowd at Kinnick Stadium that was biting its nails and worried a little bit

after the first half where Iowa was just up 6-0.

A field goal in the first quarter, a field goal in the second quarter.

Not a lot to write home about offensively in that first half.

A lot of worry.

I know in my household on my couch, and I'm sure in yours as well.

But the second half came.

Cade McNamara settled in. The offensive line opened some holes and 40 to nothing is the result. Just needed, needed that kind of a second

half from this team. Not just for us as fans, but for themselves. Obviously, Cade McNamara had some rust.

I mean, he hasn't played in a couple of years other than the handful of games last season

in which he was not healthy.

He's never been healthy in a Hawkeye uniform.

It felt like he needed to get out there, remember how to play healthy, remember how to be able to take

hits, how to scramble a little bit. It felt like once he knocked that rust off a little bit,

who knows what was said at halftime. It would be really interesting to see what coaches and

players say after this game for those halftime adjustments or if it was just as simple as

settling in he stopped throwing off his back foot which was a major issue in that first half

started trusting his receivers through that one up to van der Z for his second touchdown he had a heck

of a game uh ended up 21 to 31 250 yards threes, no interceptions for Cade McNamara.

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