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11 "In these close games, turnovers and special teams make the difference. "We got pinned down in the fourth quarter and couldn't let the offense fly when we had all the momentum coming off the third quarter. at killed momentum." Iowa's kick return unit was also a Big Red momentum- killer. Nebraska cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt cut the Hawkeye lead to 17-10 aer returning a deflected interception 38 yards for a touchdown. e cheers from 89,000 fans in Memorial Stadium lasted 13 seconds. at's how long it took Iowa junior Ihmir Smith-Marsette to field the ensuing kickoff at his own 5, reverse field to his le at the 15, and outrun two Cornhuskers for a 95-yard score. It stunned a home crowd that came to life aer the pick 6. "e kick return part hasn't been as prominent this year, but boy, it was a great time for that to surface," Ferentz said. "A great time to respond to a tough play." e Hawkeyes compiled 127 yards on four kick returns. "e kick return killed us," Frost said. "And they have a really good kicker, and he made the kick to win it." Ah yes, the kick to win it. It is the third fourth- quarter game-winner for Duncan, who first did it in 2016 to beat No. 2 Michigan, 14-13. He was 4 for 4 at Iowa State on Sept. 14, and his 39-yarder with 4:51 remaining provided the game's final points. "Keith has proven he is one of the best kickers in the country," said Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley, who completed back-to-back 22-yard passes during the game's final 31-second drive. "He has proven time and again in practice and games that he will perform. We knew we didn't have to score a touchdown, we just had to get into field goal range." Special teams excelled to help Iowa to a special victory in the Hy-Vee Heroes Game. It is the fih straight win in the series for the Hawkeyes, who tied Wisconsin with a 5-1 record against Big Ten West Division competition. Duncan, a finalist for the Lou Groza Award as college football's best kicker, was an obvious hero at Nebraska. But there were several others who made Iowa's special teams special. Together, they led the Hawkeyes to another memorable nine-win season. "All three areas made big plays and contributed to our success," University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said, moments aer Iowa's 27-24 victory at Nebraska on Nov. 29. Winning with complementary football is nothing new for the Hawkeyes, who notched their ninth victory in a season for the eighth time since 2002. Hand a game ball to the offense for its 644-yard performance against Middle Tennessee State and a 465-yard day against Miami (Ohio). Salute the defense for holding Rutgers to 125 yards and Northwestern to 202. In the regular-season finale at Nebraska, Iowa's offense gained 324 yards and the Hawkeye defense limited the Cornhuskers to 3.6 yards per play. But on this rainy, overcast aernoon, with temperature in the 30s, it was Iowa's special teams in the spotlight. A game-winning 48-yard field goal by junior kicker Keith Duncan is an obvious starting point. It was his 15th made field goal in 19 attempts from 40-49 yards. "Keith Duncan, what can I say about the job he has done all season?" Ferentz said. Duncan gave Iowa a 17-3 lead early in the second quarter when he matched a career-long with a 49-yarder. (See November weather conditions in Lincoln, Nebraska). An unsung hero against Nebraska was senior punter Michael Sleep-Dalton, who kicked seven times for an average of 40.6 yards. He had a long of 50 yards and three were downed inside Nebraska's 20-yard line. e timing of his most crucial punts is what sticks out. In the third quarter, Sleep-Dalton punted 46 yards from Iowa's 14 to the Nebraska 40. His only two punts in the fourth quarter were for 50 yards (downed at the Nebraska 9) and 42 yards (downed at the Nebraska 2). "Giving the defense the best opportunity to create a turnover, or putting the ball in the best position for the team, is my job," Sleep-Dalton said. "I'm thankful I could get a couple kicks off with the wind." On the series aer Sleep-Dalton's first punt in the fourth quarter, the Cornhuskers went one yard on three plays; aer the second punt, they went nine yards on three plays. "You see when teams have good special teams, it can change games," Nebraska head coach Scott Frost said.