Unranked Purdue Upsets No. 2 Iowa Behind David Bell's 240 Receiving Yards

One week after their emotional win over Penn State, the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 24-7 loss to Purdue at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday. 

There were certainly a number of questions for the Hawkeyes to answer coming out of last week. Penn State led the game 17-3 before quarterback Sean Clifford got hurt early in the second quarter. 

It's a credit to Iowa that it was able to outscore its Big Ten rival 20-3 after Clifford left to seal a win. The victory moved the Hawkeyes up to No. 2 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, their highest ranking since 1985. 

Based on Saturday's result, there are still a lot of questions head coach Kirk Ferentz has to figure out with this team.

Boilermakers quarterback Aidan O'Connell and wide receiver David Bell lit up Iowa's secondary. 

O'Connell threw for a season-high 375 yards and two touchdowns. The senior came into this game with more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four) in the first four games of the season. 

Bell continues to be Purdue's best offensive weapon, especially in games against Iowa. The Indianapolis native had 240 receiving yards on 11 receptions, his fourth 100-yard game of the season. He's torched the Hawkeyes secondary for three years running. 

Bell's 21-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter sealed Iowa's fate. 

Iowa's strength through the first six games of the season had been on defense. That unit ranked third in the nation in yards allowed per play (4.02), seventh in yards allowed per game (274.0) and tied for seventh in touchdowns allowed (nine). 

Purdue burned that group for 464 yards, 24 first downs (9-of-16 on third downs) and 8.8 yards per pass attempt. 

Bell had almost as many receiving receiving as Iowa did in total offense (271). Hawkeyes quarterback Spencer Petras had his worst game of the season with 195 yards and four interceptions. He only had two interceptions through the first six weeks.

Consistency has been an issue for the Boilermakers so far this season. They had lost two of their past three games, including a 20-13 home defeat to Minnesota last week. Sandwiched between those losses was a narrow 13-9 victory over an Illinois team that is just 2-5 this season. 

Saturday's win could be a huge momentum shift for head coach Jeff Brohm. The schedule eases up with games against Wisconsin and Nebraska before things pick up on Nov. 6 against Michigan State and Nov. 13 at Ohio State. 

Iowa was supposed to be out of its most difficult stretch of the season. Penn State was the last ranked opponent remaining on its schedule, based on the current AP Top 25 poll. 

Heading into next week's game at Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes suddenly look very vulnerable in the race for the top spot in the Big Ten West.