IOWA CITY --- Junior linebacker Troy Johnson had by far the busiest and best game of his college career Saturday but he did not show for the postgame interviews.

Fellow linebacker A.J. Edds said he had good reason.

"You should see his face. It's like a pumpkin,'' Edds said. "His helmet came off once, and there was blood everywhere."

Edds said Johnson "kind of grew up today." He was forced into action at the relatively unfamiliar position of weakside linebacker when the top two players at that position - Jeremiha Hunter and Jeff Tarpinian - were ruled to be physically unfit to play during pregame warmups. Johnson stepped in, finished second on the team in tackles and made several big plays.

"I'm so proud of Troy," middle linebacker Pat Angerer said. "He's my roommate. He hadn't played the Will in about two years and he just stepped in there and played great."

BRUCE PRODUCES: Johnson wasn't the only backup linebacker who had to rise to the occasion Saturday. When Angerer missed a couple of series with a sprained ankle in the second quarter, little-used sophomore Bruce Davis found himself in the center of the Iowa defense.

He fell on a loose fumble on his third play. And on the opening play of the next series, he smashed running back Kevin Whaley to the turf for no gain.

EMOTIONAL DAY: Angerer admitted to being a bit teary-eyed as he walked out to greet his parents, Cliff and Mary Angerer of Bettendorf, as Iowa's graduating seniors were introduced before the game.

"I had my mouthpiece in and I was biting down on it as hard as I could trying not to cut loose," he said.

11-YEAR LOW: Coming into Saturday, the Hawkeyes averaged 38.5 points against Minnesota in the past eight meetings, producing a 7-1 record.

The 12 points scored were the lowest offensive output against the Gophers since a 49-7 loss on Nov. 21, 1998 - the year before Kirk Ferentz's debut.

SPECIAL TREATMENT: While many other seniors were presented with a pregame flower from their families, Tony Moeaki got a whole necklace of them from his parents; a lei, to signify his Tongan heritage.

The Wheaton, Ill., tight end was emotional after the game when asked about seeing his parents, admitting he didn't get to see them as much as he wanted during his college career.

HOT START CUT SHORT: Adam Robinson shot out of the gate with seven carries for 51 yards on the opening drive, setting up an Iowa field goal.

But in the second quarter he reinjured the ankle that sidelined him for the Indiana and Northwestern games. While he was seen walking the sidelines in the second half, he did not return. Coach Kirk Ferentz said he should be fine for the bowl game.

Robinson finished with 72 yards in 12 carries. He had 70 or more yards in every Big Ten game in which he played this season and pushed his season total (and Iowa freshman record) to 775.

TRADING PLACES: The Hawkeyes' Christian Ballard has played almost strictly at defensive tackle this season after starting at defensive end last fall.

One Saturday, he spent the day shuffling back and forth between the two spots with Mike Daniels filling in for him at tackle when he filled in for Broderick Binns at end.

"Daniels has been playing really well and Brod's a little beat up,"Ballard said. "We were just trying to get a little more of a rotation going out there."