IOWA CITY - There are many reasons why Iowa has lost three straight football games.

The answer probably equals the same number of theories on why the Hawkeyes have lost seven consecutive Big Ten games dating back to last year.

But Iowa's 38-20 loss to Indiana Saturday at Kinnick Stadium can be summarized quite easily.

"We left too many plays out there," said linebacker Mike Humpal.

"We came out flat and gave up turnovers," added running back Albert Young. "They took advantage of it, we put the game out there for them, and you get what you deserve."

Indiana (4-1 overall, 1-1 in the Big Ten) made a handful of plays as it beat Iowa (2-3, 0-2) for the second straight time and the fifth time in their last eight meetings.

It is the first time the Hoosiers have knocked off the Hawkeyes in back-to-back years since 1999-2000.

"It was a tough game for us in a lot of ways," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. "We didn't play extremely well. We didn't play well really in any phase."

Ferentz said the loss looked similar to Iowa's performance against Iowa State two weeks ago.

As the Hawkeyes did in their 15-13 loss to the Cyclones, they got off to a terrible start as Indiana raced out to a 21-0 first-half lead.

"I think we really put ourselves in a tough hole in the first half, made it really difficult," Ferentz said. "We gave up a couple of big plays defensively. Offensively … never really got into a rhythm."

Iowa-killer James Hardy was held to just four catches, but three of those receptions played a significant role in Indiana's success.

Hardy caught a 39-yard touchdown pass from Kellen Lewis with 3:19 to go in the first quarter to put the Hoosiers up 7-0. His next catch was a 48-yard bomb that set up Indian's second score - a 4-yard Lewis to Ray Fisher touchdown with 11:55 to go in the second quarter.

Hardy also had an 18-yard catch on third-and-long in the fourth quarter that helped Indiana milk away more than five minutes off the clock. Eventually, it led to a game-clinching touchdown run by Josiah Sears.

In three games against Iowa, the junior Hardy has 24 catches for 417 yards and five scores.

"I really thought they bounced back after the loss last weekend (to Illinois) and had a really good week of practice," Indiana coach Bill Lynch said. "We came over here determined to play better, and I think we did that in all phases."

Despite getting down by three touchdowns early, Iowa climbed back into the game.

The comeback started with an unusual touchdown to end the first half.

Faced with the possibility of attempting a 50-yard field goal, after his team already had missed two field goal attempts, Ferentz choose to go for broke with five seconds remaining from the Indiana 33.

Quarterback Jake Christensen was hit as he threw and the ball wobbled toward the end zone like a wounded duck. However, four Hoosiers fought over it. As a result, they batted it into the arms of Iowa's Trey Stross for a score.

Hawkeye linebacker Bryon Gattas recovered a fumble early in the third quarter to set up Iowa in good field position.

The Hawkeyes responded with a 10-play, 65-yard drive that resulted in a 10-yard Christensen to Brandon Myers touchdown pass.

But following the Hawkeyes' score, Indiana basically sealed the game with a 12-play, 75-yard drive. Josiah Sears capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.

"We're going to have to play better than that certainly in the future," Ferentz said. "We didn't look like a good football team today.

"We'll look at the tapes, hopefully find a few things that give us a little bit of optimism. There's no easy answers right now."

Indiana also took advantage of a fortuitous bounce.

Leading 14-0, Indiana caught a break when Lewis, trailing a short swing pass to Sears, scooped up a Sears fumble and raced 71 yards to give the Hoosiers a 21-0 lead with 8:34 left in the second quarter.

It went down in the score sheet, according to NCAA guidelines, as a 71-yard pass from Lewis to himself.

The Hawkeyes could have been closer at the half, but they missed two field goals - a 42-yard attempt by Austin Signor and a 25- yard attempt by Daniel Murray.

Signor also missed an extra point in the third quarter.

The Hawkeyes, with a four-game stretch looming in front of them against teams with a combined record of 16-4, aren't ready to push the panic button.

"I don't know about panic," Young said. "We definitely have to have a sense of urgency because there are not a lot of games left.

"We're definitely not waving any white flags."

Iowa begins its brutal stretch at Penn State, which has dropped two straight, next Saturday.

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com