IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Iowa hasnt looked like a Big Ten title contender in weeks.Yet with the season halfway over, thats exactly what the Hawkeyes are.Iowa (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) slogged its way through the first half of 2016, racking up ugly victories with a pair of defeats that were even uglier. But the Hawkeyes have already won twice on the road in league play, and West division favorites Wisconsin and Nebraska still have to play in Iowa City.Iowa will look to extend the nations third-longest road winning streak to nine games with a visit to Purdue (3-2, 1-1) this weekend.When things are tough in low-scoring games, were just going to put our head down and keep working and not really focus on the score, linebacker Ben Niemann said. If its 3-0 or 45-40, if you come out with the win thats the main thing that matters.The most perplexing part of Iowas slow start was the languid play of its offensive line. A few tweaks ahead of last weeks 14-7 win at Minnesota seemed to fix things.The Hawkeyes moved three of its starters into different spots, and guard/tackle Ike Boettger said the shakeup helped boost the lines confidence.Quarterback C.J. Beathard, sacked six times in a 38-31 loss to Northwestern, was taken down just once last week. The running game, which had disappeared at points this season, produced the game-winning score -- a 54-yard touchdown run by Akrum Wadley. That play was reminiscent of 2015, when Iowa often broke the backs of worn-out defenses with long runs in the second half.Guys believed that we could do it. Things arent always going to go the way we want them too, but just keep pushing and eventually good things will happen, Boettger said.Iowas defense, helped in part by the offenses ability to control time of possession, played one of its best games of the season. The Hawkeyes, who were repeatedly gashed in a 38-31 loss to Northwestern on Oct. 1, held Minnesota to just 102 yards rushing, picked off quarterback Mitch Leidner twice and forced nine punts.But to say that Iowa is set up for a run would be a stretch.The Hawkeyes have struggled with their passing game since star wide receiver Matt VandeBerg went down for the season with a foot injury. Last week, Beathard threw for just 142 yards with two interceptions in 31 attempts.If were going to be a good football team, all of those guys better be better in November or were going to be out of luck, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said of his receivers and tight ends.Iowas run defense, while much better last week, is just eighth in the Big Ten at 169.3 yards allowed per game.Still, Iowa has proven to be resilient, a trait shared by Ferentzs best teams. And if the Hawkeyes can find some life in the passing game and continue to improve in stopping the run, their goal of getting back to the league title game remains in play.Its a week to week thing, and really what I think is important is ... to keep our focus on trying to grow, Ferentz said. You have to navigate through the bumps.---Online: www.collegefootball.ap.orgMatt Szczur Diamondbacks Jersey .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. Luis Gonzalez Jersey . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. http://www.diamondbackssale.com/diamondbacks-matt-szczur-jersey/ . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. 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Quick stopped 27 shots in his return from a 24-game injury absence, Jeff Carter scored the tiebreaking goal with 7:55 to play, and the Kings snapped their five-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.DETROIT -- Kerry Hyder looked up what a fine for roughing the passer might cost him in the NFL and saw that the penalty, $18,231, was more than any paycheck hed ever earned in his life.Then came the call from his agent.The NFL was fining Hyder for his hit on Cincinnati Bengals quarterback AJ McCarron on Aug. 18. The fine turned out to be for the exact amount that he had looked up -- and more than three times the $6,000 he would make the entire preseason.You know, I was a little hurt, Hyder told ESPN on Thursday night. Its definitely a bigger number than Ive ever made myself, so I hope we can figure something out with that, because as you know I havent made an active roster or anything.So its tough for me.Hyder, 25, said he is letting his agent handle the appeal process. The collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players association allows for fines to be reduced or appealed based on potential earnings this season.Hyder did all he could to try to make the team Thursday against the Bills, starting at defensive end and picking up three sacks in a 31-0 win. Hes somewhat of a long shot to make Detroits roster at a deep position, but his performance in the last preseason game could help him out. Last year, he had tthree fumble recoveries in the preseason finale against Buffalo and was cut.ddddddddddddHyder was on the New York Jets practice squad in 2014 and the Lions practice squad in 2015 before being called up for the final game of last season with the Lions. Hyders one-game check from last season, after taxes, would have approached the number he was fined for the roughing penalty.On appeal, a player may assert, among other defenses, that any fine should be reduced because it is excessive when compared to the players expected earnings for the season in question, the CBA states. However, a fine may be reduced on this basis only if it exceeds 25 percent of one week of a players salary for a first offense, and 50 percent of one week of a players salary for a second offense.Hyder was looking at it another way Thursday night. If he ends up having to pay the full fine, it might be for a very good reason.That means I made the 53-man roster, you know, Hyder said. Maybe its a blessing in disguise, so Im just trying not to worry about it, and Ill see what happens.Ill go through the whole process and see what happens. ' ' '