MOSS BLUFF — After watching Westlake make several big plays in the first half, Iowa settled down and used its defense and ground game to win 29-22.

Iowa pounded Westlake for 242 rushing yards with Jonathan Walker Jr. leading the way. He had 94 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. J’Vien Adams added 82 yards on 10 carries. Jeremiah Bushnell scored twice and had 139 total rushing and receiving yards. Quarterback Reed Dupre completed 3 of 6 passes for 101 yards.

Down 22-14 at the break, Iowa started the second half with a 35-yard reception by Bushnell and Walker tied the game at 22-22 with a 28-yard run and the two-point conversion.

The Yellow Jackets put together their second consecutive 60-yard drive to take the lead with 5:49 remaining in the game on a four-yard run by Cohen Charles.

Iowa held Westlake to minus-4 yards in the second half after giving up 75 in the first half and Bryceson Fontenot sacked Westlake quarterback Brody Anderson to end the Rams’ final drive.

Westlake senior Kevin Rideau ruled the first half. The Nicholls State commitment scored on a 48-yard reception from Brody Anderson three minutes into the game. Five minutes later on third down, he took a short pass and broke half a dozen tackles to the end zone from 10 yards out to put the Rams up 14-7.

With less than a third seconds left in the first half, Iowa was in the red zone with a chance for the lead, but Rideau picked off a pass and returned it 85 yards for a 22-7 lead.