Clayton Thorson completed 21 of 36 passes for 193 yards and ran for the winning score in overtime as Northwestern narrowly escaped Iowa 17-10 Saturday in Evanston, Ill.

Northwestern (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) won its second consecutive conference game.

Justin Jackson rushed 25 times for 93 yards in his first game since breaking the school career record for rushing yards and all-purpose yards in a 37-21 victory at Maryland last Saturday. Jeremy Larkin added seven carries for 32 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown carry with 7:19 remaining in the third quarter.

Iowa (4-3, 1-4) matched the Wildcats' productivity on the ground as Akrum Wadley rushed 26 times for 90 yards, but the Hawkeyes sputtered when it mattered. The Hawkeyes were 1 for 3 in the red zone, with their lone score coming on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Stanley to tight end Noah Fant.

Stanley completed 19 of 33 passes for 223 yards, with one touchdown and an interception, but he failed to deliver in overtime, when Fant dropped a pass on fourth-and-3 to end the game. Fant finished with three catches for 31 yards.

The Hawkeyes forced overtime on a season-long field goal of 48 yards by Miguel Recinos with 1:30 remaining in regulation. Recinos' previous season-long field goal was 44 yards. His game-tying kick came after Iowa lined up to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the 26 but was penalized for a false start.

Macan Wilson was Thorson's top target with five catches for 47 yards. Jackson added five catches for 38 yards in addition to his performance on the ground.

Iowa star linebacker Josey Jewell did not play because of a shoulder injury suffered two weeks ago before the team's bye week. He has 68 tackles, including 9.5 for loss. The Hawkeyes were also without safety Brandon Snyder because of a knee injury.