IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Walk-on fullback Mark Weisman rushed for 113 yards and three short touchdowns as Iowa held off Northern Iowa 27-16 on Saturday. James Vandenberg added 228 yards passing for the Hawkeyes (2-1), who beat the Panthers, a Football Championship Subdivision program, for the 15th straight time despite losing backs Damon Bullock and Greg Garmon to injuries. Weisman, a sophomore with 8 career yards rushing coming into the game, scored from 1, 1 and 2 yards out to help Iowa avoid its third straight home loss dating to 2011. Sawyer Kollmorgen had 245 yards passing and an interception for Northern Iowa (1-2). The Panthers have lost to Wisconsin and Iowa on the road this season by a combined total of just 16 points.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne says coach Bo Pelini is “doing fine” after leaving Saturday’s game against Arkansas State by ambulance after halftime. Pelini fell ill during the first half, and a member of the Nebraska medical staff was seen checking Pelini’s pulse. He stayed on the sideline the rest of the half and was taken to a hospital after doctors treated him in the locker room. Osborne said after the Huskers’ 42-13 win that initial reports from the hospital indicated Pelini was “doing fine” and that “it looks as though he’s in pretty good shape.” Osborne declined to comment on the nature of Pelini’s symptoms. Osborne said it was serious enough that the medical staff thought Pelini needed to be checked out at the hospital.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — Shakir Bell rushed for a school-record 349 yards and two touchdowns as Indiana State defeated Drake 27-10 Saturday. Bell, who led the nation in rushing last season, broke off a 60-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter to break a 10-10 tie, and added a 48-yard score with 2:56 left in the period for the Sycamores (2-1). Bell held the previous single-game rushing record of 256 yards set last year against Youngstown State. He now has 610 yards rushing in three games this season. Mike Piatkowski completed 31 of 53 passes for 329 yards and a touchdown for Drake (1-2). His 7-yard pass to Nick Rosa in the first quarter gave the Bulldogs a 10-7 lead. Piatkowski needs just 30 more yards to become Drake’s all-time leader in passing.

Northern Iowa (1-1) at Iowa (1-1), 2:42 p.m. (Big Ten Network) – HEAR THE GAME ON KJAN beginning at 12:30 TODAY!

Series Record: Iowa leads 14-1

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Northern Iowa can finish what it started three years ago when it almost stunned the Hawkeyes. Iowa needs to bounce back after two sluggish games and prove it has a chance to be a decent team in 2012.

KEY MATCHUP

Northern Iowa QB Sawyer Kollmorgen vs. Iowa’s secondary. Kollmorgen has been sensational as a freshman with 6 TD passes and no picks. But Iowa is 14th in the nation in passing defense behind a veteran group of defensive backs

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Northern Iowa: RB Carlos Anderson. The speedy senior is a threat from the backfield and in returning punts and kicks. Anderson is obne player who can shift a game in Northern Iowa’s favor with one play.

Iowa: QB James Vandenberg. He’s got no touchdown passes, and his interception with 1:11 sealed a 9-6 loss to Iowa State last week. Iowa needs Vandenberg to start playing like one of the Big Ten’s quarterbacks.

FACTS & FIGURES

Iowa’s only loss to Northern Iowa came in 1898…Panthers coach Mark Farley picked up his 100th win last Saturday when Northern Iowa routed Division II Central State 59-0…The Hawkeyes and Panthers have each allowed just 26 points through two games…Iowa linebacker Anthony Hitchens had 19 tackles last week, the most for a Hawkeye in seven years.

Western Illinois (2-0) at Iowa State (2-0); 7 p.m., (Cyclones TV)

Series Record: First meeting.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Iowa State can get halfway to bowl eligibility with a win over Western Illinois. The Leathernecks will be seeking their first win over an FBS opponent in nine years.

KEY MATCHUP

Iowa State QB Steele Jantz vs. Western Illinois defensive line. Jantz has stayed mostly in the pocket this season, but Saturday could be the day the senior uses his feet to make plays.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Western Illinois: K Pat Smith. He’s 5-for-5 on field goals and drilled a 46-yarder last week. In a game where points could be at a premium for the Leathernecks, a kicker like Smith could keep them close.

Iowa State: RB James White. Iowa State’s leading rusher from 2011 has just 82 yards on the ground so far. This would seem to be an ideal game for White to break out of his early funk.

FACTS & FIGURES

The schools are just 244 miles apart but are meeting for the first time. Iowa State is 36-4-3 against current members of the Missouri Valley…Three Western Illinois coaches are Iowa natives, led by head coach Mark Hendrickson of Pekin High…Iowa State is 12th nationally in pass efficiency defense.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luis Cruz greeted St. Louis reliever Edwin Mujica with a first-pitch, three-run homer in the sixth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers tightened up the NL wild card race with an 8-5 victory over the Cardinals on Friday night. Trevor Rosenthal (0-2) inherited a 4-3 lead from fellow rookie Joe Kelly after five innings and gave up a leadoff single by Andre Ethier, who got the Dodgers back into the game in the third with a two-run homer. Rosenthal hit Hanley Ramirez on a 1-0 count two outs later and manager Mike Matheny made the switch to Mujica — who has given up 17 runs and six homers in 21 1-3 career innings against the Dodgers. Adrian Gonzalez made it 8-4 with a two-run double in the seventh off the glove of a diving Holliday.