It took four quarters of ugly football and multiple electric plays from Kaden Wetjen for the Iowa Hawkeye’s to put away Michigan State on Senior Day. The Hawkeyes, who trailed 17-7 with less than 12 minutes to play, found a way to rally behind key defensive stops while Mark Gronkowski lead two scoring drives to setup senior Drew Stevens who nailed the game winning kick as time expired. The game tying drive and touchdown throw to Jacob Gill was the kind of leadership at quarterback that Iowa fans have been wishing for since Nate Stanley graduated. Gronkowski showed the poise of a 5th year senior and led the Hawkeyes on two drives in the last ten minutes that showed why Kirk Ferentz wanted him.
Gronowski has always been a winner but playing at the Division One level at a Big Ten school that is starving for a consistent offense added a lot of pressure this year. He’s better running more often than throwing but his strike to Gill looked as pretty as any Hawkeye TD ever. He didn’t play his best game for the first three or three and a half quarters, but it didn’t matter. He answered the call when it mattered.
JACOB GILL TIES IT UP LATE 💥 @HawkeyeFootball
📺: FS1 pic.twitter.com/y0yRDq0wny
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 22, 2025
Will Kaden Wetjen be an All American this year? He took another punt back for six and had two more opportunities, which were ripe for touchdowns with just one or two more blocks. He has three return touchdowns on the year, averages 30.7 yards per kick return, and is averaging 24.4 yards per punt return. He changed field position on each return, putting the Iowa offense in spots to score in Spartan territory. Wetjen’s ability to change the game every time he touches the ball makes me wonder why teams are still punting to him as he set an Iowa record with his 6th career return for a touchdown. Four on punt returns and two on kick offs.
KADEN WETJEN TO THE HOUSE! @HawkeyeFootball
📺: FS1 pic.twitter.com/aNmIzVtdO1
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 22, 2025
Drew Stevens, on Senior Day, walked into the middle of a sold-out crowd at Kinnick Stadium and sent a dagger right between the goalposts. He’s connected on 71 kicks throughout his career, and there may not be one that feels better than this one. After missing several kicks this season and one at the end of the first half, the game winner had to be especially sweet for one of the best to ever kick for the Hawkeyes.
Ferentz seemed to soak up the win knowing it could have easily turned into a loss for his squad. “A lot of the stuff out there didn’t go the way we wanted or the way we intended, that’s for sure. A lot of ups and downs through the course of the game. We talked to our guys about that as well. When all that’s going on, all you can do is stay together and keep your eyes forward, see what you can do in the forefront. That part, I think our guys really did a great job of that.
I want to credit Michigan State. I’m not at all surprised, and that’s something I really tried to accentuate with our team. You look at a team right there, they were 0-5 a couple weeks ago in Big Ten play. It’s clear they’ve made a choice, their team made a choice how they’re going to finish the season out. Go up to Minnesota, out gained Minnesota by 160 yards, lose in overtime. Then last week against Penn State, who we have a lot of respect for and had to play them, it’s a four-point game with five minutes left.
The average fan looking at the score says, okay, it was an easy game, but you watch the tape, and you see the team is playing hard and competing. I think it speaks volumes about the job their coaches are doing and their players are doing. So we had great respect, just so everybody understands that, them coming in here. We had great respect, and we knew this was going to be tough.”
Mark Gronowski completed 12 of 22 passes for 147 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He added 57 rushing yards. Kamari Moulton led the Hawkeye rushing attack with 78 yards on 18 carries. Reece Vander Zee had a team-high 46 receiving yards, and Jacob Gill caught a touchdown pass.
Karson Sharar led the Iowa defense with 10 tackles (nine solo), and Koen Entringer had nine (seven solo). Sharar had three tackles for loss, and he and Ethan Hurkett each added a sack. Zach Lutmer intercepted a pass.
Next up is Nebraska on Black Friday in Lincoln. Hear the game on MC 93 at 230pm. Coverage is brought to you by Meineke Muffler, Muscatine Power and Water, Community Health Care Dental Clinic and Ed Morse Chevy, Buick and GMC.
