Hoosiers Escape Kinnick as Iowa Drops Close Battle

One of the most frustrating things about college football these days isn’t the play on the field—it’s figuring out which streaming service the game is on. Saturday’s Iowa–Indiana matchup was tucked away on Peacock, and after scrambling to find a way to watch, fans were treated to a game that had all the makings of a classic Kinnick battle. Unfortunately for Hawkeye fans, it ended in heartbreak, with Indiana escaping Iowa City with a 20–15 win.

The game couldn’t have started much worse for Iowa. On the opening drive, quarterback Mark Gronowski had a pass tipped and intercepted, giving Indiana prime field position. The Hoosiers wasted no time, marching 24 yards in two plays to take a 7–0 lead less than three minutes into the game. At that point, it felt like the stage was set for a rare Iowa blowout loss at home.

Instead, the Hawkeye defense dug in. Both teams traded punts and field position before Kaden Wetjen sparked the offense with a 17-yard punt return to set Iowa up at the Indiana 45. That short field turned into a field goal, trimming the deficit to 7–3.

By the second quarter, Iowa had started to settle in. Gronowski led an 11-play, 73-yard drive that mixed chunk passes with steady runs. He capped it off himself, running it in from three yards out to give Iowa a 10–7 lead with just 22 seconds left in the half. It felt like momentum was fully on the Hawkeyes’ side—until Indiana raced 47 yards in three plays and tied it up 10–10 with a field goal as the half expired.

The third quarter was a defensive slog, with both teams punting away their possessions. Iowa’s defense was particularly impressive, holding Indiana to 0-for-3 on fourth downs, including a huge stop early in the fourth that gave the Hawkeyes prime field position.

That stop led to a go-ahead field goal, but it came at a major cost. Gronowski injured his leg on a scramble, leaving backup Hank Brown to finish the game. At the time of his injury, Gronowski was 19-for-25 with 144 yards and a rushing touchdown—steady production that kept Iowa’s offense afloat. Without him, the attack sputtered.

Indiana tied it up at 13–13 with a field goal, setting the stage for a tense finish. The Hawkeye defense came through with a huge interception—Fernando Mendoza’s first of the year—setting Iowa up at the Indiana 29 with under three minutes to play. It felt like the moment for Iowa to steal the win.

Instead, the drive stalled, and kicker Drew Stevenson missed a 42-yard field goal wide. Just 33 seconds later, Mendoza hit Omar Cooper Jr. for a 49-yard strike that gave Indiana a 20–13 lead. Brown had a chance to respond, but the backup QB looked rattled, finishing 3-for-10 on the final drive as Iowa’s last chance slipped away.

The game ended in strange fashion, with Indiana running out the clock by intentionally taking a safety, handing Iowa its second loss of the season—this one by just five points.

There were still positives. The defense largely held its ground, limiting Mendoza to 13-for-23 passing for 233 yards, two touchdowns, and a pick. Iowa also bottled up the Hoosiers on fourth downs and forced key mistakes. Offensively, Kamari Moulton finally looked healthy, rushing for 75 yards on 18 carries and adding 21 receiving yards. Sam Phillips led the receivers with five catches for 64 yards.

But the story of the game was injuries and missed opportunities. Too many dropped passes killed drives, and the loss of Gronowski completely changed the complexion of the offense. If he stays healthy, this is probably a win for Iowa.

Instead, the Hawkeyes fall to 3

–2 on the year and 1–1 in Big Ten play heading into the bye week. The silver lining? Both losses have been to undefeated, top-15 opponents, and by a combined eight points. There’s plenty still to play for, but Iowa will need a healthy Gronowski and more consistency from its offense if it wants to make a serious run.