Iowa vs. Rutgers Recap: Hawkeyes Shine Late in Friday Night Thriller

Iowa traveled to Rutgers for a special Friday night blackout matchup, and from the opening kickoff it was clear this wasn’t going to be a typical Hawkeye game. The lights dimmed, fireworks lit up the sky, and just seconds later Iowa’s top return man Kaden Wetjen took the opening kickoff 104 yards to the house. That explosive start set the tone for what became an unexpected shootout under the lights.

A First Half Shootout

The first half was as uncharacteristic as it gets for Iowa football. Instead of a defensive grind, both teams were trading blows through the air. Rutgers leaned on the connection between quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis and wideout Ian Strong, who racked up 8 receptions for 151 yards by halftime. Kaliakmanis finished 24-of-40 for 330 yards, and while the Scarlet Knights moved the ball well, it was surprising that none of that production resulted in a passing touchdown.

Iowa, meanwhile, was trying to keep pace. Wetjen nearly gave the Hawkeyes the lead before the break when he returned a punt in the closing seconds, but instead of stepping out with a second left to set up a field goal, he kept running. The teams went into halftime tied 21–21, and I’ll admit — I was stressed. Iowa is not built to win in a shootout. This program thrives on defense and turnovers, not trading big plays.

A Defensive Turnaround

After a wide-open first half, the third quarter looked like a completely different game. Both defenses tightened up, and the scoreboard stayed quiet. Iowa had a chance to take control with a field goal, but once again kicker Drew Stevens struggled, missing his second attempt in as many weeks. Rutgers’ kicking woes weren’t much better — they missed one of their own and had another blocked.

Iowa Closes Strong

The fourth quarter is where Iowa finally found its groove. The Hawkeyes opened with a field goal, then responded after Rutgers scored with an avalanche of their own. Marco Gronowski led the charge, finishing the night 12-of-18 for 186 yards through the air while doing his real damage on the ground. He ran for 55 yards and three touchdowns, putting the offense on his shoulders and sealing a 17-point fourth quarter to close things out.

The final score didn’t reflect how tense this game was for much of the night, but Iowa left Piscataway with an impressive late-game surge and a big win in prime time.

Takeaways

While the result was exciting, Iowa still has plenty to clean up moving forward:

• Secondary Struggles: The defense continues to give up big plays to top receivers. Allowing consistent yardage on the deep ball is a problem that needs to be fixed.

• Dropped Passes: Gronowski delivered some perfect throws that simply weren’t hauled in. Iowa can’t afford to waste those opportunities.

• Special Teams Issues: Stevens’ field goal problems are becoming a concern, and coverage decisions like Wetjen’s punt return miscue before halftime nearly cost Iowa momentum.

Final Thoughts

This was one of the most entertaining Iowa games in recent memory, and while it was stressful to see the Hawkeyes in a shootout, the second-half turnaround showed what this team can be when it clamps down defensively and leans on its playmakers. If the passing game continues to grow and the mistakes are cleaned up, Iowa could turn nights like this into stepping stones for a strong season.

Article by Ryan Burhite