With three minutes remaining in the first quarter, Drew Stevens missed the 53-yard field goal to give the Hawkeyes an early lead. With 14 seconds left in the game, the Iowa football placekicker had the exact same shot again — this time for the win.
The Hawkeyes and Northwestern Wildcats were tied at zero apiece as the first quarter winded down at Wrigley Field, a pass interference penalty on the Wildcats ultimately setting the North Augusta, South Carolina, native up for his first attempt of the game at mid-field.
The ball floated up, drifted right in the Chicago wind, and smacked the right upright. No good.
“Mother Nature got me in the first half,” Stevens said of his first miss, noting the need to “shake it off.”
Stevens called the adjustment after the miss being “convicted on my line” — meaning aiming for a spot he wants to kick the ball to and trusting it all the way through.
45 minutes later, the game now tied at seven, Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill found receiver Kaleb Brown for a 23-yard gain — a gain that ultimately sent Stevens back onto the field on fourth down for a chance at redemption on the same goalpost with 14 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
He knew the kick was coming, practicing on the sideline net before he heard the crowd roar that indicated he would get a second shot.
But this was Iowa’s last chance at winning this one with offense, the game now on the line — and not just the game, but the Hawkeyes’ suddenly comfortable standing in the Big Ten West as Nebraska, Minnesota, and Wisconsin each suffered losses on the day.
“It’s like a blackout: You’re strictly going off of your training because if you wanted to think of something, you just can’t,” Stevens said of his mindset as he ran onto the field for the attempt. “Apparently — my snapper and holder told me — the [Northwestern] players were saying stuff to me, and I [didn’t even hear it].”
So Stevens stepped back, lined up, and gave the football another boot — up into right field again, just left of the Budweiser sign…
A home run.
Straight through the uprights, Stevens’ kick was good, and the Hawkeyes took the lead, 10-7.
And after the Iowa defense stifled any last-ditch Northwestern effort at more points, his kick moved the Hawkeyes from 6-2 to 7-2 overall and the outright leaders in the Big Ten West division.
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz called players like Stevens “relief pitchers” — fitting for the contest in the Friendly Confines.
“They come in and have to perform,” Ferentz said. “You have to have that kind of mentality where you move on. Learn from it, then just put it behind you and keep going, and Drew has done that earlier this year too.”
After nailing the kick, Stevens showed everyone it was good with his arms extended out into the air before putting his hands together and to his right ear as a signal of “goodnight” — wishing the Wildcat fans, and more so Hawkeye fans who covered the Wrigley stands, a safe drive home and a pleasant evening.
Game over.
And that’s “night night” from Wrigley Field as @HawkeyeFootball takes the Win! pic.twitter.com/e0K9Y2XzDb
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 4, 2023
“As soon as I kicked it, I started celebrating,” Stevens said, calling the kick “pure” right upon contact. “I was like, ‘It went in.’ Then it’s a three-second delay, and then the crowd starts cheering.”
That’s an ode to the confidence Stevens possesses — the same confidence his teammates have in him.
When asked if he had faith that Stevens would make the kick, Iowa defensive lineman Yahya Black put it simply and quickly: “Of course.”