LINCOLN, NE – Fresh off a 20-17 win over Michigan State in its home finale, the 7-4 Iowa football team looks otherwise capture a road win in its regular season finale over Nebraska. The Cornhuskers also hold a 7-4 record, but have dropped three of its last five games, with its most recent performance resulting in a 37-10 defeat to a free-falling Penn State team.
Nebraska star quarterback Dylan Raiola suffered a broken fibula against USC on Nov. 1 and underwent successful season-ending surgery on Nov. 5. Backup quarterback and freshman T.J. Lateef has stepped up in his absence, compiling 393 passing yards and three passing touchdowns through two starts.
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on CBS.
COIN TOSS: Nebraska won the coin toss and elects to receive – the first time Iowa won’t receive the opening kickoff this year. The Hawkeyes will receive to open the second half.
1Q 13:47: Iowa 0, Nebraska 0: The Hawkeyes force a three-and-out on Nebraska’s opening possession. Cornhuskers punter Archie Wilson send the 35-yard punt down to the IOWA 38.
1Q 12:27: Iowa 0, Nebraska 0: The Cornhuskers force an Iowa three-and-out right back as punter Rhys Dakin boots the football 48 yards down to the NEB 10 and is fair caught by Nebraska wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr.
1Q 10:40: Nebraska 7, Iowa 0: Nebraska star runningback Emmett Johnson goes on a 71-yard run (the longest of his career) and is downed inches from the goal line after review. He gets in the end zone the next play for the first score of the game.
1Q 8:49: Nebraska 7, Iowa 3: Iowa wide receiver and kick returner Kaden Wetjen returns the kick 51 yards to the NEB 44, plus the 15-yard penalty for defensive facemask put the ball at the NEB 29. Iowa fails to pick up the first down and settles for a 41-yard field goal by kicker Drew Stevens.
1Q 7:12: Nebraska 7, Iowa 3: The Cornhuskers were forced to punt once again after three plays, with the 29-yard boot going out-of-bounds at the IOWA 49.
1Q 5:35: Iowa 10, Nebraska 7: Iowa goes 51 yards in three plays for its first touchdown of the game – quarterback Mark Gronowski and tight end D.J. Vonnahme connect for the 35-yard reception for the score. Stevens secures the extra point and the Hawkeyes took the lead.
1Q 1:13: Nebraska 10, Iowa 10: Nebraska’s 11-play drive ends with a 31-yard field goal by kicker Kyle Cannon for the 10-10 tie.
2Q 13:53: Nebraska 13, Iowa 10: Iowa botched the kickoff and was recovered by Nebraska on the IOWA 26. With that, the Cornhuskers get down to the IOWA 11 before settling for the 29-yard field goal and the lead, nonetheless.
2Q 8:13: Iowa 17, Nebraska 13: Iowa’s 10-play, 75-yard drive ends with a three-yard rushing touchdown by Kamari Moulton. Stevens secures the extra point as the Hawkeyes regain the lead in a shootout-like first half thus far.
2Q 2:53: Iowa 17, Nebraska 16: After 10 plays and 65 yards mainly through the use of Emmett Johnson, Nebraska, on 4th-and-3 at the IOWA 25, settles for the 35-yard Cunanan field goal. Hawkeyes remain up one.
2Q 0:37: A defensive hands-to-the-face penalty by Nebraska proves critical for an Iowa offense already making a strong push downfield as it pushed them 13 yards (half the distance to the goal from the NEB 25) into the red zone. Several plays later, Gronowski secures the one-yard rushing touchdown followed by a Stevens extra point for the eight-point lead right before halftime.
HALFTIME: Iowa 24, Nebraska 16: Gronowski’s two total touchdowns lead the way as Iowa holds the eight-point advantage at the break. Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson compiled 172 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 attempts in the first half.
3Q 11:16: Iowa 26, Nebraska 16: After Iowa was held to seven plays in its first drive of the second half, Dakin sent a punt 53 yards to the NEB 10, was caught by Barney Jr., then fumbled the ball after the hard hit by Karson Sharar. The ball rolled into the end zone and was recovered by the Hawkeyes, resulting in a safety.
3Q 8:38: Iowa 26, Nebraska 16: Nebraska fails to pick up a first down on its first possession and Archie punts the ball 30 yards to the IOWA 29, where Wetjen fair catches it.
3Q 4:47: Iowa 33, Nebraska 16: A 43-yard catch-and-run by Vonnahme was pivotal in Iowa scoring its fourth touchdown of the game – a six-yard rushing score by Gronowski, his second rushing touchdown of the day. Iowa goes up two touchdowns and a field goal late in the third quarter.
3Q 3:14: Iowa 33, Nebraska 16: The Cornhuskers continues to lose its momentum, being held without a first down once again and is forced to punt. the 34-yarder is fair caught by Wetjen at the IOWA 37.
4Q 13:40: Iowa 40, Nebraska 16: On the eighth play of the drive, Gronowski throws a pass to wide receiver Reese Vander Zee as he caught the pass against the defender’s back with one arm of the 27-yard gain, down at the one-yard line. Moulton finished the job for his second touchdown of the day as the Hawkeyes continue to run away with it.
4Q 6:34: Iowa 40, Nebraska 16: As if the day couldn’t have gotten better for Iowa, Brian Allen recovered a Nebraska goal line fumble. Salt in the wounds for the Cornhuskers.
FINAL: Iowa 40, Nebraska 16: Mark Gronowski and Kamari Moulton combine for five total touchdowns as the Hawkeyes dismantle Nebraska for its seventh-straight victory in Lincoln. Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson compiled 217 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries.
