Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Seth Anderson (center) is lifted in the air after scoring a touchdown during the first half of their college football game against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

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IOWA CITY -- A look at Iowa’s 47-7 football win over Massachusetts Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium.

Turning point

The turning point was when this game was scheduled in 2020.

The turning point in the game itself, you ask? It was a two-play sequence, the second and third plays of the evening. Mark Gronowski completed a 45-yard pass to Sam Phillips to get the ball to the UMass 20. He then hooked up with Seth Anderson for a 20-yard score.

Iowa obviously was insistent on establishing a passing game from the get-go, and did so in a satisfying way. That was reinforced on the Hawkeyes’ second drive, which had four completions including a 3-yard scoring toss from Gronowski to Anderson.

By the numbers

1 -- Hank Brown threw his first touchdown pass as a Hawkeye, a 2-yarder to freshman KJ Parker (his first college TD and reception) in the fourth quarter. Brown had six scoring passes last season for Auburn.

2 -- Anderson had one touchdown catch over his first 18 games played with Iowa. He had two in the first quarter Saturday. Anderson had seven TD receptions for Charleston Southern in 2022.

45 -- Gronowski’s 45-yard pass to Sam Phillips on Iowa’s second play of the game was twice as long as any of his completions in the first two games as a Hawkeye.

51 -- Gronowski got his 51st win as a starter, tying Cullen Finnerty of Grand Valley State as the all-time national-leader.

95 - Kaden Wetjen’s 95-yard punt return in the third quarter was a Kinnick Stadium record, one yard longer than one by Iowa’s Bob Longley in 1949. It tied the Big Ten record set by Illinois’ Al Brenner in 1966 and matched by Iowa’s Bill Happel at Minnesota in 1984.

206 -- Kirk Ferentz got his 206th win as Iowa’s coach making him the all-time victories leader for a Big Ten coach.

Notebook

* According to Iowa’s sports information staff, Wetjen became the first player in Hawkeye history to record touchdowns in a career via rushing, receiving, kickoff returning and punt returning.

Wetjen had a 20-yard rush for a score in the first quarter Saturday to complete the set.

Tim Dwight had 32 career touchdowns for Iowa, including five via punt return. None, however, were came from any of his 55 kickoff returns.

* Three student-reporters from the Massachusetts Daily Collegian covered the game. The paper covers one road a game per season, and chose Iowa.

Injury report

The game was delayed in the third quarter after UMass player TJ Magee, a junior from Denham Springs, La., had to be taken off the field by medical cart. Magee took a hard hit to the head/neck area on Iowa’s third-quarter punt return touchdown and his head was pushed into a teammate.

Magee was taken to UI Hospitals and Clinics. The UMass football X account said Magee was alert and moving his extremities there.

Besides tight end Addison Ostrenga, who is out for the rest of the season, the Hawkeyes on the pregame injury report were wide receivers Jarriett Blue and Reece Vander Zee, running backs Brevin Doll and Kamari Moulton, and offensive lineman Bryce George.

Vander Zee hasn’t played in a game this season. He was at the game Saturday and was out of the walking boot he had been using.

Next game

The Hawkeyes start Big Ten play Friday when they visit Rutgers for a 7 p.m. (CT) game. The Scarlet Knights improved to 3-0 after their 60-10 rout of Norfolk State Saturday In New Jersey.

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