No. 21 Iowa football loses first half lead to No. 17 USC, 26-21, in second-straight loss

LOS ANGELES — No. 21 Iowa football was playing on the West Coast, but a taste of the East Coast slipped into the Hawkeyes’ game plan.

In the second quarter, Iowa ran a Philly special. Receiver Reece Vander Zee sent the ball to a wide-open Mark Gronowski at the right side of the end zone. The Los Angeles Coliseum was stunned, while Hawkeye head coach Kirk Ferentz watched the play with an emotional eye.

It was the first time since the Hawkeyes faced Minnesota in 1994 that an Iowa quarterback caught a touchdown pass.

But unlike that matchup in 1994, Saturday’s game ended in an Iowa loss. This time, the Trojans climbed back from a two-score deficit in the second quarter to take down the Hawkeyes, 26-21, in the first meeting between the two schools since 2019.

“I just don’t think we executed in the second half,” center Logan Jones said. “It’s a game of inches, and we were right there.”

The Hawkeyes found their way into the end zone on the first drive, going 69 yards and converting on a fourth down with a 2-yard Dayton Howard touchdown. The methodical play calling included a 44-yard catch by receiver Jacob Gill, snagging the ball on the sideline and sprinting deep into the red zone.

Iowa was taking deep shots early, especially since the Trojans gave their opponent favorable field position. The Hawkeyes’ second and third drives began inside USC territory — first via a 19-yard punt and the second after Karson Sharar forced a turnover on downs.

Gronowski scored his 13th rushing touchdown of the season — now having recorded at least one in all 10 Iowa games played — with a 1-yard tush push that led to the early two-score lead. Gronowski finished the game with 132 passing yards, going 12-for-19, with one passing touchdown.

It wasn’t until midway through the second quarter before the Trojans found the end zone. After a 75-play drive, Bryan Jackson scored a 1-yard touchdown up the middle.

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By halftime, Gronowski had secured the hat trick — a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown. The Philly special was called with less than four minutes to play in the first half, with Iowa fans erupting from the visitor side of the Coliseum.

Gronowski is the first Iowa quarterback to record all three in one game since the turn of the century, too.

But the Trojans have proved they can fight back in the later 30 minutes before, and did so against the Hawkeyes. Receiver Makai Lemon recorded 153 receiving yards against the Hawkeyes defense, including a 12-yard touchdown pass thrown into double coverage that made it a two-point game.

“They were making plays,” defensive back Xavier Nwankpa said. “Those guys went out there and got things done.”

USC head coach Lincoln Riley opted for a two-point conversion after Lemon’s score, but it fell incomplete. Still, a two-point game was uncomfortable for the Hawkeye offense.

Just as the Olympic torch atop the L.A. Coliseum was lit above the Trojans end zone, Jackson scored his second rushing touchdown of the game to give USC its first lead of the afternoon.

“USC did a good job coming back and maximizing their opportunities in the second half,” Head coach Kirk Ferentz said.

The seemingly wide-open playbook from the first half wasn’t successful any longer. Iowa lost its explosive plays, with USC’s defense closing in on Iowa’s run game.

“There a lot of plays in that second half that could’ve changed the way it went,” Gronowski said. “We always try to be the reason, but we couldn’t be the reason in the second half.”

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Iowa also finished the game with six penalties, resulting in 70 yards away from its targeted end zone. One of the six included an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty given to Iowa’s coaching staff in the fourth quarter.

“To me, one of our assistants got out on the field and apparently, literally stepped over the line,” Ferentz said. “So that’s that.”

To make matters worse, three of the Hawkeyes’ offensive linemen — including two starters — left the game early with injury. Beau Stephens left the game in the third quarter, and Gennings Dunker followed suit.

Jones missed some plays, and Kade Pieper left the game early, leaving the Hawkeyes’ run game limited against a pressing Trojans defense.

Gronowski threw a deep ball to Kaden Wetjen on fourth down in the final two minutes of the game, but despite Wejten making the catch, he was ruled out of bounds.

The play sealed Iowa’s fate for a second-straight loss, and marked the 13th straight loss to a ranked opponent. The Hawkeyes have two games remaining, including their final game at Kinnick Stadium aginst Michigan State next week. Every Iowa loss this season has been by less than five points.

“When you have a game like that and it’s so close, it hurts,” Jones said. “It’s tough, but we have two more games remaining, two more opportunities ... I’m going to cherish these last two games.”

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