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Game Report: Iowa Hawkeyes 34, No. 14 Vanderbilt 27
Iowa scores on first offensive possession, build 21-3 second-half lead and overcomes rally inspired by Heisman Trophy runner-up Diego Pavia to pick up a 34-27 victory in Wednesday’s ReliaQuest Bowl, the Hawkeyes’ first win over a ranked opponent since 2021
Dec. 31, 2025 3:37 pm
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A closer look at the Iowa Hawkeyes’ 34-27 win over 14th-ranked Vanderbilt in Wednesday afternoon’s ReliaQuest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
The win ended a 15-game losing streak against ranked opponents, Iowa’s previous victory over a ranked foe coming Oct. 9, 2021 against No. 4 Penn State at Kinnick Stadium.
Turning point
You could go multiple ways here. Iowa’s ability to immediately respond offensively to Vanderbilt touchdowns was huge. That happened three times in this game.
But go back to the final minute of the first half.
A sack of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia forced the Commodores to punt from their own 15-yard line. Punter Nick Haberer took the snap and rolled right for a rugby style kick.
Only he kept rolling and running, presumably to keep Iowa punt-return giant Kaden Wetjen from doing any damage. He couldn’t have thought he’d run for a first down considering it was fourth-and-27.
Haberer did not punt the football until he reached the 16-yard line, which is an illegal kick. The penalty for that is five yards from the line of scrimmage, giving Iowa possession at the Commodores 10.
Iowa QB Mark Gronowski hit Reece Vander Zee with a back-shoulder touchdown on the next play giving the Hawkeyes a 14-3 lead with 41 seconds left in the second quarter. Vanderbilt could never quite recover.
By the numbers
27— Seniors on Iowa’s roster
58 — Career college victories for Iowa QB Mark Gronowski
76 — Career field goals for Iowa kicker Drew Stevens, including two here
35,382 — Attendance at Raymond James Stadium for this one
Notebook
* This was the D.J. Vonnahme Game in many ways. The previously unheralded tight end and former walk-on from Carroll Kuemper High School had seven catches in this game for 146 yards.
That included a 21-yard touchdown on a flea-flicker play, of all things. Trickeration isn’t usually an Iowa thing.
On a second-and-5 play, Gronowski handed off to running back Kamari Moulton. Running right, he handed off to wide receiver Kaden Wetjen coming back around left, who pitched back to Gronowski.
Gronowski threw a perfect pass to the front right corner of the end zone for Vonnahme. The extra point gave Iowa a 21-3 lead early in the third quarter.
* Gronowski finished his prodigious college football career with arguably his best game for Iowa.
He went 16 of 22 passing for 212 yards and two touchdowns and an interception. The pick was unlucky, in that he threw a pass in the end zone on a short slant that running back Xavier Williams had go off his hands, then off the back of a Vanderbilt defensive back before landing in the hands of Vandy’s Martel Hight.
Gronowski also had 10 rushes for 54 yards and a 1-yard TD sneak. His 44-yard scramble run, in which he broke out of a potential sack, set up Iowa’s first touchdown on the opening possession of the game.
Gronowski had 16 rushing yards this season, an Iowa quarterback record. That also tied Michigan’s Denard Robinson for the most in a season in Big Ten Conference history.
* Vanderbilt had 118 offensive yards in the first half and 280 in the second half. Iowa sacked Pavia four times in the first half and none in the second.
Heisman Trophy runner-up Pavia finished the game 25-of-38 passing for 347 yards and two touchdowns. He also was Vanderbilt’s leading rusher with 36 yards and a touchdown in 15 attempts.
Vandy went uptempo and no huddle a lot in the second half, which definitely helped what had been a stagnant offense to that point.
* Iowa’s win brought the Big Ten Conference’s bowl record this season to 7-1 and dropped the SEC’s to 2-6.
* The temperature at kickoff for this game at Raymond James Stadium was 52 degrees. In Iowa City, it was 38 degrees.
Injury report
The pregame availability list had running back Nathan McNeil and tight end Michael Burt “out.” McNeil was returning home as a Tampa, Fla., native.
Defensive back T.J. Hall, who had not been listed on the depth chart this week was “questionable,” as was defensive back (mainly special teamer) Kael Kolarik. Both played in this game.
Of course, the biggest omission from Vanderbilt’s lineup was tight end Eli Stowers. The Mackey Award winner for nation’s top tight end skipped this bowl game so as to avoid possible injury in preparation for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Next game
You’ll have to wait 248 days. Iowa begins the 2026 college football season Sept. 5 at Kinnick Stadium with Northern Illinois the opponent. Obviously, game time and television coverage have yet to be determined. Only 248 days, Hawkeye fans!
Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com
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