IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski rushed for a career-high 130 yards and two touchdowns, and Kaden Wetjen scored the go-ahead touchdown on an 8-yard run with 3:54 to play, as the Hawkeyes defeated Penn State 25-24 on Saturday night.
Gronowski had just nine carries, but had the biggest run of the game for the Hawkeyes.
“I’m a guy who wants the ball in my hands,” said Gronowski, who transferred to Iowa in the offseason after winning two FCS national championships at South Dakota State.
“I always joke, he’s our biggest (running) back,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “It’s been great to have him on our football team.”
The Hawkeyes trailed 24-19 with 4:56 to play after Penn State’s Ryan Barker kicked a 32-yard field goal, but Gronowski ran 67 yards on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, setting up Wetjen’s run one play later.
“I had to break one tackle, and once I picked my eyes up, and there was nobody there. I got pretty bug-eyed there,” Gronowski said.
Gronowski missed on the 2-point conversion pass after Wetjen’s touchdown, giving the Nittany Lions a chance to take the lead.
Iowa’s defense then stopped Penn State near midfield, blitzing Ethan Grunkemeyer on fourth down at the Penn State 49 and forcing an incomplete pass. Gronowski then clinched the win with a 14-yard run on third down that allowed the Hawkeyes to run out the clock.
“We certainly had to earn this win,” Ferentz said. “I told the players, this is a feeling you can’t buy.”
It was the second consecutive win for the Hawkeyes (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) after the 20-15 loss to Indiana on September 27, a game in which Gronowski went out late in the second half with a knee injury. He hasn’t missed a game after Iowa’s off week following the Indiana loss, starting last week’s 37-0 win over Wisconsin and then starting this game while wearing a brace on the knee.
“If I didn’t have the knee brace, I could have unhooked the trailer and scored (on the 67-yard run),” Gronowski said, smiling.
“He said if he was 100%, he would have scored,” Ferentz said. “That says a lot about him. To come back off that injury, he’s not quite 100%, but he’s looking better every day.”
Gronowski had a 1-yard touchdown run late in the first half, then added a 4-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that got the Hawkeyes to within 21-16.
It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Nittany Lions (3-4, 0-4), playing their first game for interim coach Terry Smith six days after the firing of James Franklin.
“I think we gave everything we had,” Smith said. “There was no one that didn’t give great effort. We just have to execute.”
“That’s a talented team,” Ferentz said. “They came in ready to go.”
Kaytron Allen rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns for Penn State.
The Nittany Lions led 14-10 at halftime after Iowa kicker Drew Stevens had his 66-yard field-goal attempt with six seconds left blocked by Xavier Gilliam. Elliot Washington II picked up the loose ball and ran 35 yards for the touchdown.
Takeaways
Penn State: The Nittany Lions had a road win in their possession before the Hawkeyes were able to snatch it away. Grunkemeyer struggled at times, throwing two interceptions, one to Xavier Nwankpa that he returned to the Penn State 1-yard line, setting up Gronowski’s first touchdown. “I’m super proud of those guys and the way they played,” Smith said. “We just have to clean it up so that we can finish games.”
Iowa: The Hawkeyes brought in Gronowski because of his mobility, something he has shown all season, but particularly in this game. They have momentum now with this win combined with last week’s win at Wisconsin. “These are memories we’ll have for the rest of our lives,” cornerback Deshaun Lee said.
Up next
Penn State: At Ohio State on November 1
Iowa: Hosts Minnesota next Saturday
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By JOHN BOHNENKAMP
Associated Press
