Quarterback Mark Gronowski rushed for three touchdowns and Kaden Wetjen returned the opening kickoff for a score to lead Iowa to a 38-28 victory over Rutgers in the Big Ten opener for both teams on Friday night at Piscataway, N.J.
Jaxon Rexroth notched Iowa’s first interception of the season in the fourth quarter and Kamari Moulton had a rushing score for the Hawkeyes (3-1). Wetjen totaled 167 return yards (124 kickoff, 43 punt) and Gronowski passed for 186 yards and rushed for 55 as the Hawkeyes improved to 5-0 all-time against the Scarlet Knights.
Athan Kaliakmanis passed for 330 yards and one interception and rushed for two touchdowns for Rutgers (3-1). Antwan Raymond also ran for two scores while Ian Strong caught eight passes for 151 yards.
The score was tied in the third quarter when Rutgers’ Jai Patel had a 29-yard field-goal attempt blocked by Ethan Hurkett. Jordan Thompson recovered on the Iowa 23-yard line with 3:36 left in the third quarter.
The Hawkeyes cashed in with Drew Stevens’ 26-yard field goal for a 24-21 lead with 14:02 left in the contest.
The Scarlet Knights answered with a drive that began with Kaliakmanis connecting with Strong on plays of 10, 26 and 12 yards. Raymond finished it from 1 yard out to give Rutgers a 28-24 advantage with 9:44 left.
Iowa regained the lead with an 80-yard drive that included Gronowski’s 42-yard pass to Dayton Howard. Two plays later, Gronowski scored from the 2 to give the Hawkeyes a 31-28 advantage.
On Rutgers’ next drive, Iowa’s Max Llewellyn pressured Kaliakmanis into a floating throw, and Rexroth made a diving interception at the Rutgers 35 with 4:18 left.
Gronowski tacked on a 1-yard score to give the Hawkeyes a 10-point lead with 2:14 to go.
Wetjen fielded the opening kickoff about 3 yards deep in the end zone and headed to the right. There was a big lane along the sideline, and Wetjen sped through it for what was officially a 100-yard touchdown return. It was his second career kickoff return score and fourth overall return TD.
Rutgers knotted the score on Raymond’s 5-yard run with 12:39 remaining in the opening quarter. Over 6 1/2 minutes later, Kaliakmanis scored on a 4-yard keeper to give the Scarlet Knights a 14-7 lead.
Moulton scored on a 6-yard run with 2:24 left in the opening quarter.
Kaliakmanis snuck in from the 1 as Rutgers took a 21-14 lead with 12:12 left in the half. Iowa tied it on Gronowski’s 2-yard keeper with eight minutes to play in the half.
Patel clanked a 37-yard field-goal attempt off the right upright with 2:40 left until halftime, ending his school-record streak of 18 consecutive made field goals.
