Mark Gronowski helps Iowa extend winning streak with 41-3 victory over Minnesota

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Mark Gronowski ran for a touchdown and threw for another as Iowa defeated Minnesota 41-3 on Saturday.

It was the third consecutive win for the Hawkeyes (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten), who became bowl eligible.

Iowa had rushing, passing, defensive and special teams touchdowns in the first half, building a 31-0 halftime lead.

“We really wanted to get after them,” Gronowski said. “That's just great complementary football.”

Said Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz: “All three phases really did a great job, especially in that first half, playing off each other and doing a great job,”

Gronowski had a 2-yard touchdown run on the opening possession of the game; his 11th of the season. Drew Stevens had a 34-yard field goal to increase Iowa’s lead to 10-0, then Zach Lutmer returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown to give the Hawkeyes a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Gronowski, who threw for 135 yards, threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Reece Vander Zee early in the second quarter, then Kaden Wetjen scored on a 50-yard punt return two minutes later.

“We were getting the ball to our playmakers,” Gronowski said. “I really liked the rhythm we had in the first half.”

“Defense, offense, special teams — everybody was moving today,” Wetjen said.

It was the first time since the 2019 Holiday Bowl — a 49-24 win over USC — that Iowa had touchdowns in all three phases of the game.

“The same outcome is pretty good,” a smiling Ferentz said.

Stevens' 46-yard field goal in the third quarter gave Iowa a 34-0 lead. Iowa backup quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski had a 6-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to close the scoring.

Minnesota (5-3, 3-2), which came in having won three of its last four games, had just 133 yards against the Hawkeyes, who rank eighth nationally in total defense. The Gophers’ only points came on a 34-yard field goal from Brady Denaburg in the third quarter.

Minnesota redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Lindsey threw three interceptions. Those turnovers, along with the punt return by Wetjen, bothered Gophers coach PJ Fleck.

“That's not the winning formula for beating Iowa," Fleck said. “There's a formula to beat Iowa, and they've earned that right, especially here in Iowa City. We didn’t do anything to impact that tonight for a win on our side.”

Iowa has won 10 of the last 11 games in the rivalry that dates back to 1891. The Hawkeyes retained Floyd of Rosedale, the 98-pound bronzed pig trophy that goes to the winner in the series.

Minnesota: The Gophers had nowhere to go against Iowa’s offense from the start of the game — the Hawkeyes had a 166-1 edge in yardage at one point in the first half. Seven of the previous 10 games in the series had been decided by a touchdown or less, but Minnesota never had a chance to make this one close. “We just did not play our best football tonight,” Fleck said. “Three hours of bad football.”

Iowa: The Hawkeyes extended their winning streak since the 20-15 home loss to Indiana on September 27. Gronowski, who injured his knee in that game, has been comfortable in Iowa’s offense since then and it shows — the Hawkeyes have outscored their opponents 103-27 in the current streak. Iowa had just 274 yards of offense. “We had a lot of fun in the locker room,” Gronowski said. “But we also felt we could have done a lot better.”

Minnesota: Hosts Michigan State next Saturday.

Iowa: Hosts Oregon on November 8.

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