NOTES: Homecoming vs. No. 11/12 Indiana

1ST & 10
• The Hawkeyes have won four straight and eight of the last nine meetings against Indiana dating back to the 2008 season.  
• The Hawkeyes have won three straight, six of seven and eight of the last 10 games on Homecoming. Iowa is 10-5-1 all-time against Indiana on Homecoming, which includes a 45-29 victory in 2014.
• Iowa’s defense is seventh nationally in rushing defense (60.8), 13th in total defense (233.5) and 24th in scoring defense (14.5). The Hawkeyes are also sixth in the NCAA in blocks (2).
• Hidden yards… Iowa’s punt return unit is second nationally, averaging 31.22 yards per game, while the kickoff return unit is 16th (30.0). Kaden Wetjen is No. 1 in the nation in combined kick return yards (448).
• Iowa scored 38 points in its Week 4 victory at Rutgers – the most points in a Big Ten road contest since finishing with 51 points at Maryland in 2021 (also a Friday night road contest).
• Iowa is seeking its first victory over a ranked foe since defeating No. 4 Penn State, 23-20, on Oct. 9, 2021, in Kinnick Stadium.
• Graduate Kaden Wetjen has a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown (Week 3 vs. UMass) and a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown (Week 4 at Rutgers) this season. He was the only player in the nation to accomplish the feat in 2024 and he did it again in 2025.
• First-year Iowa starting QB Mark Gronowski won his 52nd career game in the Hawkeyes’ Week 4 road win at Rutgers, making him the winningest quarterback in NCAA history (all levels). 
• Gronowski rushed for three touchdowns at Rutgers – the most by a Hawkeye since Matt Rodgers in 1990 – and he has found the end zone in all four games, which is a first by an Iowa player since 1968.  
• Over his last two games, Gronowski has completed 28-of-42 attempts (66.7 percent) for 365 yards and two touchdowns. He has six rushing TDs this season – tied for fifth in the NCAA.
• Iowa has started a different running back in each of the first four weeks of the 2025 season.

THE SERIES
• Iowa holds a 46-28-4 advantage in the series that began with a 13-6 Iowa victory in 1912. Iowa has won eight of the last nine meetings.  
• The Hawkeyes are 25-10-3 all-time, and have won four straight, against the Hoosiers in Iowa City. Indiana is making its second trip to Iowa City since 2014. 
• Iowa won the most recent game, 34-6, in the 2021 season opener. The Hoosiers were ranked 17th in the nation in the game.
• Indiana’s last win in Iowa City was a 38-20 victory in 2007. 

HAWKEYES ON HOMECOMING
Iowa has won 12 of its last 15 Homecoming games dating back to the 2009 season. The Hawkeyes are 63-44-5 all-time on Homecoming, including a 10-5-1 mark against Indiana.
• Iowa beat the Hoosiers, 45-29, during Homecoming in 2014. Indiana beat the Hawkeyes, 22-17, to spoil the Homecoming festivities in 2007.  
• The Hawkeyes are 19-6 on Homecoming under head coach Kirk Ferentz. 

GRONOWSKI IN 2025
Graduate Mark Gronowski has completed 49-of-81 attempts for 492 yards and three touchdowns in four games this season. The Illinois native also has 143 rushing yards (third most on the team), and is leading the team with six touchdowns and 46 rushing attempts.
• His six rushing touchdowns are fifth nationally.
• In Week 3, Gronowski completed 16-of-24 passes for a season-high 189 yards and two touchdowns. He completed a pass to 12 different receivers in the game.
• In his first career Big Ten game, Gronowski completed 12-of-18 attempts for 186 yards while rushing 13 times for 55 yards and scoring three touchdowns.
• Gronowski has had both a passing and rushing touchdown in Week 1 versus UAlbany and Week 3 versus UMass. He has 28 such games in his collegiate career.
• He has 10,800 career passing yards, 1,910 career rushing yards, 96 career passing touchdowns and 43 career rushing touchdowns. 

MOST WINS AS A STARTING QB
Graduate Mark Gronowski has won 52 career games as a starting quarterback -- the most amongst signal callers all-time (all levels). He passed Boise State’s Kellen Moore (50) for the most wins in FCS/FBS and Grand Valley State’s Cullen Finnerty (51) for most victories at all levels. 

ANOTHER DIMENSION
Graduate quarterback Mark Gronowski gives Iowa’s offense another dimension with his legs. Through four weeks, the quarterback is third on the team with 143 rushing yards on a team-high 46 attempts. He also has a team-best six touchdowns, which are tied for the fourth-most by an Iowa quarterback in a single season all-time.
• Gronowski is fifth nationally in rushing touchdowns (6) and sixth in total touchdowns (6) this season, while ranking 22nd in total points scored (36).
• The last Iowa QB to lead the team in rushing attempts in a season was Butch Caldwell in 1976.
• He had 54 rushing yards (before sacks) on a career-high 16 rushing attempts in Week 2 at Iowa State.
• Gronowski finished with 55 rushing yards on 13 carries and scored three touchdowns in Week 4 at Rutgers. The three touchdowns are the most by an Iowa quarterback since Matt Rodgers had three against Cincinnati on Sept. 15, 1990. The last Iowa QB to even have two rushing touchdowns in a game were Brad Banks (2002) and C.J. Beathard (2015).
• Gronowski has had a rushing touchdown in each of the first four weeks of the 2025 season – a first by a Hawkeye QB since Larry Lawrence had a four-game streak to end the 1968 season.
• He is the first QB to rush for a touchdown in his first four games at a Big Ten school since Justin Fields in his first six games at Ohio State in 2019.
• Gronowski has had both a passing and rushing touchdown twice this season and in 28 games in his collegiate career.

BALL CONTROL
Iowa’s offense is averaging 32:14 in time of possession through the first four weeks of the 2025 season, which ranks 31st nationally. The unit is fueled by a rushing attack that averages 200.5 yards per game.
• The Hawkeyes have three scoring drives that have surpassed eight minutes this season and three drives that have gone 16 plays.
• In Week 2 at Iowa State, the Hawkeyes had 16-play scoring drives on consecutive possessions in the second and third quarters. The 16-play, 85-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter was Iowa’s longest scoring drive (by plays) since the 2021 season (20 plays, 95 yards vs. Kent State).
• The 16-play, 77-yard scoring drive in the third lasted 9:28. It is the longest scoring drive (by time) under Ferentz and Iowa’s first 9+ minute scoring drive since Nov. 1, 2003, against Illinois (18 plays, 77 yards, 9:06). 
• The 16-play drives are tied for the ninth longest in the nation this season and the 9:28 drive is sixth longest.

WETJEN IS 1 OF 1
Graduate student wide receiver Kaden Wetjen scored on a 20-yard rushing touchdown on an end around in Week 3 against UMass. The rushing touchdown put Wetjen in an exclusive company.
• The Williamsburg, Iowa, native became the first player in Iowa history to score a rushing, receiving, punt return and kickoff return touchdown. Both the rushing and receiving scores have occurred this season.

 STARTING STRONG
• Iowa’s defense has started the season strong, ranking 13th in the nation in total defense (233.5) and 24th in scoring defense (14.5) through the first month of the season. The unit is also seventh in rushing defense (60.8), 21st in third-down defense (.327) and 23rd in first down defense (51).
• The Hawkeyes allowed just one touchdown in the first three games against UAlbany, Iowa State and UMass. Iowa held two of its first three opponents under 200 yards.
• Iowa limited UAlbany to 177 yards in the season opener, including just 33 yards in the second half. The Great Danes had 43 rushing yards and nine overall first downs.
• In Week 2, the Hawkeyes limited Iowa State to 238 yards and 16 points. The Cyclones entered the game averaging 39.5 points and 421 yards of total offense.
• In Week 3, Iowa held UMass to 34 yards in the first half, 119 yards in the game and eight first downs. It was the fewest yards allowed in a game since 2018 against Maryland (115) and the fifth fewest allowed in a game under Ferentz. The eight first downs are tied for the ninth fewest allowed in a game under Ferentz.
• Iowa’s defense has allowed just 10 points in the second half this season and one touchdown.

STIFF RUN D
The Hawkeyes’ rushing defense has held two opponents under 50 yards and three of the first four under 100 yards. Iowa is seventh nationally, allowing 60.8 rush yards per game.

CAUSING CHAOS
Iowa pinned back its ears and made it difficult for the Minutemen in Week 3 in Kinnick. The Hawkeyes had 10 different players record a tackle for loss in the game and the defense recorded a season-high five sacks.
• Senior DE Max Llewellyn had a team-high 2.5 TFL and two sacks in the game, which were both career highs. Llewellyn leads the team with five TFL and four sacks this season. He is first in the Big Ten and 11th nationally, averaging 1.0 sack per game.

NEW LBs STEPPING UP
Graduate linebackers Jaden Harrell and Karson Sharar are No. 1 and No. 2 on the team in tackles through the first four starts of their collegiate careers. Harrell has a team-high 28 tackles, including one sack and one TFL, while Sharar has 26 tackles with 2.5 TFL and one sack.  
• Sharar recorded a career-high 10 tackles for his first double-digit tackle game in Week 4 at Rutgers, while Harrell finished with nine tackles, tying a career-high. He also had nine tackles (and forced a fumble) in Week 2 at Iowa State. 
• Harrell has led the team in tackles twice.

AN HONORARY DOUGH BOY
Graduate LB Jaxon Rexroth recorded Iowa’s first interception of the season and the first interception of his career in Week 4 at Rutgers. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native came down with a deflection off the hands of DE Max Llewellyn to set up the team’s game-clinching touchdown.

HALL: CB1
Senior T.J. Hall has established himself as Iowa’s top defensive back through the first month of the 2025 season. The California native has a team-high six pass breakups to go along with 15 tackles.  He had a career-high three pass breakups in Week 2 vs. Iowa State and Week 4 at Rutgers.
• Hall’s six pass breakups (1.5 per game) are tied for the fourth most in the nation.
• Junior Zach Lutmer also had a career-high three pass breakups at Rutgers.

WEJ MAKES HISTORY; NAMED BIG TEN SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Graduate Kaden Wetjen made history in Week 3 when he returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Hawkeyes’ 47-7 victory over UMass. The return tied a Big Ten and Iowa record (Michigan State’s Al Brenner at Illinois, 1966 and Iowa’s Bill Happel vs. Minnesota, 1984) and was the longest punt return in Kinnick Stadium history, besting Bob Longley (94 vs. Oregon in 1949).
• Wetjen finished with a career-high 216 return yards (182 punt and 34 kickoff) and a career-high 236 all-purpose yards. The 182 punt return yards are the fourth-most in a single game in Big Ten history, trailing Maryland’s William Likely (233 in 2015), Iowa’s Nile Kinnick (201 in 1939) and Iowa’s Kevonte Martin-Manley (184 in 2013).
• His 45.5 return average (minimum three punts) against UMass is the third highest average in Big Ten history, trailing Wisconsin’s Earl Girard (52.7 vs. Iowa, 1947) and Martin-Manley (44.7 vs. Western Michigan, 2013).
• He was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 15.

WEJ AT IT AGAIN
Graduate Kaden Wetjen was at it again in Week 4 at Rutgers when he returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to tie an Iowa and Big Ten record.  
• It was the sixth 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in school history and the second of Wetjen’s career (vs. Missouri, 2024 Music City Bowl). He is the second Hawkeye to return an opening kickoff for a touchdown (C.J. Jones vs. USC in the 2003 Orange Bowl).
• It was the 45th 100-yard kickoff return in Big Ten history and the 25th in a league game (first since 2023).
• He is now tied for the most kickoff return touchdowns in school history with two, joining Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Kahlil Hill.
• Wetjen was named the Big Ten Co-Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 22 – his second straight and third career honor.

ALL-TIME PUNT RETURN TDS
Graduate student Kaden Wetjen has two punt return touchdowns during his Hawkeye career, which are tied for the second-most in school history. He had an 85-yarder against Northwestern during the 2024 season.

1. Tim Dwight  (1994-97) 5
2. Kevonte Martin-Manley  (2011-14) 2
Kahlil Hill (1998, 2000-01) 2
Kaden Wetjen (2022-pres.) 2

COMBINED RETURN TOUCHDOWNS
Graduate Kaden Wetjen has four returns for touchdowns – two punt, two kickoff – in his career. The total is tied for the most in school history. Wetjen also had both a punt and kickoff return for a touchdown in 2024, making him the only player in the nation to accomplish the feat.

1. Tim Dwight  (1994-97) 5 (PR)
2. Kahlil Hill (1998, 2000-01) 4 (2 PR/2 KR)
Kaden Wetjen (2022-pres.) 4 (2 PR, 2 KR)

STEVENS APPROACHES RECORD
Senior Drew Stevens moved into a tie for second place in program history in career field goals with his fourth quarter field goal at Rutgers. The South Carolina native is 7-for-9 in field goal attempts this season, giving him 61 field goals in his career. He Is 16th in the NCAA (third in the Big Ten) in field goals per game (1.75).
• He made 15 consecutive field goals from Week 10 of the 2024 season to Week 3 of the 2025 season.

1. Nate Kaeding (2000-03)    67
2. Mike Meyer (2010-13)    61
    Drew Stevens (2022-pres.)    61

• Stevens connected from 28 and a career-long 55 yards in the victory over the Great Danes. The 55-yarder is tied for the fourth longest kick in school history. He also made a 54-yarder against UMass – his school-record 10th career make from 50+.
• Stevens enjoyed a breakout 2024 season, making 20-of-23 field goals, which were a career high and the sixth-most in program history. He was 5-for-5 from 40-49 yards and had four makes from 50+.   
• He tied Kyle Schlicher’s program record that was set in 2004, making five field goals in the road win at Maryland on Nov. 23. The five makes also tied the SECU Stadium, which led to him being named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. 
• Two of Stevens’ makes came from 54 and 50 yards, making him the first Hawkeye since Tim Douglas (at Illinois, 1998) to make multiple 50+ yard field goals in the same game. 
• Stevens has four career games where he has made at least four field goals and he has three career game-winning field goals (21-yarder with 28 seconds left in road win at Minnesota in 2022, a 53-yarder in road win over Northwestern at Wrigley Field in 2023 and a 53-yarder as time expired in a win over Nebraska in 2024).
• For his career, Stevens has made 61-of-76 field goal attempts (80.3 percent) and is 98-of-100 on PATs. He is 10-of-14 from 50-59 yards in his Hawkeye career.  
• Steven’s brother, Jack, is a kicker at Washington State. He spent his freshman season at South Dakota State.

STEVENS ASCENDS IN CAREER SCORING
Senior Drew Stevens has scored 36 points in the first four weeks of the 2025 season, which is tied for the team lead. He now has 281 career points, which ranks fourth all-time in program history.

1. Nate Kaeding    373 (1 TD, 166 PAG, 67 FG)
2. Mike Meyer    324 (141 PAT, 61 FG)
3. Rob Houghtlin    290 (128 PAT, 54 FG)
4. Drew Stevens    281 (98 PAT, 61 FG)

BLOCK-A-PA-LOOZA
Iowa has blocked a pair of kicks this season, which are sixth most in the NCAA this season. 
• Redshirt freshman Preston Ries got his hand on a punt in the fourth quarter of Iowa’s season-opening win over UAlbany. The Monticello, Iowa, native is the first Hawkeye since Yahya Black in 2023 to block a punt.  
• Graduate Ethan Hurkett blocked a field goal in Week 4 at Rutgers, giving the Hawkeyes a blocked field goal for a third straight season. It was Hurkett’s first career block.

ALONE AT THE TOP
Kirk Ferentz is in his 27th season as Iowa’s head football coach. He is the longest tenured active head coach in college football and the all-time winningest coach in Big Ten Conference history. Ferentz won his 206th game as a member of the Big Ten on Sept. 13, 2025, against UMass, to pass Ohio State’s Woody Hayes atop the prestigious list. He currently has 207 career victories.
• Ferentz has 129 Big Ten wins, which rank third all-time, trailing Hayes (153) and Michigan’s Bo Schembechler (143). 
• Ferentz won his 200th career game at Iowa State in 2023. He is the 27th coach at an FBS institution to reach the 200-career win milestone and the 99th coach across all divisions. Former Hawkeye head coach Hayden Fry finished his career with 236 victories.
• Ferentz has 10 career bowl game victories, which tie Joe Paterno for the most bowl wins as a member of the Big Ten Conference.

NOTABLE FERENTZ WINS AT IOWA
1 - Northern Illinois (9/18/99) - 24-0
2 - Michigan State (10/7/00) - 21-16 - first career Big Ten victory
11 - vs. Texas Tech (12/29/01) - 19-16 - Alamo Bowl
22 - at Minnesota (11/16/02) - 42-21 - clinched share of Big Ten title
37 - at Penn State (10/23/04) - 6-4
41 - Wisconsin (11/20/04) - 30-7 - clinched share of Big Ten title
50 - Montana (9/2/06) - 41-7
81 - vs. Georgia Tech (1/5/10) - 24-14 - Orange Bowl
100 - at Michigan State (10/13/12) - 19-16 (2 OT)
144 - Northern Illinois (9/1/18) - passed Hayden Fry for most wins in school history
150 - at Illinois (11/17/18) - 63-0
175 - at Northwestern (11/6/21) - 17-12
195 - Illinois (11/18/23) - 15-13 - passed Bo Schembechler for No. 4 in Big Ten history
200 - Washington (10/12/25) - 40-16 - passed Amos Alonzo Stagg to move to No. 2 in Big Ten history
206 – UMass (9/13/25) – 47-7 – passed Woody Hays to become Big Ten’s all-time winningest coach