NOTES: Heartland Trophy at Wisconsin

1ST & 10
• Iowa has won three straight over Wisconsin and is looking for its first four-game win streak in the series since 2002-06.
• The Hawkeyes are 29-11 in their last 40 rivalry trophy games (Iowa State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin).
• Iowa is playing its fourth night game of the season on Saturday in Camp Randall.
• The Hawkeye defense has not surrendered a point in the third quarter this season. The unit is 12th nationally in total defense (254.2) and 19th in scoring defense (15.6).
• Hidden yards… Iowa’s punt return unit is tops in the nation, averaging 33.11 yards per game, while the kickoff return unit is 14th (28.56). Kaden Wetjen is No. 1 in the nation in combined kick return yards (465).
• 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).
• 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 is the only player in the nation to accomplish the feat in 2025.
• First-year Iowa starting QB Mark Gronowski won his 52nd career game in the 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 five games, which is a first by an Iowa player since 1960.  
• Over his last three games, Gronowski has completed 47-of-67 attempts (70.1 percent) for 509 yards and two touchdowns. He has seven rushing TDs this season – tied for seventh in the NCAA.
• Iowa has started four running backs in the first five weeks of the 2025 season. 

THE SERIES
• Saturday will be the 99th meeting between Iowa and Wisconsin in a series that began in 1894. Through 98 games, Wisconsin leads 49-47-2. 
• Iowa is 20-29-1 all-time in games played in Madison. The Hawkeyes snapped a four-game losing streak at Camp Randall in 2023 with a 15-6 road victory.
• The Hawkeyes dominated Wisconsin in 2024, winning 42-10 inside Kinnick Stadium. The 32-point margin of victory was Iowa’s largest in the series since 1996 (41-0).
• Iowa has won four of the last five meetings -- all by two scores or more. 

THE HEARTLAND TROPHY
Inaugurated in 2004, the Heartland Trophy goes to the winner of the football battle between Iowa and Wisconsin. The trophy was designed and crafted by artist and former Iowa football player Frank Strub.  
• The series is tied, 7-7, since the inception of the Heartland Trophy in 2004. The trophy has resided in Iowa City since 2022.

GRONOWSKI IN 2025
Graduate Mark Gronowski has completed 68-of-106 attempts for 636 yards and three touchdowns in five games this season. The Illinois native also has 150 rushing yards (fourth-most on the team) and is leading the team with seven touchdowns and 54 rushing attempts.
• His seven rushing touchdowns are seventh nationally and fourth in the Big Ten.
• 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 10,944 career passing yards, 1,917 career rushing yards, 96 career passing touchdowns and 44 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 five weeks, the quarterback is fourth on the team with 150 rushing yards on a team-high 54 attempts. He also has a team-best seven touchdowns, which are the fourth-most by an Iowa quarterback in a single season all-time.
• Gronowski is seventh nationally in rushing touchdowns (7) and 13th in total touchdowns (7) this season, while ranking 42nd in total points scored (42).
• 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 five weeks of the 2025 season – a first by a Hawkeye QB since Wilburn Hollis in 1960.
• He is the first QB to rush for a touchdown in his first five 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 32:19 in time of possession through the first five weeks of the 2025 season, which ranks 22nd nationally. The unit is fueled by a rushing attack that averages 178.8 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). 

WETJEN IS 1 OF 1
Graduate 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 12th in the nation in total defense (254.2) and 19th in scoring defense (15.6) through the first five weeks of the season. The unit is also fourth in rushing defense (69.4), 40th in third-down defense (.344) and 10th in first down defense (69).
• The Hawkeyes allowed just one touchdown over 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.
• The Hawkeye defense limited No. 11 Indiana to a season-low 20 points and 337 total yards. The Hoosiers entered the game averaging 54.8 points and 588.5 yards.
• Iowa’s defense has allowed just 20 points in the second half this season and one touchdown.  The unit hasn’t allowed a point in the third quarter.

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 six TFL and five sacks this season. He is first in the Big Ten and seventh 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 five starts of their collegiate careers. Harrell has a team-high 32 tackles, including one sack and two TFL, while Sharar has 29 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.

CLUTCH KOEN
DB Koen Entringer had a career-high 10 tackles (seven solo), including a career-best two TFL in Week 5 against Indiana.  The Michigan native made a pair of key fourth-down stops in the second and fourth quarters for Indiana turnover on downs.
• Entringer is fourth on the team with 26 tackles and two TFL.  He also has two pass breakups and a fumble recovery in Week 2 at Iowa State.

HALL: CB1
Senior T.J. Hall has established himself as Iowa’s top defensive back through the first month-plus of the 2025 season. The California native has a team-high seven pass breakups to go along with 17 tackles. He had a career-high three pass breakups in Week 2 vs. Iowa State and Week 4 at Rutgers.
• Hall’s seven pass breakups (1.4 per game) are ninth-most nationally and tops in the Big Ten.

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 9-for-12 in field goal attempts this season, giving him 63 field goals in his career. He is 15th in the NCAA (fourth in the Big Ten) in field goals per game (1.80).
• He made 15 consecutive field goals from Week 10 of the 2024 season to Week 3 of the 2025 season.  He has made six straight field goals from 50+ dating back to the 2024 season.

1. Nate Kaeding (2000-03)    67
2. Drew Stevens (2022-pres.)    63

• 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 and Indiana -- his school-record 10th and 11th 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 63-of-79 field goal attempts (79.7 percent) and is 99-of-101 on PATs. He is 11-of-15 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 43 points in the first five weeks of the 2025 season, which is tops on the team. He now has 288 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    288 (99 PAT, 63 FG)

BLOCK-A-PA-LOOZA
Iowa has blocked a pair of kicks this season, which are 11th-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