FINAL NOTES: 2025 SEASON

1ST & 10
• Iowa accepted an invitation to the 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl for the sixth time in program history and first since 2018.
• The Hawkeyes have qualified for a bowl game in 13 straight seasons.
• Iowa is currently one of four teams in FBS to have won at least eight games in each of the last 10 completed seasons (Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State). The Hawkeyes have won 9+ games 10 times under head coach Kirk Ferentz.  
• Iowa’s four losses in 2025 have come by a combined 15 points (3, 5, 2, 5).
• The Hawkeyes had two players earn consensus All-America honors in center Logan Jones and return specialist Kaden Wetjen.  It is the third straight year the program has had multiple consensus All-Americans.
• Jones was a unanimous consensus All-American and the program’s second recipient of the Rimington Trophy. Iowa is the only school in the nation to have a unanimous consensus All-American every year since 2021.
• Iowa’s offensive line won the Joe Moore Award for a second time in program history. The award honors the nation’s top offensive line.
• Wetjen was named the Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year for a second straight season. He is the first two-time recipient in conference history.
• Wetjen, a Jett Award finalist, is No. 1 in the nation in combined return yards (965). He is the only player in Big Ten history to have three punt return TDs and a kick return TD in the same season and the only player in the nation to have both a KR and PR touchdown in 2025.
• Iowa had 21 players earn All-Big Ten recognition, including four first-team All-Big Ten selections, and four different players garner All-America honors.
• QB Mark Gronowski holds Iowa’s single season records for most rushing yards by a quarterback (491) and most rushing touchdowns (15).  He has a record 57 career victories as a collegiate QB.
• Gronowski scored a touchdown in Iowa’s first 10 games this season. The streak was the longest by a Big Ten quarterback all-time. His 15 total rushing TDs are tops in the Big Ten, seventh-most nationally and tied for the second-most among FBS quarterbacks. The 15 rushing TDs are a single season record by an Iowa quarterback and the second-most in Big Ten history.
• PK Drew Stevens has made 74 career field goals -- the most in program history. He is also second in school history in career scoring (342). 

IOWA FINISHES 17TH
The Hawkeyes finished the 2025 season ranked 17th in both The Associated Press and US LBM Coaches Poll. It is the 12th time in the Kirk Ferentz era that Iowa has finished with a top 25 AP ranking and the eighth-highest finish.  
• Iowa’s No. 17 ranking is the eighth-best ranking in the last 34 seasons. 

CONSENSUS ALL-AMERICANS
Graduate center Logan Jones earned unanimous consensus All-America honors, while graduate return specialist Kaden Wetjen was a consensus All-American. The duo became Iowa’s 34th and 35th consensus All-Americans during the 2025 season.  
• Jones was a unanimous consensus All-American, earning first team honors by Walter Camp, AP, The Sporting News, FWAA and AFCA, while Wetjen was a first-team selection by Walter Camp, The Sporting News and FWAA, while being a second-team pick by the AFCA.
• Jones is the 17th unanimous consensus All-American in program history.
• Iowa is the only school in the nation to have a unanimous consensus All-American every year since 2021. The Hawkeyes have six unanimous All-Americans since 2021.
• Nineteen of Iowa’s 35 consensus All-Americans have come during the Kirk Ferentz era.  
• The Hawkeyes have had multiple consensus All-Americans eight times in program history, including each of the last three seasons (1981, 1984, 2002, 2003, 2017, 2023, 2024, 2025).  

ALL-AMERICA TIDBITS
• Iowa is the only school in the country to have two offensive players earn first-team AP All-America honors. 
• Iowa has had an AP first-team All-American in seven consecutive seasons, the longest streak nationally. No other FBS program has a streak longer than four straight years.
• The Hawkeyes have had at least one AP first or second team All-American in 12 consecutive seasons, dating back to the 2014 seasons (2014-25).
• Iowa has had at least one Walter Camp All-American in each of the past 12 seasons, dating back to 2015. Iowa has the longest active streak nationally with a first-team All-American (2019-25).
• The Hawkeyes have had multiple Walter Camp All-Americans in six of the last seven seasons, including three straight seasons with multiple first-team honorees.
• Iowa has had multiple AFCA All-Americans in three straight seasons (2023, 2024, 2025).
• The Hawkeyes have had three Sporting News All-Americans in each of the past three seasons (2023, 2024, 2025).
• Iowa has had a FWAA All-American (first or second team) in 13 straight seasons, dating back to 2013, the second-longest active streak in the country (Alabama, 17). During the streak, a Hawkeye earned first team honors 18 times and second team five times.
• Iowa has had multiple FWAA All-Americans in each of the last seven seasons (2019-25).
• Over the last four seasons, Iowa has had 10 FWAA All-Americans, second only to Ohio State (12).
• The Hawkeyes have had a special teams All-American five of the last seven seasons.  
• Iowa led the nation with four Pro Football Focus All-Americans.  
• The Hawkeyes have had five players earn FWAA Freshman All-America honors over the past six seasons. 

THE BEST LINE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Iowa’s offensive line consisting of center Logan Jones, guards Beau Stephens and Kade Pieper and tackles Gennings Dunker and Trevor Lauck were named the recipient of the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s top offensive line. 
• It is the second time Iowa has received the award (2016, 2025) and the Hawkeyes have been a semifinalist four times (2016, 2020, 2024, 2025). 
• The Hawkeyes are one of three schools to earn the distinction more than once, joining Alabama and Michigan.
• Iowa’s offensive line was one of eight schools nationally to start the same five players in every game this season. It was the first time the Hawkeyes have started the same five players on the O-line since 2013.
• The Hawkeye offensive line, which had all five players earn All-Big Ten honors and three earn All-America recognition, gave up 18 sacks in the team’s 13 games.
• Iowa was the only school to have three offensive linemen earn AP All-Big Ten honors.
• Jones (51 starts), Dunker (38 starts) and Stephens (34 starts) combined to start 123 games in their collegiate careers.  
• Guard Beau Stephens led all Power Four guards with an 88.3 PFF grade and his 92.9 pass-blocking grade was the best among all guards in America.  He did not allow a sack or hit allowed and had only three pressures surrendered all season.
• Guard Kade Pieper’s 82.7 grade led all FBS right guards. He was the only right guard in the nation with 80.0-plus grades as a run-and-pass-blocker and he didn’t allow a sack on 293 pass-blocking snaps.
• The first accepted holding penalty against an Iowa offensive lineman this season occurred in Game 10 against USC (Gennings Dunker in the final drive of the first half). The unit had two holding penalties accepted against them during the 2025 season.

THE TOP CENTER IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Consensus All-American Logan Jones became the second Hawkeye all-time to win the Rimington Trophy, presented to the nation’s top center.  
• Jones, who started all 13 games and 51 career contests, anchored Iowa’s offensive line that was the Joe Moore Award winner as the nation’s top unit. He served as an Iowa captain each week and was the top-rated center in the country by Pro Football Focus (by nearly two points). He didn’t get flagged for an offensive holding penalty in 2025.
• Jones was the only center in America who had top five marks as a pass blocker (second) and run blocker (third). 
• He joined Tyler Linderbaum (2021) as Iowa’s Rimington Trophy honorees. The Hawkeyes are one of four schools (Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama) to have multiple Rimington Trophy recipients.

WETJEN: TWO-TIME JETT AWARD WINNER
Consensus All-American Kaden Wetjen became the first player to win the Jet Award as the nation’s top return specialist in back-to-back seasons, earning the distinction in 2024 and 2025. The Williamsburg, Iowa, native led the country in combined return yards (by 301) for a second straight season. He finished with 1,039 combined return yards (476 kickoff, 563 punt), ranking No. 1 in punt returns (26.8) and punt return TDs (3) and second in kickoff returns (29.8) and sixth in kickoff return touchdowns (1). The 26.8 punt return average is tops in NCAA history and the three punt return TDs in 2025 are tied for the third-most in a single season in league history.
• Wetjen’s 90.3 return grade led all Power Four players and his 95.5 punt return grade was the highest ever by a player in the PFF College era.
• He also became the first two-time recipient of the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year since the award was introduced in 2015.

CONSISTENT D
• Iowa’s defense finished the 2025 season ranking in the top 17 in defensive metrics. The Hawkeyes were fifth in first down defense (204), eighth in scoring defense (15.6), ninth in total defense (280.4), 10th in the nation in passing defense (172.7) and 17th in rushing defense (107.7).
• The defensive unit limited big plays, yielding just seven runs of 20+ yards and 10 pass plays of 30+ yards.
• Iowa’s defense surrendered just four scoring drives of 80 yards or more on the year.
• 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 limited Oregon to 18 points – 23.3 points below its season average – and 373 total yards – 110 yards below its average. The Hawkeyes also kept USC (360) to 147 total yards below its season average (503).
• Iowa’s defense allowed just 93 points in the second half this season and nine touchdowns. The unit didn’t allow a third-quarter touchdown until Week 8 and allowed just 50 points in the third quarter.

THE D
Iowa’s defense has ranked in the top 20 nationally in scoring defense in each of the last 11 seasons.  
• The Hawkeyes have allowed fewer than 20 points per game in 10 consecutive seasons.   
• Iowa has ranked in the top 20 in scoring defense in seven consecutive seasons.  

LUTMER IS EVERYWHERE
Sophomore Zach Lutmer led the team lead with three interceptions in 2025 while being a Swiss army knife in Iowa’s secondary. His three picks ranked eighth in the Big Ten (55th nationally). He tallied his first interception in Week 5 against Indiana and returned it 38 yards into Hoosier territory. His second pick came in Week 9 against Minnesota and he returned it 34 yards for his first collegiate touchdown and his third INT came in Week 13 against Michigan State.
• The Rock Rapids, Iowa, native was fourth on the team with 71 tackles to go along with 5.5 TFL, one sack, one fumble recovery and seven pass breakups, including a career-high three at Rutgers.

NEW LBs STEPPING UP
Graduate linebacker Karson Sharar led the team with 83 tackles, including a team-high 12 tackles for loss, four sacks and six quarterback hurries, during the 2025 season – his first as a starter. The Iowa Falls, Iowa, native had three double-digit tackle games – a career-high 10 tackles in Week 4 at Rutgers, Week 11 versus Oregon and Week 13 against Michigan State. He also had three TFL, one sack and two hurries against the Spartans. Sharar finished with nine tackles and a team-best 2.5 TFL in the Week 8 win over Penn State.
• Junior Jayden Montgomery started seven of Iowa’s final eight games. He had a career-high eight tackles in Week 11 versus Oregon and tied a career-high with eight stops in the bowl victory over Vanderbilt.

THE WIZARD FROM WILLIAMSBURG
Longtime columnist Mike Hlas deemed Iowa’s Kaden Wetjen “The Wizard from Williamsburg”. Wetjen finishes his career as a historic Hawkeye. The Williamsburg, Iowa, native is unquestionably the top returner in Iowa football history and he finished his career as one of the most electrifying return specialists in college football.
• Punt return average of 26.8 yards in 2025 is No. 1 nationally and No. 1 in NCAA history (min. 1.5 attempts), passing Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle
• Three punt return touchdowns in 2025 are tied for the third-most in a single season in Big Ten history, which included a 95-yarder vs. UMass that tied a Big Ten record
• Four career punt return touchdowns – tied for third-most in Big Ten history (No. 2 in Iowa history behind Tim Dwight’s five)
• 182 punt return yards vs. UMass – fourth-most in Big Ten history
• Finished with a 17.7 career punt return average (54 returns, 954 yards), which ranks No. 1 in Big Ten history. His 954 career yards are 10th-most in Big Ten history. 
• His 563 punt return yards in 2025 are an Iowa record and the fifth-most in Big Ten history
• 100-yard kickoff return touchdown vs. Rutgers – tied a Big Ten record
• 27.5 career kickoff return average; ranks No. 3 all-time in Big Ten history
• First player with three punt return touchdowns and a kickoff return touchdown in a single season in Big Ten history
• Six career combined kickoff/punt return touchdowns – Iowa record, passing Hawkeye great Tim Dwight (5)
• Six career 100+ yard combined return games
• 2024 & 2025 Jet Award winner… Iowa’s first honoree… first two-time recipient in award history
• First two-time recipient of the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year, given to the top return specialist in the Big Ten Conference
• Only player in the nation with a punt and kickoff return for a touchdown in both 2024 and 2025… also had a receiving and rushing touchdown in 2025

STEVENS IS NO. 1
Senior Drew Stevens made two field goals in Week 8 against Penn State to pass Nate Kaeding for the most career field goals made in program history. He made 76 career field goals during his four-year Hawkeye career, which are tied for the fourth-most in Big Ten Conference history.
• The South Carolina native was 22-for-28 in field goal attempts in 2025 with his 22 makes being a career high and the third-most in a single season in program history. He was 12th in the NCAA (second in the Big Ten) in field goals per game (1.69).
• Stevens made a career-long 58-yard field goal in Week 11 against Oregon to tie an Iowa and Kinnick Stadium record. The 58-yarder was tied for the third-longest field goal in the nation this season.
• Stevens made a game-winning 44-yard field goal as time expired to give the Hawkeyes a 20-17 Senior Day victory over Michigan State in Week 13. It was Stevens’ fourth career game-winning field goal (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).
• Stevens had 12 career makes from 50+ yards – an Iowa school record.
• He made 15 consecutive field goals from Week 10 of the 2024 season to Week 3 of the 2025 season. 
• Stevens connected from 28 and 55 yards in the victory over the Great Danes. The 55-yarder is tied for the fifth longest kick in school history. He also made a 54-yarder against UMass and Indiana.
• 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 had four career games where he has made at least four field goals.
• For his career, Stevens made 76-of-95 field goal attempts (80 percent) and 124-of-126 on PATs. He went 12-of-17 from 50-59 yards in his Hawkeye career.  

STEVENS FINISHES NO. 2 IN CAREER SCORING
Senior Drew Stevens scored a team-best 107 points during the 2025 season – the sixth-most in a single-season in program history.
• He finished his career with 352 points, which are second-most all-time in program history.

ALONE AT THE TOP
Kirk Ferentz completed his 27th season as Iowa’s head football coach during the 2025 season. 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 213 career victories.
• Ferentz has 134 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 11 career bowl game victories -- the most 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 (10/12/24) - 40-16 - passed Amos Alonzo Stagg to move to No. 2 in Big Ten history
206 – UMass (9/13/25) – 47-7 – passed Woody Hayes to become Big Ten’s all-time winningest coach
213 - Vanderbilt (12/31/25) - 34-24 - 11th bowl victory, the most in Big Ten history