Iowa City Today

The Iowa Hawkeyes are set to face UMass at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday, September 13, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on BTN and the Hawkeye Radio Network. This matchup marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Saturday’s contest is designated as a “Gold Out,” with fans encouraged to wear gold clothing. It is also Iowa’s second consecutive home night game of the season; the team has won five straight home night games dating back to 2022.

Iowa’s defense ranks among the top nationally through its first two games, standing 12th in total defense, 16th in rushing defense, and 30th in scoring defense. The unit allowed only one touchdown in each of its opening contests against UAlbany and Iowa State.

On offense, first-year starting quarterback Mark Gronowski reached his 50th career win during the season-opening victory over UAlbany. "Sixth-year Mark Gronowski has won 50 career games as a starting quarterback, which are the second-most amongst signal callers all-time (all levels)." Cullen Finnerty of Grand Valley State holds the national record with 51 wins; Boise State’s Kellen Moore ties Gronowski for most wins at FCS/FBS level.

The Hawkeyes have been effective on the ground this season, ranking fifth in the Big Ten and 31st nationally by averaging 220.5 rushing yards per game. In their opener against UAlbany, they totaled 310 rushing yards—eighth-most under head coach Kirk Ferentz—and have rushed for more than 200 yards eight times since offensive coordinator Tim Lester took over.

Redshirt freshman Xavier Williams made an impact in his debut by running for 122 yards and a touchdown on eleven carries against UAlbany—the most by a Hawkeye freshman since at least 1970 in their debut performance. "Williams is the first Iowa freshman to record a 100-yard game in his debut since Shonn Greene against Ball State in 2005."

Graduate quarterback Mark Gronowski adds mobility to Iowa's offense, ranking fourth on the team with seventy-six rushing yards and leading with two rushing touchdowns so far this season.

Defensively, graduates Ethan Hurkett and Aaron Graves anchor a line that now includes transfers Jonah Pace from Central Michigan and Bryce Hawthorne from South Dakota State.

Special teams have seen notable performances as well: graduate Kaden Wetjen received The Jet Award as college football's top return specialist after finishing last year with over one thousand combined kick return yards—first nationally—and returning both a kickoff and punt for touchdowns during the previous campaign.

Senior kicker Drew Stevens has moved into third place on Iowa’s all-time list for career field goals made after going five-for-five through two weeks this year; he currently sits at fifty-eight field goals overall.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz continues to add milestones of his own while leading Iowa football into his twenty-seventh season. On October 12, Ferentz secured his two-hundredth Big Ten Conference win—tying Ohio State legend Woody Hayes atop league history—and remains college football's longest-tenured active head coach.