Iowa City Today

University of Iowa football head coach Kirk Ferentz has become the winningest coach in Big Ten history following the Hawkeyes’ 47-7 victory over UMass on Saturday at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa dominated both sides of the ball, gaining 435 total yards compared to UMass’s 119. Quarterback Mark Gronowski completed 16 of 24 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns, also adding a rushing touchdown. Nathan McNeil led the team in rushing with 56 yards, while Jaziun Paterson added 54 yards and Kaden Wetjen contributed a 20-yard touchdown run.

Wide receiver Sam Phillips recorded three catches for 75 yards. Seth Anderson caught two touchdown passes, and KJ Parker added another receiving score. Wetjen stood out on special teams with four punt returns for 182 yards, including a record-setting 95-yard return for a touchdown. He finished the game with a career-high 236 all-purpose yards.

Ferentz reflected on his team’s performance and his coaching milestone after the game. “Overall, really pleased with the effort of our team. I was pleased with the week. I thought our guys got back on their feet starting last Sunday. I thought the effort was good during the week, as far as our preparation, that type of thing. Guys showed up tonight, and I thought they were ready to go.

We made improvement, no question about that. I saw a lot of good things out there, still things we can get better at. Offensively had a little better flow. Mark looked more comfortable. He had a good week at practice, and you see him climbing the ladder each and every week. I'm not surprised by that. He's a tremendous young person and a strong leader for us.

The defense did a good job of limiting the big play, and there were still some things we have to get better at the quarterback, let him outside too often. In the words of Norm Parker, it's about keeping the ball in front and keeping it inside, and we violated that a few times. So still some things to work on.

Then special teams a little bit of a mix. Certainly some things to think oh well, and Drew didn't have the best night of his career, but he'll bounce back. I'm not worried about him.

Kaden Wetjen did a fantastic job. I thought last week he pressed a little too much, was trying to do too much. Just encouraged him to try to relax and be who he is, and when he does that, he's pretty good because obviously he's got great ability. He's fearless back there, and when he gets the ball, he's trying to do something with it, which is really, really special.

Overall, I thought we played clean football tonight. No turnovers in the game. Almost got out without a penalty. Had a young guy jump offsides late. Our general tempo was overall pretty good.

Eager now to flip the page. We'll go back to work tomorrow morning; got a short week... It's going to be great to start Big Ten football... We're looking forward to a big challenge here going to Rutgers on a short week...

Then to follow up on Beth's comments... I'm thrilled and can't believe quite frankly my name's next to that distinction... It's just been fun to watch them play in the program and see them become adults... That's really what makes it special...

I want to pay tribute to all those players that have made this possible... Our fans have been great...

Then ... I've been fortunate to have great mentors during my time... Started with my parents ... The family aspect here too ... My wife Mary ... We've been partners ever since really...

Anyway,I feel pretty fortunate,and we'll enjoy it here for next hour..."

The Hawkeyes scored quickly at multiple points throughout Saturday’s game: opening with three consecutive scoring drives in their first three possessions; adding scores from both offense (including Gronowski’s rushing TD before halftime) as well as Wetjen’s record-breaking punt return after halftime; finishing with contributions from reserve quarterback Hank Brown who threw his first career touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter.

Wetjen’s achievements included tying both school records (for longest punt return in stadium history) as well as Big Ten marks set decades ago—his third career return touchdown puts him among only two players in Iowa history (alongside Tim Dwight) with multiple punt returns longer than eighty yards.

Gronowski surpassed career milestones as well: moving past ten thousand five hundred passing yards (now totaling 10,615), reaching ninety-six passing touchdowns overall,and scoring rushing touchdowns in each game this season so far.His completions reached nine different receivers against UMass.

Seth Anderson became notable for catching two touchdowns within one quarter—the first Hawkeye since Maurice Brown (2002)to achieve this feat so early—and Hank Brown recorded his first passing touchdown since joining Iowa.Wetjen also became recognized as likely being Iowa’s only player ever having scored via rush,reception,punt return,and kickoff return during his college tenure at Iowa.

Iowa reached several team benchmarks under offensive coordinator Tim Lester—including most points scored at home since facing Michigan State in 2020—as well as holding an opponent under two hundred total offensive yards twice already this season.The defense tallied eleven tackles-for-loss along with five sacks,both highs thus far this year.With their latest win,the Hawkeyes move forward into conference play next Friday night against Rutgers—a matchup set for national broadcast coverage.