IOWA CITY, Iowa — No. 11 Indiana football escaped Kinnick Stadium with a 20-15 victory on Saturday, despite struggling against Iowa for most of the game. It was Indiana's first time playing on the road in their second season under head coach Curt Cignetti, and the Hawkeyes made the visiting Hoosiers play on their terms.
Iowa began the contest with the ball, but Indiana redshirt junior linebacker Isaiah Jones tipped Mark Gronowski’s pass on the second play from scrimmage. Junior safety Amare Ferrell picked off the graduate student quarterback, giving the Hoosiers the ball at Iowa’s 24-yard line.
Indiana redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza connected with Omar Cooper Jr twice to begin the game — the second being a 14-yard touchdown pass to the redshirt junior receiver.
The Hoosiers forced a punt before going three-and-out. The Hawkeyes then drove 23 yards in five plays, as senior kicker Drew Stevens nailed a 40-yard field goal.
Indiana’s offense punted on its third drive of the contest. Then, it followed with a 10-play, 70-yard possession, but they failed to convert on fourth-and-one.
In response, Iowa drove 73 yards in 11 plays. Gronowski capped the possession with a 3-yard rushing touchdown to take a 10-7 lead.
Despite just 22 seconds left in the half, the Hoosiers bounced back with a three-play, 47-yard drive finished with redshirt sophomore kicker Nico Radidic drilling a 46-yard field goal to tie the game at 10 at halftime.
Even more of a defensive battle ensued in the third quarter with the Hoosiers gaining 69 yards to the Hawkeyes’ 57.
After Mendoza rushed for 14 yards on Indiana’s final drive of the third, the Hoosiers went for it on fourth and one on the first play of the final quarter. Sixth-year senior running back Kaelon Black lost a yard, giving Iowa the ball in plus territory.
Although the Hawkeyes didn’t find the end zone, Stevens notched his second field goal of the game — this time a 54-yarder to take a 13-10 lead.
Indiana responded on its ensuing drive, notching an eight-play, 49-yard drive capped by Radicic’s game-tying 44-yard field goal.
After Gronowski suffered an apparent left knee injury on the Hawkeyes’ previous drive, redshirt sophomore quarterback Hank Brown entered the contest. Indiana sixth-year safety Louis Moore, who secured an injunction against the NCAA to remain eligible for the rest of the 2025 season, intercepted Brown’s pass to give the Hoosiers the ball back.
While Indiana’s offense found its way into Iowa territory, Mendoza threw his first interception as a Hoosier. However, after the Hawkeyes failed to convert on third down, Stevens missed a 42-yard attempt.
Mendoza responded from his interception, finding Elijah Sarratt for a completion. The senior receiver took the ball 49 yards to the end zone to give Indiana a 20-13 lead — one it didn’t relinquish.
Iowa turned the ball over on downs on its final possession. After Mendoza took three kneel downs, he sacrificed a safety to secure the win.
The Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) enter their first bye week of the season, giving them an extra week of preparation ahead of their Oct. 11 matchup with No. 6 Oregon.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
