Albany suffers a crushing defeat as Iowa amasses 310 rushing yards in a dominating victory.
The Iowa Hawkeyes kicked off their season with a resounding 38-7 victory over the Albany Great Danes on Saturday. The game, which lasted for 36 minutes and 37 seconds, saw Iowa holding the ball for the majority of the time.
In the second quarter, the Hawkeyes took a 10-7 lead after quarterback Mark Gronowski threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kaden Wetjen on 4th-and-goal with 1 minute and 51 seconds remaining. This score was preceded by a 3-yard touchdown run by Williams at 7 minutes and 28 seconds, giving Iowa an initial 3-0 advantage.
Albany managed to take a brief lead with 11 minutes and 33 seconds until halftime, scoring a 9-yard touchdown pass from Jack Shields to Lasalle Rose Jr. However, Iowa responded with 31 unanswered points to secure their victory.
Gronowski, making his debut, went 8 of 15 passing for 44 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 39 yards on 11 carries and scored a 1-yard touchdown run with 5 minutes and 27 seconds left in the third quarter, extending Iowa's lead to 24-7. Xavier Williams, on the other hand, rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Iowa's ground game was impressive, rushing for 310 yards on 53 carries without committing a turnover until the last minute of the game. Albany, in comparison, managed only 43 yards on 21 carries during the contest.
The Hawkeyes' head coach, Kirk Ferentz, led his team to a successful season opener. Iowa's only penalties during the game were two, a testament to their disciplined performance. Drew Stevens connected on a 55-yard field goal with 14 minutes and 18 seconds remaining in the game, securing Iowa's lead.
Caden Burti was Albany's standout player, catching three passes for 56 yards. However, it was not enough to counter Iowa's dominant performance. The game ended with a final score of 38-7 in favour of the Hawkeyes. Hank Brown scored a 1-yard touchdown run with 3 minutes and 42 seconds left in the game, securing Iowa's victory.
The Iowa Hawkeyes will look to build on this strong start as they continue their season, aiming to maintain their form and challenge for honours in their division.
