Mark Gronowski’s last trip to Kinnick Stadium to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes was unforgettable for some rather curious reasons.
Back in September of 2022, Gronowski led the South Dakota State Jackrabbits into Kinnick Stadium for the season-opener in a game that Hawkeye fans can’t erase from their memory. The final score ended a traditional score of 7-3 that was achieved in a nontraditional way.
Iowa scored seven points on the back of two safeties and a field goal to get the Week 1 win. Gronowski met Iowa’s defense, which was arguably the best of the last decade, and went just 10-26 for 87 yards.
Now that he has transferred to Iowa, he is excited to experience Kinnick Stadium as a Hawkeye and reap the benefits of the rabid fanbase.
“That game was awesome. It was the loudest stadium I’ve ever played in. A lot of loud Kinnick Iowa fans. It was a lot of fun. It was loud. I couldn’t even hear myself at the line of scrimmage. I’m excited to be on the other side of it next fall,” Gronowski said about Kinnick Stadium’s noise and raucous fan environment.
Iowa’s defense, led by legendary linebacker Jack Campbell, held South Dakota State to just 120 yards on the day. They allowed 87 passing yards and just 33 rushing yards on 31 attempts. The Kinnick Stadium crowd forced the Jackrabbits to commit 12 penalties on the day.
The season-opener did not prove to be an omen for Gronowski or South Dakota State as they went on to win the 2022 FCS National Championship. Mark Gronowski ended the year with 2,967 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns, 408 rushing yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa QB Mark Gronowski excited to experience Kinnick Stadium fans as a Hawkeye
Reporting by Riley Donald, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
