After a 33-day wait since the Hawkeyes last took the field, No. 23 Iowa football (9-4, 6-3 Big Ten) defeated Vanderbilt (10-3, 6-2 SEC) by a score of 34-27 in the ReliaQuest Bowl from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, to cap off a memorable 2025 campaign.
Iowa gained 379 yards of offense on the day (212 passing, 167 rushing), with Gronowski throwing for two touchdowns on 16-for-22 completions with a lone interception. On the ground, Kamari Moulton led the way with 95 yards and a score on 14 carries.
Defensively, Iowa not only delivered hard hits on every tackle. While Iowa did not get a takeaway, it held Diego Pavia in check by recording four sacks on the day.
After all the hype that surrounded the Heisman Trophy finalist and the Commodores, Iowa’s defensively sound and dominant offensive line proved to be superior.
Final: Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27
IN HEAVEN, THERE IS NO BEER!
HAWKEYES WIN!!
2:00 4th QTR: Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27
Hawkeyes pick up a first down at the two-minute timeout, which will essentially salt away the game with Vandy out of timeouts!
2:57 4th QTR: Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27
2:57 4th QTR: Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27
Vanderbilt kicks a field goal to try to get within one score.
4:13 4th QTR: Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 24
Drew Stevens’ 44-yard field goal is good!
Iowa adds some much-needed insurance points to its lead as Vanderbilt will need to act fast with time dwindling.
11:19 4th QTR: Iowa 31, Vanderbilt 24
Touchdown Vandy.
Pavia scrambles into the end zone on an 11-yard touchdown run.
Commodores respond immediately with a touchdown to bring the Hawkeyes’ lead back to seven.
Iowa needs to answer back promptly, as Vandy is carrying a lot of offensive momentum right now.
13:35 4th QTR: Iowa 31, Vanderbilt 17
TOUCHDOWN IOWA!!!
THE TRIED AND TRUE GRONOWSKI PLOWSKI WORKS AGAIN FOR THE SCORE!
End of 3rd QTR: Iowa 24, Vanderbilt 17
Iowa is on the cusp of the end zone at the Vandy 4-yard line, where it will look to regain a 14-point advantage.
1:41 3rd QTR: Iowa 24, Vanderbilt 17
Touchdown Vanderbilt.
Pavia single-handedly spurs on a touchdown drive that is capped off by a 16-yard pass.
This is becoming a tight game now. Hawkeyes need to respond.
3:56 3rd QTR: Iowa 24, Vanderbilt 10
Drew Stevens’ 47-yard field goal is good!
Hawkeyes add to their lead after a defensive stop, going up by two scores.
5:25 3rd QTR: Iowa 21, Vanderbilt 10
Hawkeyes force a turnover on downs by the Commodores on fourth down and short at their own 38-yard line!
7:02 3rd QTR: Iowa 21, Vanderbilt 10
Iowa is unable to respond and is forced to punt back to an energized Vanderbilt squad.
Commodores will start from their own 29-yard line.
8:37 3rd QTR: Iowa 21, Vanderbilt 10
Vanderbilt Touchdown.
Iowa gets burnt on a streaking Vanderbilt receiver down the field as Pavia throws a perfect pass for a 75-yard touchdown.
8:50 3rd QTR: Iowa 21, Vanderbilt 3
TOUCHDOWN IOWA!
Gronowski passes a fly-flicker-style pass to a wide-open DJ Vonnahme for a 21-yard score!
12:08 3rd QTR: Iowa 14, Vanderbilt 3
Iowa forces a punt on the Commodores’ opening drive of the second half, which Wetjen returns 21 yards to the Iowa 42-yard line.
First Half Pictures
Top First Half Highlight
First Half Thoughts
Halftime: Iowa 14, Vanderbilt 3
After Vanderbilt could have tacked on a field goal to close out the half, it ended up with nothing as Pavia’s deep ball was incomplete as time expired.
0:41 2nd QTR: Iowa 14, Vanderbilt 3
TOUCHDOWN HAWKEYES!
Gronowski passes a 10-yard touchdown to Reese Vander Zee, who spun around to make a spectacular catch in the front corner of the end zone.
0:48 2nd QTR: Iowa 7, Vanderbilt 3
Iowa gets its fourth sack of the day on Diego Pavia to force yet another Commodores punt.
In a very Sickos Committee-like penalty, Vanderbilt kicked the ball past the line of scrimmage, which is a five-yard penalty from the line of scrimmage. This gives the Hawkeyes the ball at the Vandy 10-yard line.
3:57 2nd QTR: Iowa 7, Vanderbilt 3
Iowa forced to punt after Gronowski somehow fought back and recovered a should-have-been-lost fumble.
Vanderbilt will start their drive from their own 12-yard line.
7:49 2nd QTR: Iowa 7, Vanderbilt 3
Vanderbilt gets on the board with a 41-yard field goal after the Commodores found success on a few third downs that allowed them to march down the field.
End of 1st QTR: Iowa 7, Vanderbilt 0
Hawkeyes end the first quarter prepared to punt after failing to convert on a third down and short from their own 31-yard line.
2:10 1st QTR: Iowa 7, Vanderbilt 0
Iowa gets another sack on third down to force a Vanderbilt punt!
The wobbling 59-yard punt rolls to the Iowa 22-yard line, where the Hawkeyes will take over.
3:56 1st QTR: Iowa 7, Vanderbilt 0
Another big play by the Hawkeyes sets them up in the red zone, but Gronowski’s ensuing pass is tipped in the air and intercepted by Vanderbilt in the end zone for a touchback.
Commodores will start from their own 20-yard line.
8:27 1st QTR: Iowa 7, Vanderbilt 0
Iowa gets a stop on Vanderbilt’s opening drive with a huge 9-yard sack of Diego Pavia to force the Commodores to punt!
Wetjen returns the ball four yards to the Iowa 17-yard line, where the Hawkeyes will begin their drive.
12:55 1st QTR: Iowa 7, Vanderbilt 0
Touchdown Iowa!
After a 44-yard run on third down by Mark Gronowski, the Hawkeyes jump on the scoreboard first with a four-yard touchdown run by Kamari Moulton on the opening drive of the game.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football holds off Vanderbilt for ReliaQuest Bowl win: Final Score, Recap
Reporting by Scout Springgate, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
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