Main Story

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz called Saturday’s loss a failure across the team, citing turnovers, a blocked punt, loose balls, mental mistakes and poor tackling. The Hawkeyes are moving on to a rivalry game against Wisconsin, with Mark Gronowski slated to start at quarterback and running back Kamari Moulton out for the season.

By the Numbers
  • Wisconsin is 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten.
  • Ferentz said Bryce Hawthorne has gone from playing roughly one-third of Iowa’s snaps last season to the majority this year.
  • The matchup is the 100th between Iowa and Wisconsin.
Yes, But

Ferentz said both young quarterbacks remain capable, and he stood by the decision-making from Saturday’s game. He also acknowledged Iowa’s mistakes—including a punt-blocking miscommunication and repeated ball-security failures—must be corrected quickly.

State of Play
  • Gronowski is the planned starter; Ferentz said the situation could be reassessed during the week.
  • Moulton is out for the season. LJ Phillips is day-to-day, leaving Iowa to rely on its three currently healthy running backs.
  • Wisconsin arrives playing with confidence after a road win at Penn State and is, in Ferentz’s view, well-coached and physical.
What's Next

Iowa hosts Wisconsin on Saturday and will focus its preparation on protecting the ball, fixing special-teams communication and getting ready for a physical opponent.

Bottom Line

For Iowa, the clearest path forward is execution: Ferentz says the team’s recurring mistakes—not a lack of belief in its players—must be addressed before the rivalry game.