Iowa Holds Off Vanderbilt 34 to 27 In ReliaQuest Bowl
Iowa Hawkeyes take the ReliaQuest Bowl
The ReliaQuest Bowl turned out to be the intriguing matchup that I imagined. It didn’t always look that way, but you can never count out a good second half push in the game of football. The Iowa Hawkeyes came out and set the tone early, marching down the field on the opening drive with four runs and one pass. Mark Gronowski’s 44 yard scramble was the big spark, and the drive was finished off when Kamari Moulton powered in from four yards out to give Iowa the early lead.
It was a physical, statement drive from Iowa right out of the gate.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia answered with quick hitters in the short passing game and some work with his legs, but the drive stalled when Karson Sharar came up with a big third down sack to force a punt. Iowa went right back on the attack and drove the field again before Vanderbilt came up with an interception in the end zone to keep things close. Still, the Commodores struggled early slowing down Iowa’s offense.
Iowa’s defense settled in, and Sharar continued to spy Pavia well, adding a second sack to shut down another Vanderbilt possession. Pavia’s best rhythm came when he got the ball out fast and moved the offense methodically, but even then another drive stalled and Vanderbilt had to settle for a Brock Taylor field goal to cut it to 7 to 3 with 7:49 left in the half.
Any time Vanderbilt tried to push the ball downfield early, it seemed like drops or slight overthrows got in the way.
Then came one of the biggest turning points. With 48 seconds left in the first half, Vanderbilt made a costly special teams mistake. Punter Nick Haberer looked like he was attempting a fake, but then tried to kick the ball after he had already crossed the line of scrimmage. That penalty handed Iowa the ball deep in Vanderbilt territory, and the Hawkeyes immediately cashed in.
On the very next play, Mark Gronowski hit Reece Vander Zee for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 14 to 3 going into halftime. That moment swung the momentum right back to Iowa.
Out of the break, Vanderbilt clearly cleaned some things up up front. One thing of note, they did not allow a sack the entire second half, so adjustments were definitely made in pass protection.
With better protection, Pavia went to work. He connected with Tre Richardson for a 75 yard touchdown in the third quarter, then later found Junior Sherrill for gains of 46 and 37 yards in the fourth. Pavia finished with 347 yards and two touchdowns on 25 of 38 passing, plus 36 rushing yards and a rushing score. Vanderbilt kept answering and kept pressure on Iowa in the second half.
The problem for Vanderbilt was that Iowa had an answer when the lead was trimmed, and defensively they were able to crunch down before things completely swung Vanderbilt’s way. The senior leadership of Mark Gronowski was big in this game. He went 16 of 22 for two touchdowns and one interception, added 54 rushing yards and a score, and consistently delivered when Iowa needed it. NFL scouts should have taken notice.
Iowa’s ground game made life easier too, pounding out 167 rushing yards behind a physical front. Kamari Moulton led the way with 95 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while DJ Vonnahme was the go to target in the passing game with seven receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown.
In the end, Iowa made the key plays late and held off Vanderbilt for a 34 to 27 win in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
My final thought from today’s game is this. I saw two quarterbacks who should absolutely have a place at the next level. Whether you are a Diego Pavia fan or not, the guy is a fighter. His second half performance showed real grit and a genuine love for the game.
Also to be fair, that competitive edge was on display from players on both sides all afternoon. The ReliaQuest Bowl delivered. It kept my attention the whole way through. So, who says bowl games don’t matter?
Featured Image Courtesy of Iowa Athletics
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