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Iowa finally ends horrific drought with first TD of 2024

Cory Nightingale

By Cory Nightingale

Published:

Iowa fans probably forgot what it felt like to see their team score a touchdown.

Yes, it had been that long.

But in Saturday’s season opener at home against Illinois State, it finally happened — after 196 minutes and 50 seconds of football dating back to last season. Yes, it still took the 25th-ranked Hawkeyes more than a half to do the deed, but better late than never.

With 11:32 left in the 3rd quarter at Kinnick Stadium, senior quarterback Cade McNamara rolled to his right and found freshman wideout Reece Vander Zee for a 7-yard score that finally gave Iowa some breathing room with a 12-0 lead.

Of course, it couldn’t all be wonderful for the offensive-starved Hawkeyes. Moments later, Iowa went for 2 points to try to get the full 14-point lead, but the conversion failed, so Iowa fans had to be content with the long-awaited touchdown.

The Hawkeyes’ TD drought went back to the regular-season finale last season at Nebraska, when Iowa managed 1 whole touchdown in a 13-10 victory in Lincoln. After that, not only did Iowa not score a touchdown in its losses in the Big Ten Championship Game against Michigan and the Citrus Bowl against Tennessee, but the Hawkeyes didn’t score a point, getting shut out 26-0 by the Wolverines and 35-0 by the Volunteers.

Maybe Saturday’s drought-breaking touchdown will open things up for Iowa. Because on its very next possession, the Hawkeyes got in the end zone again, this time on a 31-yard TD strike from McNamara to junior wideout Jacob Gill for a 19-0 lead.

 

Cory Nightingale