Hawkeyes topple Vandy for bowl victory

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Mark Gronowski threw two touchdowns and rushed for another to lead Iowa to a 34-27 win over No. 13 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Wednesday.

Gronowski was 16 of 22 passing for 212 yards, throwing touchdowns passes of 10 and 21 yards to Reece Vander Zee and DJ Vonnahme, respectively, as Iowa got out to a 21-3 lead early in the third quarter.

In the last game of Hawkeye stalwart Aaron Graves’ career, the team closed 2025 on a winning note with the other program seniors.

“It was an incredible way to end my career,” said Graves, a former Southeast Valley all-stater who grew up in Dayton. “We had been in so many close games this year against some great teams and just fell short, so to come out ahead in this one felt great.

“Having my wife (Aubrey) and newborn (Grayson) and family there was just such a blessing. I really couldn’t have asked for a better way to end it all.”

Vanderbilt (10-3) rallied behind Diego Pavia. The Heisman Trophy runner-up threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Tre Richardson and a 16-yarder to Joseph McVay to pull the Commodores within 24-17.

The teams traded scores early in the fourth quarter, with Gronowski making it 31-17 with a 1-yard keeper and Pavia answering with an 11-yard TD run.

Iowa (9-4) pushed the lead back to double digits with a 44-yard field goal from Drew Stevens to cap off a 13-play, 49-yard drive that took more than seven minutes. Vanderbilt answered with a 37-yard field goal from Brock Taylor to make it 34-27, but Iowa was able to close out the game with Xavier Williams running for 11 yards on a third-and-1 with 1:55 remaining and the Commodores out of timeouts.

Pavia finished with 347 passing yards. Richardson caught six passes for 127 yards and Junior Sherrill had eight catches for 123 yards for Vanderbilt.

Vonnahme led the Hawkeyes with seven catches for 146 yards and Kamari Moulton rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown. Gronowski had 54 rushing yards.

Iowa is 4-3 in the ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly known as the Outback Bowl) in seven trips under coach Kirk Ferentz. It’s the 11th time Iowa has won nine or more games in a season under Ferentz.

Vanderbilt: Despite the loss, the Commodores set a school record with 10 wins and signed coach Clark Lea to a six-year contract extension in November.