(Los Angeles, CA) — It was another one close loss for the Iowa Hawkeyes as USC held on to a 26-21 win a Big Ten battle on Saturday afternoon.
Bryan Jackson’s 1 yard TD run early in the 4th quarter was the go ahead score for the Trojans. Iowa’s last drive fizzled out with just under 2 minutes to go when Mark Gronowski’s pass fell incomplete on 4th and 6 from the USC 29.
Iowa had scored on the first drive of the game thanks to a 44 yard pass from Gronowski to Jacob Gil that set up a Gronowski 2 yard TD pass to Dayton Howard. The Hawkeyes made it a 14-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter taking advantage of a USC pass interference call and Gronowski scored on a 1 yard TD run.
USC struck back on an 11 play drive that ended with a 1 yard TD run from Jackson but Iowa answered with some trick-er-ation when Reese Vander Zee took the end around and threw a 5 yard TD pass to Gronowski. A USC field goal gave Iowa a 21-10 lead at the half.
Iowa only had 4 possessions in the 2nd half and only ran 12 plays before their final drive with one ended in a turnover. USC outscored the Hawks 10-0 in the third quarter before Jackson’s TD early in the 4th gave them the lead for good.
Iowa falls to 6-4, 4-4 and will host Michigan St. next Saturday. USC is now 8-2, 6-1.
Iowa Stats
Mark Gronowski 12-19 passing, 132 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 8 carries, 32 yards, 1 TD; 1 catch, 5 yards, TD
Kamari Moulton 15 carries, 90 yards
DJ Vonnahme 4 catches, 59 yards
Xavier Nwankpa 8 tackles
Zach Luttmer 8 tackles, 1 TFL
USC Stats
Jayden Maiava 23-32 passing, 254 yards, 1 TD
King Miller 19 carries, 83 yards
Bryan Jackson 4 carries, 14 yards, 2 TD
Makai Lemon 10 catches, 153 yards, 1 TD
