Hawkeyes kicker Drew Stevens sent Iowa fans home happy with a 52-yard field goal to put the team up 10-7 with under 20 seconds to play.
In the first quarter, Stevens missed a 53-yard attempt on the exact same Wrigley uprights. Getting back to the same spot and achieving a different result was a demonstration of mental toughness.
“A few years ago, I probably would’ve believed it was impossible,” Stevens said. “It’s like one or two minutes like, ‘Dang that sucks,’ but then it wasn’t that difficult to shake off.”
“Those guys are like relief pitchers — they come in and have to perform,” head coach Kirk Ferentz said. “Part of it is understanding you’re going to fail, it’s part of the deal. Nobody wants to but it’s a part of the deal.”
“You have to have that kind of mentality where you can move on.”
The Hawkeyes move to 7-2 on the 2023 season. If there was a trophy for ugly wins, Iowa would have a case of them by now. But, they all count the same — and the Hawkeyes control their own destiny once again in the race for the Big Ten West.
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