Drew Stevens kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired to give Iowa a 20-17 Big Ten win over Michigan State on Saturday in Iowa City.
After taking over on its own 21-yard line with 41 seconds remaining, the Hawkeyes advanced the ball to Michigan State’s 25 on a 29-yard pass from Mark Gronowski to Reece Vander Zee to help set up Stevens’ game-winner.
Gronowski finished 12-of-22 passing for 147 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Iowa (7-4, 5-3), which trailing 17-7 entering the fourth quarter.
Alessio Milivojevic completed 25 of 42 for 255 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for Michigan State (3-8, 0-8), which has lost eight straight.
Michigan State held a 17-10 lead until Iowa tied the game at 17-17 with 1:29 left on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Gronowski to Jacob Gill, who outjumped a defender in the corner of the end zone.
The score was set up by a 40-yard punt return to the Michigan State 43 by Kaden Wetjen.
Trailing 7-3 at halftime, Michigan State scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 17-7 lead.
Milivojevic hit Chrishon McCray for a 45-yard touchdown pass with 8:58 left in the third to give the Spartans a 10-7 lead. Michigan State went up 10 points on Milivojevic’s 5-yard pass to McCray that capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive.
Iowa finally mounted a drive early in the fourth, going 67 yards in nine plays and cutting Michigan State’s lead to 17-10 with 11:27 remaining on a 26-yard field goal by Stevens.
Iowa took a 7-0 lead with 3:38 remaining in the first when Wetjen returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown.
Michigan State made it a 7-3 game with 2:54 left in the first half on a 27-yard field goal by Martin Connington.
