Iowa DT Aaron Graves with wife as son is born Thanksgiving, then he joins team for win at Nebraska

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Thanksgiving weekend has been a whirlwind for Iowa's Aaron Graves, and the emotion caught up with him minutes after the Hawkeyes wrapped up a 40-16 win over Nebraska on Friday.

Graves' wife, Aubrey, gave birth to their first child at 3:07 p.m. Thursday and five hours later the defensive lineman was on a Hawkeye booster's private plane flying from Iowa City to Lincoln. He arrived at the team hotel about 12 hours before Iowa took the field at Memorial Stadium.

The 6-foot-5, 295-pound senior from Dayton, Iowa, choked up and needed a minute to compose himself when asked about his son, Grayson, who weighed in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces. Mom and baby are doing well, he said.

“The last 24 hours are probably the craziest of my life, for sure,” Graves said. “She went into labor Wednesday, gave birth yesterday and I was able to spend time with her. The emotions of all that is ridiculous. Last game as a senior, getting a win here at Nebraska, my wife giving birth to our boy, first-born of our family.”

What did he think when Grayson crossed his mind during the game?

“Just how much I love him,” he said.

Graves was a factor right away. Nebraska started the game with the ball, and Graves was in on the first tackle and he broke up a pass on the second play. His only other tackle came in the second quarter.

“I told Aubrey when I left that I’m not leaving you here in the hospital to lose,” Graves said. “I told the D-line, too, before the first drive started, I was like, ‘Guys, I did not leave my baby in the hospital to lose this game, so we better come out firing on all cylinders.’ ”

Graves said he appreciates the support his teammates and coaches gave him from the time he and Aubrey found out she was pregnant.

“They always ask me just every day how Aubrey’s doing, how it’s been progressing and everything,” he said. “They’ve been with me every step of the way.”

Coach Kirk Ferentz said the birth of Grayson Graves was the biggest news of the weekend. He said he gave Aaron a game ball to give to give to his son.

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