Iowa's Kirk Ferentz becomes Big Ten's winningest coach as Hawkeyes beat Massachusetts, 47-7

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Mark Gronowski threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and Kaden Wetjen scored two touchdowns as Iowa defeated Massachusetts 47-7 on Saturday night, making Kirk Ferentz the Big Ten’s winningest coach.

It was the 206th win for Ferentz, who surpassed Ohio State’s Woody Hayes.

“It's not something you think about it and it's never been a goal of mine,” Ferentz said. “Being a head coach was never really a goal of mine. The whole concept was just do the best you can at whatever you're doing. Things have worked out. I've found a great place and been around a lot of great people.”

His players appreciated the significance of the win.

“It was really good to get that (win) for him tonight,” Wetjen said. “It's been super cool to learn from him. Every time he says something, it's something you can take away and learn from.”

“In all the meetings that we've had with him, we make sure all of us are taking notes, because he'll have some story that’s going to connect to something that’s going on in our lives," Gronowski said. "So it’s really special to have him as a coach and have someone that knows so much about the game and history of football.”

Gronowski, who transferred from South Dakota State after last season, completed touchdown passes of 20 and 3 yards to Seth Anderson on Iowa’s first two possessions of the game. He added a 13-yard touchdown run with 26 seconds left in the first half to give the Hawkeyes (2-1) a 30-7 halftime lead.

“We were talking all week about how we needed to start fast,” Gronowski said.

Gronowski, who entered ranked 130th in NCAA Division I in yards passing per game with 63.5, threw for 179 yards, completing 16 of 24 passes.

“I expected them to throw to get him ready for Big Ten play,” Massachusetts coach Joe Harasymiak said. “I know from probably the way he’s played the first two weeks they weren’t very happy with that. So they needed to get him going.”

Wetjen scored on a 20-yard end-around in the first quarter, then tied a program record with a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown early in the third quarter.

“I don't know if you guys saw it, but I about fell on my face (on the punt return)” said Wetjen, who had 216 yards on four punt returns and one kick return. “I was gassed.”

Drew Stevens had field goals of 54 and 27 yards for the Hawkeyes. Backup quarterback Hank Brown threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to KJ Parker in the fourth quarter.

Iowa held the Minutemen (0-3) to just 119 yards. Massachusetts had zero yards rushing on 16 carries in the first half.

Massachusetts junior cornerback TJ Magee had to be taken from the field on a cart after being injured on Wetjen’s punt return for a touchdown.

Magee was blocked by Iowa’s Kael Kolarik on the return and fell into a teammate. Television replays showed Magee’s head snapped back on the second hit.

The game was delayed for several minutes as Magee was tended to by the training staffs of the Minutemen and Iowa. He was immobilized on a back board and was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, across the street from Kinnick Stadium, for further evaluation. Massachusetts officials said in a statement that Magee was “alert and moving his extremities.”

“When I left him, he was moving everything, which was a really good sign,” Harasymiak said. “Other than that, I don’t know anything more than that, but he was good. He told me to tell his mom he’s OK. That was a positive.”

UMass: At Missouri on Sept. 27.

Iowa: At Rutgers on Friday.

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