Iowa HC Explains First Half Setback

Towards the end of the first, the Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2) (1-1) sat up 10-7 over an explosive No. 8 Indiana Hoosiers (5-0) (2-0). At that point, the eyes of the collegiate football world were pointed at Mark Gronowski, who had just pushed in a three-yard run up the middle to leave 25 seconds left in the second period.

With the Hoosiers set to receive the second-half kick, the last thing the Hawkeyes wanted was for Curt Cignetti’s team to perform the heralded “double-dip,” where a team scores with the last possession of the first half just to receive the ball in the second, giving the opposing side no chance for redemption with an offensive drive of their own.

As Drew Stevens launched the ball into the endzone, most Iowa fans would have been forgiven for expecting the Hoosiers to kneel out the remaining clock and to walk into halftime with an unexpected three-point lead. Yet after Indiana running back Roman Hemby darted 16 yards to the Indiana 41, fans began to bite their nails in anticipation of Indiana being able to squeak out a tying field goal 15.

Fears became reality as a cluster of a Fernando Mendoza pass to the Iowa 43-yard line, combined with a roughing the passer penalty from sophomore Kenneth Merriweather, set Nicolas Radicic up with just 46 yards separating him from an even score between the two sides. Sure enough, Radicic converted, and both sides shared 10 points.

What happened at the end of the first half between Iowa and Indiana? — Indiana Hoosiers place kicker Nicolas Radicic (39) high fives Indiana Hoosiers offensive lineman Carter Smith (65) after scoring a field goal during the first half of a game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“[We] gave up a big completion there and then tacked on a personal foul,"
Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "Yeah, one in itself would’ve been bad enough, but then to double dip it really hurt."

“I still have not seen that play. Didn’t see it on the replay board because things were happening fast and I just asked our staff about it. They had it on the iPads there. They thought it was ticky-tack, but you just can’t take that chance. College football is like the NFL where they’re trying to protect quarterbacks, so you have to be smarter than that.”

That roughing the passer was one of just two penalties that Iowa incurred throughout the whole night.

“I think that was a younger player, too [Merrieweather], who is not really game-experienced. Live and learn from that. Hate to give up an easy three points. Thought we had a chance to shut the door at the start of that whole possession.”

Both sides were knotted up at 10 with Indiana scoring 10 of the last 15 second-half points to continue their undefeated start.

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