Iowa Senior QB Tops Depth Chart Despite Injury

Upon releasing the official depth chart, the first thing Iowa Hawkeyes fans did was look at the quarterback position. To their surprise, QB Mark Grononwski was indeed listed as QB1. The bye week certainly helped his case, though Gronowski is still listed as day-to-day heading into the Hawkeyes showdown at Camp Randall.

Seeing as the Wisconsin Badgers have dropped three straight, Iowa heads to Madison as the clear favorite. The line currently sits at three and a half points, according to ESPN Bet Sportsbook. That said, ESPN Analytics gives Iowa a 62.6% chance to win.

Ultimately, everything is going to hinge on the status of Iowa's starting quarterback. Gronowski, who's been dealing with a knee injury. Their fifth-year starter loves to use his legs, so making sure he's back to 100% is crucial. Without the ability to run, Gronowski is an entirely different player.

BREAKING:

Mark Gronowski is still listed atop Iowa’s depth chart at quarterback. However, Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski are now listed with an OR distinction at QB2.

Awfully interesting. pic.twitter.com/460DVGJLBo
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) October 6, 2025

Iowa fans got a taste of sophomore QB Hank Brown as they fell to No. 11 Indiana, 20-15. Brown, to no surprise, is listed right behind Gronowski. Even after fans speculated redshirt freshman QB Jeremy Hecklinski could replace him, it's clear head coach Kirk Ferentz and company believe in Brown. Should he need to suit up against the Badgers, he'd be coming off a 5/13 performance with just 48 yards and an interception.

The run game is always going to be prioritized in this offense, but Iowa knows the sky is the limit with Gronowski at quarterback. He had a fluke interception against the Hoosiers, otherwise he was flawless. Before being taken out of the game, he was 19/25 for 144 yards. Keep in mind, he had a rushing touchdown as well, extending his streak with at least one in every game this season.

Wisconsin's defense gave up just 10 combined points in their first two games, but it's been a different story since. In their last three games, they've given up 89 points. That includes 28 to No. 19 Alabama and 24 to No. 20 Michigan, but allowing 27 against Maryland is far from ideal. In the end, Iowa would love to run through this Wisconsin team like they did last season, 42-10.

It's hard to take the depth chart too seriously with four more full days before the game, but Gronowski being listed as QB1 is a great start. The team knows his status more than anyone else, or this could simply be a tactic to throw off the Badgers. Either way, Hawkeyes fans are anxiously awaiting a decision as to whether he will play or not.

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