MINNEAPOLIS — Luke Drzewiecki drilled a 46-yard field goal as the clock expired to lift Minnesota to a 13-10 upset over No. 15 Iowa on Saturday, securing the Floyd of Rosedale trophy for the Golden Gophers.
With the win, Minnesota captured the bronze pig trophy for the first time since 2023 and just the second time in the last 12 meetings between the rivals. The victory also gives the program simultaneous custody of its three signature rivalry prizes — Floyd of Rosedale, Michigan’s Little Brown Jug and Wisconsin’s Paul Bunyan’s Axe — for the first time since 1978.
Late Drama Sets Up the Deciding Kick
The decisive sequence unfolded after Iowa had erased a seven-point deficit late in the fourth quarter. Starting near midfield with under a minute remaining, Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey avoided an interior rush from defensive lineman Bryce Hawthorne and launched a 39-yard pass on third down. Wide receiver Jalen Smith brought down the reception and advanced to the Iowa 28-yard line with 39 seconds left.
“I told the offense we were going to go win the game, but I told Jalen, ‘You’re going to make a big play right here.’ He made a big-time play in a big-time moment,” Lindsey said, as reported by ESPN.
Drzewiecki, a transfer from New Mexico who entered Saturday unblemished on field goal attempts this fall, then calmly converted the 46-yarder as time ran out. The kick kept him a perfect 12 for 12 on field goals this season.
“I’m very thankful we have a kicker like that,” Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck said, according to ESPN.
Defensive Struggle and Quarterback Changes
Points were hard to come by in a physical, defensive clash where neither offense found consistent rhythm. Minnesota was limited to a season-low 209 yards of total offense, while Iowa totaled 288 yards.
The Hawkeyes entered the contest with just three turnovers all season but committed four on Saturday, tossing three interceptions and losing one of four fumbles. Big Ten rushing leader Kamari Moulton managed only 22 yards on the ground before exiting in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said after the contest that he had no immediate update on Moulton’s condition.
Iowa also made a change at quarterback during the second quarter. Starter Jeremy Hecklinski was pulled after going 9-of-16 passing for 62 yards and an interception. He was replaced by Hank Brown, who had missed time recently due to a shoulder injury suffered Oct. 3 against Ohio State.
“I simply thought he gave us our best chance the way things were going,” Ferentz said of the switch, according to ESPN. Ferentz also pointed to early miscues, noting that giving up a blocked punt and committing four turnovers makes it unrealistic to win a conference matchup.
The teams entered halftime deadlocked at 3-3 following a 31-yard field goal by Drzewiecki and a 32-yard answer from Iowa kicker Caden Buhr. Minnesota grabbed the lead to start the third quarter on a 71-yard drive capped by Darius Taylor’s 1-yard touchdown plunge, which followed an offsides penalty on Iowa that wiped out a fourth-down stop.
Iowa remained quiet until late in the fourth quarter. Pinned at their own 2-yard line, the Hawkeyes marched 98 yards, highlighted by a 57-yard gain from Tony Diaz and a 37-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Reece Vander Zee with 3:46 left to tie the game at 10-10.
Looking Ahead
Both programs moved to 5-2 on the season, while the setback delivered a severe blow to Iowa’s ambitions for a conference championship and a College Football Playoff berth. The Hawkeyes return home to host Wisconsin on Oct. 31, seeking to regain traction in the Big Ten race. Minnesota travels to face ranked Indiana on Oct. 31 as part of a demanding stretch against top-tier opponents.
