Iowa

Iowa football: 5 numbers that stood out in Hawkeyes’ 20-17 loss at UCLA

Published

1 year ago

November 9, 2024

Iowa football: 5 numbers that stood out in Hawkeyes’ 20-17 loss at UCLA

If Kirk Ferentz would’ve drawn up a worst-case scenario for Friday’s West Coast showdown, it would have looked exactly like what unfolded under the Rose Bowl lights.

Jay Higgins got hurt. Brendan Sullivan got hurt. Jackson Stratton actually took meaningful snaps. And most significantly, Iowa’s defense offered little resistance to a UCLA offense that’s suddenly humming along after several dormant weeks. All of it together equaled Iowa’s demoralizing 20-17 loss, which came in front of countless Hawkeyes fans hopeful for a rare Rose Bowl win.

Per usual, there were noteworthy numbers all across the final box score. Here are five figures that told the story of the Hawkeyes’ Friday stumble.

21…as in Kaleb Johnson set a new single-season program record with his 21st touchdown.

It happened somewhat unceremoniously given what unfolded afterward. But Johnson’s 2-yard score early in the first quarter officially etched his name further into the Iowa record book.

Johnson’s 21st TD of the season surpassed Shonn Greene’s 2008 record for most single-season scores in program history. With two games, at minimum remaining, Johnson figures to add to that total.

It was a rough night overall for Johnson, who found little room to run en route to just 49 rushing yards on 18 carries. Johnson certainly would’ve wanted the win, but this accolade will gain appreciation over time.

17…as in Iowa yielded 17-plus points in a quarter for the second time this season.

The Hawkeyes’ second quarter was nothing short of disastrous. Sullivan threw an interception, then was stripped while running for a first down. That ignited UCLA’s 17-point second quarter after Iowa built a 10-0 advantage, completely changing the game.

From 2017-23, the Iowa defense had just one quarter in which it yielded 17-plus points. That was a 21-point fourth allowed to Michigan to cap off a 42-3 blowout loss in the 2021 Big Ten title game. Now, it’s happened twice just this season.

Ohio State burned Iowa with a 21-point third quarter to take a commanding advantage. But that’s Ohio State. Allowing that to happen to UCLA is a different level of concerning.

714…as in Friday was the first time in 714 days that Jackson Stratton threw a collegiate pass.

Considering the circumstances, Stratton actually played pretty well. He finished 3-for-6 passing for 28 yards, twice converting on third down with solid completions to Jacob Gill. Stratton also added a 14-yard run that gave Drew Stevens a long field-goal chance, which ultimately turned into a first down after a leverage penalty.

Stratton’s last official action came Nov. 25, 2022, while playing for Colorado State. He threw just one pass that day, an incompletion. Overall, Friday was Stratton’s first significant action since Nov. 5, 2022, when he went 3-for-10 for 72 yards, one touchdown and an interception in a 28-16 loss to San Jose State.

138…as in Jacob Gill’s 138 receiving yards gave Iowa its first 100-yard pass-catcher in more than two calendar years.

A solid performance that’ll get lost in the shuffle. Gill delivered the best wide receiver showing Iowa has seen in some time. His six-catch, 138-yard game made him Iowa’s first 100-yard pass-catcher since Sam LaPorta’s 101 receiving yards in Iowa’s 9-6 loss to Illinois on Oct. 8, 2022.

Gill got the night started with a 32-yard screen, then a 59-yard reception on a Sullivan bomb that had the Iowa vibes strong. He later hauled in two nice grabs from Stratton to set up Kamari Moulton’s game-tying touchdown.

It’ll simply be a footnote, though, after Iowa couldn’t finish the job.

2…as in Brendan Sullivan threw two interceptions in a game for just the second time in his collegiate career.

It often seemed on Friday that Sullivan was trying to do too much.

He also appeared skittish in the pocket and paid for that with a pair of costly interceptions.

Carson Schwesinger grabbed the first one and rumbled 13 yards, setting up a UCLA touchdown that knotted the score at 10-10 early in the second quarter. Schwesinger snagged the second one, too, early in the third quarter.

Pair those interceptions with his fumble, and it was a night Sullivan will want to forget.

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.

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Iowa

2026 Iowa high school boys basketball state tournament brackets, schedule

Published

7 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

2026 Iowa high school boys basketball state tournament brackets, schedule

The Iowa high school boys state basketball tournament is just around the corner and the full field has now been set.

By March 13, four teams will be crowned state champions and there are plenty of worthy squads vying for the title. On Tuesday, the final brackets were released and we now have a clear picture of the eight teams in each class hoping to take home the trophy.

Here’s a look at the first-round pairings and the full state tournament schedule for next week’s IHSAA action.

Class 4A Iowa boys state basketball tournament schedule

State quarterfinals, Monday, March 9

No. 4 Dowling Catholic vs No. 5 Dubuque Senior, 5:30 p.m.
No. 1 Cedar Falls vs No. 8 Urbandale, 7:15 p.m.

Tuesday, March 10

No. 3 Waukee Northwest vs. No. 6 Johnston, 10:30 a.m.
No. 2 Waukee vs No. 7 Cedar Rapids Prairie, 12:15 p.m.

State semifinals, Thursday, March 12

TBD vs. TBD, 10:30 a.m.
TBD vs. TBD, 12:15 a.m.

State championship game, Friday, March 13

Class 3A Iowa boys state basketball tournament schedule

State quarterfinals: Monday, March 9

No. 1 Ballard vs. No. 8 Gilbert, 10:30 a.m.
No. 4 Pella vs. No. 5 Carroll, 12:15 p.m.
No. 2 ADM vs. No. 7 Xavier, 2 p.m.
No. 3 Storm Lake vs. No. 6 Solon, 3:45 p.m.

State semifinals, Wednesday, March 11

TBD vs. TBD, 5:30 p.m.
TBD vs. TBD, 7:15 p.m.

State championship game, Friday, March 13

Class 2A Iowa boys state basketball tournament schedule

State quarterfinals: Wednesday, March 11

No. 1 Kuemper Catholic vs. No. 8 Union Community, 10:30 a.m
No. 4 Treynor vs. No. 5 Grundy Center, 12:15 p.m
No. 2 Unity Christian vs. No. 7 Western Christian, 2 p.m.
No. 3 Regina Catholic vs. No. 6 Aplington-Parkersburg, 3:45 p.m.

State semifinals, Thursday, March 12

TBD vs. TBD, 5:30 p.m.
TBD vs TBD, 7:15 p.m.

State title game, Friday, March 13

Class 1A Iowa boys state basketball tournament schedule

State quarterfinals: Tuesday, March 10

No. 1 St. Edmond vs. No. 8 Woodbine, 2 p.m.
No. 4 Notre Dame vs. No. 5 Bellevue, 3:45 p.m.
No. 2 MMCRU vs. No. 7 Boyden-Hull, 5:30 p.m.
No. 3 Bishop Garrigan vs. No. 6 Marquette Catholic, 7:15 p.m.

State semifinals, Thursday, March 12

TBD vs TBD, 2 p.m.
TBD vs TBD, 3:45 p.m.

State title game, Friday, March 13

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Iowa State announces gymnastics program will be discontinued

Published

19 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Iowa State announces gymnastics program will be discontinued

Iowa State University announced March 3 that it is cutting its women’s gymnastics program, weeks after abruptly canceling the remainder of the season due to what athletics director Jamie Pollard said were “unreconcilable differences” in the program.

Cyclone gymnasts were informed of the decision to cut the program by ISU associate athletics director Shamaree Brown in a meeting on Tuesday morning, two people with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports Network.

Iowa State gymnastics head coach Ashley Miles Greig and her three assistant coaches were told that their contracts would not be renewed, the university’s news release stated. Miles Greig’s contract was set to expire after the season on June 30, 2026.

Cyclones gymnasts will have the option to remain at Iowa State to finish their degrees, or to transfer to another NCAA school to compete in gymnastics. If they stay at Iowa State, ISU will honor their scholarships. Iowa State’s release said its compliance department would work with the NCAA on waivers to help gymnasts receive an additional year of competition.

Tuesday’s announcement ended weeks of speculation about the program’s future that began when Iowa State canceled its gymnastics season on Feb. 8. In a statement at the time, Brown said the decision was because the Cyclones did not have enough athletes available to compete. In a letter to the gymnastics team and alumni on Feb. 17, Pollard wrote that the cancellation resulted from “a series of complex internal conflicts between individual teammates, coaching staff members, and parents,” language that Iowa State repeated in Tuesday’s release.

In a video released by the school, Pollard said Iowa State would take the next several months to decide which women’s sport would replace gymnastics so that the athletics department remains compliant with Title IX, a federal law that requires NCAA schools to provide proportional participation opportunities to men and women.

“I also want to say, this is not a financial decision. This is a student-athlete experience decision,” Pollard said in the video. “Adding another women’s sport will probably cost equal or more than what we’re already spending on the gymnastics program. This is about student-athlete experience.”

Pollard said that Iowa State conducted reviews of its gymnastics program in 2018 and 2023 stemming from unspecified issues. The 2023 review, conducted by an external law firm, led Iowa State to part ways with then-head coach Jay Ronayne. Miles Greig was hired in April 2023.

On Tuesday, Iowa State denied USA TODAY Sports Network’s public-records request for the findings of the university’s 2018 and 2023 gymnastics probes. In an email denying the request, Ann Lelis, a member of Iowa State’s office of general counsel, cited portions of state open records law that prevent the disclosure of personal information of students or public employees. Lelis also said the requested records were not subject to disclosure because they contained confidential attorney privileged documents.

In the video, Pollard said he asked his senior leadership team “to meet with those individuals in our department that work really closely with our gymnastics program and make a recommendation to me about what we should do going forward.”

The leadership team recommended to Pollard that the school discontinue the gymnastics program, Pollard said, and use those resources for a different women’s sport. Pollard accepted the recommendation from his staff, and he spoke with university leaders. “We are all on the same page,” he said. “This is the right decision for our athletics program and for our student-athletes.”

Cyclone gymnast Samantha Schneider, a redshirt freshman, wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday that she was heartbroken by the decision and criticized Iowa State’s administration for deflecting blame onto the gymnasts.

“Terrible that this is the result of the lack of support from Iowa State’s Athletic Administration,” Schneider wrote. “For the last 5 months, we have come forward as a team regarding (certain) situations and environment concerns and nothing has been done to protect us as athletes on this team. The gymnasts should NOT be blamed or be sharing any part of the responsibility for this decision being made.”

A former member of this season’s coaching staff also mourned the decision in a text message to USA TODAY Sports Network on Tuesday. The person requested anonymity for fear of repercussions.

“At the end of the day this is unfair to the athletes and the alumni that have built this program and have continued to ask for better,” the coach wrote. “It appears that the department was looking for an easy way out or an easy solution, not realizing they would hurt a lot of people in the process. My only hope is that the athletes can come back stronger than ever.”

Miles Greig could not be immediately reached for comment when contacted Tuesday morning by USA TODAY Sports Network.

The Iowa State gymnastics team participated in four competitions this season before the athletics department shut down the remainder of the season on Feb. 8. Nick Joos, Iowa State’s senior associate athletic director for communications, told USA TODAY Sports Network at the time that the cancellation was due to a “combination of injuries and other health issues.”

During what ended up as Iowa State’s final meet against Denver on Feb. 1, several Cyclone gymnasts fell off the uneven bars. The Cyclones forfeited their next meet on Feb. 6 against West Virginia, with Miles Greig saying in a statement, “At this time, we do not have enough student-athletes available to safely field a team against West Virginia, and regrettably must cancel this competition.”

Two days after that, Brown met with gymnasts on Feb. 8 at Iowa State’s on-campus practice gym and informed them that their season would not continue.

Iowa State’s annual financial report submitted to the NCAA for fiscal year 2025 showed the gymnastics program generated $287,392 in total operating revenues with $1.69 million in expenses, a gap of about $1.4 million. Iowa State allotted 14 scholarships to gymnastics. Football and men’s basketball are the only Iowa State sports in which revenue exceeds spending.

Cyclone gymnastics recruits who had committed to the program for the 2026-27 season can commit to a different school or attend Iowa State and have their scholarship agreements honored.

Former Iowa State gymnast Shea Mattingly, whose last name was Anderson when she graduated in 2012, said she had been in contact with other former members of the team after Tuesday’s announcement.

“We’re all frustrated. We’re all angry,” Mattingly said. “That (Pollard) video made us all really mad, honestly. … It places all the blame on these student-athletes whereas the administration’s accountability in this, they hired these coaches that maybe it seems like they couldn’t handle the program.”

Mattingly said she and other alums aren’t giving up hope on the future of the program.

“I think we’re still going to fight,” she said. “So we’re going to send emails. We’re going to call. We’re going to do all we can, even though it seems his mind has been made up.”

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Iowa

Seven Of Eight 3A Slots Filled For Iowa High School Boys State Tournament

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Seven Of Eight 3A Slots Filled For Iowa High School Boys State Tournament

Seven of the eight spots for the upcoming Class 3A Iowa High School Athletic Association Boys State Tournament were determined Monday night in substate championship action.

Advancing to the Casey’s Center in Des Moines, Iowa were ADM, Ballard, Storm Lake, Carroll, Gilbert, Pella and Solon. On Tuesday, Cedar Rapids Xavier will play Dubuque Wahlert Catholic, as that game was moved due to the Dubuque Wahlert Catholic girls competing in the girls state tournament.

The seven teams advancing were all the higher seeds, as six of the seven picked up victories on their home court. The other – Storm Lake’s 66-53 win over Sergeant Bluff-Luton – was held at nearby Buena Vista University.

ADM claimed a 30-point decision over Nevada while Ballard bested Oskaloosa, 79-45. Carroll claimed a three-point triumph vs. Sioux Center, Gilbert bested rival North Polk, 73-62, Pella eliminated Keokuk, 60-47, and Solon downed Central DeWitt, 49-44.

The state tournament bracket will be released following the conclusion of the Cedar Rapids Xavier-Dubuque Wahlert Catholic contest.

The 4A substate championships are also on deck for Tuesday evening.

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