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Iowa football: 5 numbers that stood out in Hawkeyes’ 32-20 loss vs Michigan State

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Iowa football: 5 numbers that stood out in Hawkeyes’ 32-20 loss vs Michigan State


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Just when it seemed this Iowa football team had patched up several important holes, another wave of problems arrived Saturday night.

The final product was a 32-20 dud at Michigan State, a game in which the Hawkeyes struggled offensively but played even worse defensively. MSU quarterback Aidan Chiles torched Iowa’s banged-up secondary time and time again and had two 100-yard receivers to tout afterward.

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Per usual, there were noteworthy numbers all over the box score. Here are five figures that stand out from Iowa’s ugly loss.

0…as in Michigan State punted zero times, a first for an Iowa opponent since 2013

It’s quite the baffling stat considering how much importance Iowa places on defensive disruption. Michigan State went up and down the field on the Hawkeyes with little resistance.

The Spartans scored on eight of their 10 drives, minus the final kneel-down, including earning points on four consecutive possessions in the second half. The last time an Iowa opponent didn’t punt was Ohio State in 2013, a 34-24 Buckeyes win.

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100…as in Iowa yielded 100 receiving yards to two Michigan State wide receivers, including a career day from Montorie Foster Jr.

A banged-up Iowa secondary took an injury hit pregame with Sebastian Castro out, then took one in-game with safety Koen Entringer going down. Couple those issues with Iowa’s cornerback problems opposite Jermari Harris, and Michigan State found an easy route to success.

Wide receiver Nick Marsh hauled in eight catches for 113 yards, while Montorie Foster Jr. racked up five catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. His 18-yard score put the Hawkeyes in a 19-7 hole late in the third quarter after Iowa finally found the end zone.

It was the first 100-yard game of Foster’s career, which dates back to the 2020 season. That’s the kind of history Iowa’s defense isn’t used to aiding.

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468…as in Iowa surrendered 468 total yards, the most since Wisconsin in 2019

Iowa’s impressive streak of not allowing 400 total yards ended two games ago at Ohio State. Now, the Hawkeyes have done it again.

Michigan State rolled up 468 total yards, the most for any Iowa foe since Wisconsin had 473 total yards in its 24-22 win on Nov. 9, 2019. That game featured NFL running back Jonathan Taylor scampering for 250 yards.

Michigan State split its production pretty evenly with 256 passing yards and 212 rushing yards. The Spartans ran 70 plays to Iowa’s 46 while piling up 305 yards on first down alone. Not a winning formula for the Hawkeyes or anyone else.

196…as in Michigan State threw for 196 yards on first downs

Overall, Chiles was 15-for-17 for 196 yards on first downs. The Spartans averaged 8.7 yards and scored both of their touchdowns on first down as well.

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What does that mean? More evidence showing how much Iowa played catch-up the entire way Saturday. The Hawkeyes rarely kept Michigan State off schedule with early-down disruptions, thus leading to several lengthy scoring drives throughout the game.

6…as in Kaleb Johnson now has six touchdowns of 25-plus yards this season

Johnson’s 75-yard scoring scamper kept Iowa afloat late as he added to his incredible junior season with another highlight run.

Overall, Johnson finished with 98 rushing yards on 14 carries as Iowa’s main source of offensive life. There wasn’t much else for Johnson outside the long run, but his end-zone visit again reminded everyone how special this running back is.

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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Chicago Cubs’ Matt Shaw expected to begin rehab assignment with Iowa

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Chicago Cubs’ Matt Shaw expected to begin rehab assignment with Iowa


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When the Iowa Cubs return to Principal Park in Des Moines on June 2, the Triple-A team will likely be bringing back a familiar face.

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsel told reporters in St. Louis, Mo., on May 29 that super utilityman Matt Shaw would likely join Iowa when the team opens a six-game series against Toledo that Tuesday.

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“Matts doing super well,” Counsell said during a pregame meeting with scribes. “The plan kind of remains intact that we think he’s going to be able to start a rehab assignment on Tuesday in Iowa. So, assuming everything progresses like it progresses, he’s going to have basically a full weekend of kind of normal pregame stuff. He should be good to go on Tuesday in Iowa.”

Shaw was placed on the injured list back on May 22 with mild back tightness, retroactive to May 20. He was replaced on the big-league roster by prized Cubs prospect Pedro Ramrirez, who tore apart opposing pitching during his first stint in Triple-A in 2026.

Shaw, 24, was hitting .242 (23-for-95) with six doubles, three home runs, three stolen bases and a .291 on base percentage to go along with a .400 slugging percentage in 42 games with Chicago this season. He’s bounced around the field this season and provided an important option off the bench for the Cubs.

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Shaw remains one of the organization’s top young players. The Cubs selected in the first round of the 2023 draft. Shaw rapidly rose through the minor leagues and made his big-league debut with Chicago in 2025. After some early-season struggles, Shaw was briefly demoted to Iowa in 2024 before eventually making a return to the big leagues.

While the hitting wasn’t great, the defense was exceptional. Shaw found a home at third base and played so well he became a Gold Glove finalist in 2025.

Iowa starts the series on Tuesday at 6:38 p.m.

Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020, 2023 and 2025 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.

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Iowa Supreme court affirms eviction order for Short’s Burger & Shine

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Iowa Supreme court affirms eviction order for Short’s Burger & Shine


Following a years-long legal saga, the Iowa Supreme Court recently upheld a decision to evict Short’s Burger and Shine from its South Clinton Street building.

The May 22 decision, delivered by Chief Justice Susan Christensen, agreed with the Johnson County District Court’s decision to evict the downtown burger restaurant after finding that it did not notify the building’s owner — a trust operated by Midwest One Bank — of its intent to extend the lease.

The decision concludes one part of the Short’s legal saga. The now-closed restaurant is also in litigation for a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit Short’s owner, Kevin Perez filed in 2024 against Midwest One Bank, the trust of late building owner Haywood Belle, Belle’s widow, a bank employee, and the City of Iowa City

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Iowa City’s Short’s Burgers and Shine closed in 2024

Short’s closed in early 2024 after the court determined Perez hadn’t renewed the business’s lease on time.

Short’s opened at 18 S. Clinton Street in 2008 with the goal of honoring the legacy and story of former building owner H.D. Short, who shined shoes for 50 years, beginning in 1920. The original ownership group included Perez, Dan Ouverson, and former Hawkeye and NFL player Nate Kaeding, who now runs the Gold Cap Hospitality ownership group.

Eviction proceedings started when Short’s temporarily closed in April 2022 “to fix poor building conditions” without notifying Midwest One Bank, the executor of Belle’s trust.

The closure breached a part of the lease agreement that said the restaurant would default on its lease if it “failed to engage” in normal business for more than 15 consecutive business days, the court found. The renovations also violated a provision that forbade structural changes or improvements without prior written approval.

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Midwest One Bank sent notice on May 10, 2022, that Short’s would default on its lease if it did not reopen for regular business and cease renovations within 10 days, according to court documents. Shorts responded, claiming it could not reopen for business until renovations were complete because the gas could not be turned back on until repairs were finished.

Midwest One Bank “terminated” the lease and started eviction proceedings in May 2022. Shorts was allowed to continue operating and occupying the building while the case was litigated.

Midwest One Bank filed two eviction claims and delivered notice that Short’s needed to vacate the building by the end of the lease on April 30. Short’s did not vacate, and Midwest One Bank pursued a third eviction claim, accusing the owners of failing to provide notice of renewal.

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Short’s argued that because they continued renovations, disputed eviction, and secured insurance, it was evidence of their intent to renew.

The restaurant owners also argued that pending eviction proceedings prevented them from renewal. The court argued that Short’s simply did not declare intent to renew for “whatever reason.”

“Mere forgetfulness does not entitle a party to equitable relief,” the decision reads.

Liam Halawith covers Johnson County local government and public safety for the Press-Citizen. Reach him by email at lhalawith@registermedia.com. Follow him on X at @liam_halawith.   

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Fired Iowa nurse aide wins jobless benefits after numerous resident-care complaints

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Fired Iowa nurse aide wins jobless benefits after numerous resident-care complaints


WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – An Iowa nursing home worker fired after being accused of repeatedly neglecting residents’ needs is entitled to unemployment benefits, a judge has ruled.

State records indicate certified nurse aide Abigail Kromah worked for Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Care Center in West Des Moines from May 2024 through December 2025, when she was fired. She subsequently applied for unemployment benefits, which led to a recent hearing before an administrative law judge.

The hearing records indicate Kromah testified that when she was fired on Dec. 19, 2025, the employer informed her that the discharge was due to “numerous resident complaints” regarding the care she had been providing.

According to the judge’s findings in the case, Kromah had received multiple disciplinary warnings related to resident care. In August 2024, she allegedly received verbal and written warnings for failing to answer residents’ call-lights in a timely manner, failing to properly assist residents with their personal care, and for complaining about the residents in common areas of the workplace.

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Her employer testified Kromah was also given warnings for refusing work instructions from the nursing staff, and for telling a resident who needed to be toileted to go the bathroom in their briefs.

In August 2025, it was alleged that Kromah failed to check on a resident throughout the entire night. During that shift, a nurse had neglected to unclamp a feeding tube, which caused the tube to leak. When another nurse checked on the resident at 5 a.m., the resident was “drenched in feeding solution from head to toe,” according to the judge’s findings.

‘I can’t live this way… She’s horrible.’

Days later, the home alleged, a resident of the facility entered the hallway in his wheelchair at about 6 a.m., loudly complaining, “I can’t do this anymore,” and, “I can’t live this way.” The man allegedly refused to go back to his room, explaining that Kromah was there and “she’s horrible.”

The man reportedly stated had had switched on his call-light to have his urinal emptied, but Kromah never came to assist him, which meant the urinal overflowed and spilled on him. When Kromah eventually came to the room, the man allegedly said, she changed him into dry clothing but did not clean him.

The home alleged Kromah was given additional warnings in October 2025 for reportedly failing to answer residents’ call lights and failing to complete her rounds every two hours. One resident of the home had allegedly became so frustrated by the lack of response to his call-light that he contacted the police on one occasion, according to the judge’s findings.

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State inspection reports indicate Pine Acres Rehabilitation and Care Center was cited for insufficient staff in January 2026, with one resident complaining the issue with call-lights had been a longstanding problem. According to the inspectors, the man said that on one occasion, he couldn’t get help to clear his airway and was afraid he was going to die unless he managed to clear it himself, which he did.

In ruling that Kromah was entitled to jobless benefits, Administrative Law Judge Michael Lunn noted that while she had clearly been warned about deficiencies in resident care, she appeared to have been fired for a separate issue — attendance — for which she had received no such warnings.

A discharge for misconduct cannot be based on past acts such as the resident-care issues, Lunn ruled, but must instead be based on a current act. With no current act of disqualifying misconduct, Lunn stated, Kromah was entitled to collect unemployment benefits.

Iowa Capital Dispatch was unable to locate Kromah to seek comment for this article.

Copyright 2026 IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH. All rights reserved.

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