Senior backup kicker Marshall Meeder authored the perfect script to cap this 2023 regular season for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Somehow, some way, Iowa is 10-2.
It’s the seventh time in program history the Hawkeyes have won 10 or more games in a regular season.
In the unlikeliest of fashions, Meeder found his name called late for a 38-yard field goal try to walk off the Nebraska Huskers on their home field. Sure enough, he delivered. And by the narrowest of margins.
The 5-foot-10, 191-pound senior kicker just cleared the crossbar for a walk-off field goal to down Nebraska, 13-10. It was his first field goal try as a member of the Hawkeyes.
Meeder didn’t even think he would play football this season until he receive a phone call several weeks before the season from Iowa special teams coach LeVar Woods. Unbelievably, he’s the hero in Lincoln, Nebraska, over one of Iowa’s biggest rivals.
The entirety of the sequence was pretty unfathomable. Seemingly given one final chance to drive and score the game-winning points in regulation, Iowa sophomore quarterback Deacon Hill dropped back on third-and-12 and was intercepted by Nebraska’s Tommi Hill as he tried to force a pass to sixth-year receiver Nico Ragaini with 31 seconds remaining.
Fortunately for Iowa, a holding penalty on the interception return backed Nebraska up to the Husker 45-yard line. After a Chubba Purdy scramble of three yards, Nebraska spent a timeout to preserve time for its own potential game-winning drive.
Then, the inexplicable — and yet, somehow totally predictable — thing happened. Iowa’s defense had one final magical play up its sleeve to deliver the Hawkeyes to the doorstep of an unforgettable 10th win this season.
Redshirt junior defensive lineman Ethan Hurkett dropped back into coverage, surprising Purdy as he picked off the pass over the middle of the field and rumbled 10 yards on the return to the Nebraska 37-yard line.
With 15 seconds remaining in regulation, Iowa still likely needed a positive play to get themselves a manageable look at a game-winning field goal try. After all, the Hawkeyes had already seen a pair of field goal tries from sophomore kicker Drew Stevens get blocked.
Junior running back Leshon Williams ripped off a 22-yard gallop on Iowa’s first offensive snap following the Hurkett pick to the Husker 15-yard line. After Hill took a knee to center the football, it was Meeder time.
Take a look below as the dramatics unfolded and social media reacted accordingly to the Hawkeyes’ incredible finish for double-figure regular season victories.