Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) passes the ball during a football game agains the Indiana Hoosiers Sept. 27, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa Still Waiting on QB Injury Update

Originally posted on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 1:00 PM ET

So far, the Iowa Hawkeyes have remained quiet when it comes to the injury quarterback Mark Gronowski suffered this week. Head coach Kirk Ferentz hasn't said much as fans are clinging onto one key quote he said after the team fell to No. 11 Indiana, 20-15.

The Hoosiers going from No. 11 to No. 8 proves just how much the AP Top 25 committee respects the Hawkeyes. Sure, a few ranked losses helped Indiana move up in the ranks, but no one would've been comfortable moving them any higher had they not beaten a quality team. Iowa gave them a run for their money, but fell short in the end.

One of the main reasons Iowa wasn't able to pull off the upset was due to a late injury to Gronowski. His injury just so happens to come at the ideal time as Iowa has a bye this week. Without a game on October 4, Ferentz and company have an extra week to evaluate Gronowski's status.

Mark Gronowski may have suffered a very serious injury…this is extremely unfortunate https://t.co/T5d1bT4EMY pic.twitter.com/rmVGoRNPsa
— The Analyst (@analyst4sports_) September 28, 2025

So far, the only thing Ferentz has said about Gronowski is he didn't return to the game because, "he felt as though he couldn't decelerate". While he was itching to get back on the field, the Hawkeyes opted to finish the game with sophomore QB Hank Brown. Brown went just 5/13 for 48 yards with an interception.

It's never good to speculate a major injury, but one fan believes Gronowski's injury could be serious. When looking up possible injuries due to Ferentz's assessment, the first thing that popped up was an ACL injury. Usually, those require surgery and would be a career-ender for the winningest QB in college football history.

Until the Hawkeyes officially release that assessment, Iowa fans should remain calm. The team has plenty of time to go over things with Gronowski and see how he feels before they return to the field on October 11. That game will be in Wisconsin as the Hawkeyes play a Badgers team that is likely going to get blown out by No. 20 Michigan.

Knowing how Wisconsin has looked in their last two games, Iowa may not even need Gronowski to play in that game. It may be worth throwing Brown out there for an extra game if the week of rest is going to make sure Gronowski is 100% moving forward. Without him, this team loses their identity as they were finally beginning to put everything together.

This article first appeared on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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