Iowa's Braeden Jackson honored for role in win over Michigan

Iowa Hawkeyes running back Braeden Jackson. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Iowa's Braeden Jackson honored for role in win over Michigan

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Sep 28, 2026 4:42 PM ET

The Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Michigan Wolverines in Week 4 on a last-second touchdown grab.

It was an ironic loss for Michigan, which, weeks before, beat Western Michigan in a game in which it was gifted an extra second for a Hail Mary.

That travesty against WMU was seemingly avenged by the college football gods when Iowa quarterback Hank Brown found wideout Reece Vander Zee with zeroes on the clock to give the Hawkeyes the 20-19 last-second win at "The Big House".

That moment will go down in history. It was incredible and poetic.

Another incredible moment from that game will be lost to history because of the hooplah surrounding the final touchdown. That moment came late in the first quarter, when Iowa second-year running back Braeden Jackson took a kick return 99 yards for a touchdown.

On Monday, Jackson, who took a redshirt season in 2025, was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his efforts. This is according to a press release from the Hawkeyes.

BRAEDEN JACKSON HOUSE CALL IN THE BIG HOUSE! pic.twitter.com/EBQ55WtKZL
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 26, 2026

That run gets all the highlights, for good reason, but Jackson was an all-around contributor for the Hawkeyes.

He finished the game with two returns for 119 yards and a touchdown while also adding four rushes for 13 yards and one reception for six yards on offense.

Braeden Jackson making an impact for the Iowa Hawkeyes

Jackson's house call was notable, as it was the first touchdown return allowed by Michigan on a kickoff since the 2019 season. It was also tied for the seventh-longest kick return touchdown in Iowa history.

As it stands, Jackson is also the only player in the Big Ten to house a kickoff this season.

A former three-star from Akeny, Iowa, Jackson was ranked as the No. 56 running back in the 2025 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

So far this season, he's rushed 18 times for 168 yards and a touchdown. He's caught two receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown. He now also has this touchdown return under his belt.

He's making all the right kind of headlines for a former three-star recruit, but that's just how the Hawkeyes do things.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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