Iowa and late game-winning field goals to beat Nebraska: name a better combination. In 2018, Miguel Recinos nailed a 41-yard field goal through the rain to defeat Nebraska, 31-28. A year later, in 2019, Keith Duncan blasted a 48-yard field goal through the uprights to knock off Nebraska in Lincoln, 27-24 -- then blew kisses to the Nebraska sideline.
Add Marshall Meeder to that list now.
On Friday, Meeder, a transfer from Central Michigan making his first appearance of the season, split the uprights with a 38-yard field goal for yet another walk-off win by Iowa over Nebraska, 13-10.
The game-winning kick was preceded by one of the wildest final minutes in recent memory. After the defense got a stop to force a punt, Iowa took over on offense with 0:55 to play. An incomplete pass and a sack later, Iowa faced 3rd-and-12 at the Iowa 25-yard line.
Instead of calling a run play and playing for overtime, the Iowa coaches dialed up a passing play -- which promptly resulted in Deacon Hill sending a laser into tight coverage that was intercepted at midfield.
A hold on the return brought the ball back to the Nebraska 45, but the Huskers still had 31 seconds remaining and a timeout to try and get into position for a game-winning field goal. On first down, Nebraska quarterback Chubba Purdy scrambled out of bounds for a 3-yard gain. On second down, he dropped back for a pass but failed to see Iowa defensive end Ethan Hurkett drop into coverage, which led to this:
A 22-yard run by Leshon Williams on first down got Iowa down to the Nebraska 15, well within field goal range. Deacon Hill downed the ball in the middle of the field to center the kick on second down.
Enter: Marshall Meeder.
Meeder, a transfer from Central Michigan hadn't appeared in an Iowa game all season prior to Friday. He converted 30-of-45 field goal attempts at CMU, including 5-of-11 for the Chippewas last season. But when his name was called to hit the biggest kick of the game, he answered the call perfectly.
The opportunity only fell Meeder's way because of struggles during the game for Iowa's regular placekicker, Drew Stevens. Stevens had a 30-yard field goal blocked in the first quarter, then had a 24-yard field goal blocked in the second quarter (though he also converted a 28-yard attempt in-between those missed kicks).
In addition, Stevens sent two kickoffs out-of-bounds and all of this came on top of a blocked extra point at the end of the Illinois game last week. For whatever reason, Stevens has not had his kicking mojo of late, which prompted the Iowa coaches to instead turn to Meeder for the final kick.
An improbable ending to an improbable game that capped a truly improbable season for Iowa, now 10-2 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten. Meeder's post-game comment probably sums it all up best:
And here's a collection of all of Iowa's recent game-winning kicks to defeat Nebraska.
