Iowa beats Michigan with zeros on clock. College football world reacts: 'Poetic justice' - USA Today

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No. 18 Michigan football fell on the final play of the game in its first game on the Big Ten schedule — and this time, officials didn't put an extra second on the clock.

No. 18 Michigan football fell on the final play of the game in its first game on the Big Ten schedule — and this time, officials didn't put an extra second on the clock.

No. 17 Iowa squeaked out a 20-19 victory on the road in Ann Arbor, Michigan, thanks to a last-second 16-yard touchdown connection between quarterback Hank Brown and receiver Reece Vander Zee, who got both feet in the end zone as he fell out of bounds for the game-clincher.

The setup for the final play was almost as interesting as the play itself. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz initially attempted a 51-yard field goal on the Hawkeyes' penultimate drive, which missed. However, the defense stood strong, forcing a three-and-out to give the offense the ball at its own 9-yard line with 1:36 remaining.

The Hawkeyes were able to advance the ball downfield without facing a single fourth-down conversion attempt, leading Iowa to make the fateful play (though with some pretty nifty catches in the leadup to help the drive along).

Considering the entertaining back-and-forth nature of the game — and the Wolverines' controversial finish to the Western Michigan game — the college football world had plenty of reactions to the finish.

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https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/bigten/2026/09/26/iowa-beats-michigan-last-play-college-football-reactions/91964359007/
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