Iowa and Nebraska play for the Heroes Trophy and the game was won by the unlikeliest of heroes.
Marshall Meeder, the backup kicker who hadn’t played a snap all year, comes in in relief with four seconds to play and delivers a 38-yard, game-winning field goal in his debut, and the story of the Hawkeye season just keeps getting better.
“They do a good job keeping you ready, no matter if you’re a backup or if you’re a starter… I felt ready for the day,” Meeder said. “I was just waiting for my opportunity and made the most of it.”
“Coach brought him in early this summer and he meant business today,” Jay Higgins said. “He got on campus and we appreciate that and obviously that’s why Coach Woods felt comfortable for just putting him out there to win the game. I couldn’t imagine my first play at Iowa trying to go win the game, so I’m happy for him.”
“I had no worries at all,” Deacon Hill said. “I know Marshall, I love Marshall. Great guy works very hard. I knew that that thing was going in when he came in.”
“He had a pretty good ovation when he came in the locker room,” Kirk Ferentz said. “I think the reason they like him is because they’ve seen him perform in practice. He’s a serious guy that cares so that’s kind of how football works. If a guy’s got the right attributes and demonstrates it, than people tend to have confidence in them.”
Hawkeyes reclaimed the Heroes Trophy and walked off a 10-win team for the fifth time in the Kirk Ferentz era. As for what’s next, they’ll wait for the Ohio State-Michigan game on Saturday. They will play the winner in Indianapolis next Saturday.
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