Reece Vander Zee's dramatic touchdown on the final play of the game may have masked a horrible game for the Hawkeyes, but 4-0 is 4-0 at the end of the day.
ANN ARBOR - Seventeen years ago, Iowa football fans fell in love with a play that is now coined "Seven Got Six."
The play I'm referring too? Marvin McNutt's dramatic, game-winning touchdown catch to beat Michigan State at the horn and continue one of the most special seasons in Hawkeye history that ultimately ended with an Orange Bowl victory.
Along with the miraculous "Tate to Holloway" Hail Mary to beat LSU in the 2005 Capital One Bowl, "Seven Got Six" was one of the few plays that sat in a special shrine if you will. Say the nickname, and any Iowa fan of age will tell you where they were watching that play and what their immediate reaction was.
While "Seven Got Six" still remains a fun memory for fans to this day, it remained the most recent special play to earn such a nickname for almost two decades.
That ended on Saturday, though.
Faced with the almost insurmountable task of driving 91 yards with 1:46 left to play at No. 18 Michigan, the 17th-ranked Hawkeyes did the unthinkable. A wild deflection fell right into Addison Ostrenga's lap to set up Iowa 16 yards from victory, and then quarterback Hank Brown and wide receiver Reece Vander Zee did the rest.
With the game on the line, Brown fired a back shoulder throw that was in the perfect spot for the 6-foot-4 Vander Zee, and the third-year hauled it in for an improbable 20-19 victory to send the Hawkeyes to 4-0.
While the play may not have the significance that "Seven Got Six" had all those years ago, it's only poetic to have a thrilling game-winning touchdown on the last play of the game in The Wolverine State yet again.
We knew the potential the 2009 squad had when "Seven Got Six" happened in late October as Iowa was undefeated and ranked No. 6 in the BCS standings, but here's the thing about the 2026 play: the jury is still out on how good this Hawkeye team really is.
A ranked win on the road for the first time in five years is certainly a positive moment and much-needed monkey off the back of Kirk Ferentz's program, but the truth here is that the miracle ending masked what was shaping up to be a really disappointing loss for Iowa.
Vander Zee said it best. He's not going to take a picture of the box score because of how lopsided it was. Michigan out-gained Iowa by 144 yards (429-285), the Hawkeyes still couldn't run the football (just 58 yards), and the passing game was average, at best (8/16, 85 yards) until the fourth quarter.
Ferentz and Co. will certainly have a lot to go over in the film room, but did we really think an Iowa win in Ann Arbor would be a clean performance? Absolutely not, but the Hawkeyes' goal was to leave the Big House 4-0, and they've done just that.
The road doesn't get much easier, though. No. 7 Ohio State will pay a rare visit to Iowa next weekend in what should be a ridiculous atmosphere at Kinnick Stadium. Oh, and there's a good chance College GameDay will be returning to Iowa City for the first time in two decades, too.
Was Saturday "Seven Got Six" 2.0? It sure felt like it.
Looking for a FREE Hawkeyes community?
Don't miss out on our Roundtable community and the latest news! It's completely FREE to join.
Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members in the community section! Download the FREE Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!
Click here to join the fun and potentially win some FREE Hawkeye swag!
HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]
