The Iowa Hawkeyes were down to their last play against Michigan, and it was a do-or-die moment for Hawkeyes quarterback Hank Brown and wide receiver Reece Vander Zee. Brown had two seconds left on the clock with his team trailing 19-14 at The Big House in Ann Arbor.
Despite fighting from behind under the most difficult circumstances, Brown threw a letter-perfect pass into the endzone and Vander Zee made a spectacular catch for the touchdown. The play stood up to review by the officials and those scrutinizing it in the Big Ten headquarters and the Hawkeyes had a 20-19 upset.
Iowa overcame a strange decision earlier in the fourth quarter by head coach Kirk Ferentz to earn the victory. Ferentz had decided to go for a field goal on a 4th-and-6 play with 2:38 to go in the game. The kick by Iowa PK Caden Buhr was unsuccessful, but even if the 51-yard FG attempt had been good, the Hawkeyes would have trailed by 2 points and would no longer have possession.
Iowa fans were highly critical of the decision on X. Many expected that the decision and the missed field goal meant that Iowa had no chance to regain the ball and that a loss was imminent.
However, Michigan went 3-and-out on the ensuing possession, and that meant Iowa regained the ball and had a chance to win the game. The Hawkeyes took over at their own 9-yard line with 1:48 remaining. Prior to the winning touchdown, the Hawkeyes converted on a 3rd-and-10 play from the Michigan 45 that resulted in a first down at the Michigan 16. That pass from Brown to Addison Ostrenga set up the game-winning TD pass to Vander Zee.