IOWA CITY — After leading Iowa to a 41-3 rout over rival Minnesota on Oct. 25 , Mark Gronowski’s mind drifted back to his 2022 season leading South Dakota State.

Hawkeye fans know where that season started — in this same place, Kinnick Stadium. Gronowski thought he would be leading a high-powered offense that season, which included now-Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft.

The Jackrabbits started with a thud. They lost that opener at Iowa, 7-3, and struggled a week later to beat UC-Davis, 24-22. Other tight games ensued for a team that expected to be a buzzsaw.

Gronowski was coming off an injury that year, too, just like this one at Iowa. So he was slow to get going then, like he was this September. But eventually, South Dakota State got rolling and won the FCS national championsh

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