Football Battles in Loss to Iowa

By Carter Schum | September 1, 2025

The University at Albany football team was defeated by the Iowa Hawkeyes by a score of 34-7 on Saturday (8/30). 

Great Dane Quarterback Jack Shields (#3) made his first start since 2023 on Saturday night.

Photo Credit: Brent Warzocha / UAlbany Athletics 

“I was really proud of our guys and how they battled for a full 60 minutes" Said Interim UAlbany head coach Jaread Ambrose following the season opening loss to FBS Iowa. 

The Great Dane defense would bend but not break on the first drive of the game, as they would force Iowa to settle for a field goal despite the Hawkeyes getting to the UAlbany 13 yard line to make the score 3-0 with 8:51 left in the first quarter. 

The first possession from the Great Danes would end in a 3 & out, after 2 runs and a short pass would see UAlbany be well short of a first down. 

On the following possession, the Great Dane defense would respond with 3 & out of their own as they were able to put pressure on Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski and force a punt. 

UAlbany would take the lead as Senior Jack Shields would find Lasalle Rose in the back of the endzone for a 9 yard touchdown reception on 3rd & goal that along with a perfect extra point kick would give the Great Danes a 7-3 lead, their first ever over a Power 4 Program, 11:33 remaining in the 2nd quarter.

The Hawkeyes would respond immediately when Xavier Williams would run the ball in from inside the 5 yard line with 7:28 remaining, to cap off a 7 play 65 yard drive to make the score 10-7. 

Iowa would score once again, as on 4th & goal from the Great Dane 2 yard line Gronowski would connect with Kaden Wetjen on a perfectly placed pass to put the Hawkeyes up 17-7 with 1:51 remaining in the 2nd quarter. 

UAlbany would attempt to find the scoreboard before the end of the 1st half but were unsuccessful as the Iowa defense would force a punt with 22 seconds left. A subsequent knee by Gronowski would send the game to halftime. 

The Iowa offense would keep rolling, as they once again would score from inside the Great Dane 5 yard line as Gronowski would run the ball in himself to finish off a mammoth Hawkeye drive that went nearly 8 and a half minutes.

The Great Danes’ highlight of the 3rd quarter would come with 4:29 remaining, as Owen Lawson would send a booming punt down to the Iowa 14 yard line from inside his own 35. 

Gronowski would exit the game with 1:11 remaining in the 3rd quarter after he went down on the field after seemingly suffering a cramp. Sophomore Hank Brown would take over for the remainder of the game. 

This would not stop the Hawkeyes however, as Drew Stevens would nail a 55 yard field goal to make the score 27-7 in favor of Iowa with 14:18 remaining in the game. 

The Great Danes would continue their second half slump on offense, as after getting a first down via a pass interference penalty, Shields would be sacked on 3rd down to force another UAlbany punt. 

The Hawkeyes once again found the endzone with 3:42 remaining when Brown would copy Gronowski by running the ball in the Great Dane end zone from the 1 yard line to make it 34-7. 

UAlbany’s defense would have its first takeaway of the game with 1:44 remaining, as Brown would fumble the ball which was recovered by Abdul Osholake. 

The Great Dane offense would yet again put up a fruitless second half drive that would prove to be the last of the game for either team as Iowa would emerge victorious 34-7. 

Shields would finish his first start in nearly 2 years; 13-26 passing with 134 yards and a touchdown. Others of note for UAlbany include Caden Burti who had 56 yards on 3 receptions and Tight End Carter Moses who had 26 receiving yards. 

On the defensive side of the ball, Thomas Joe-Kamara tallied 13 total tackles and Nick Totten recorded the Great Danes lone sack. 

UAlbany's next game is scheduled for September 6th, when they take on the Delaware State Hornets. The Great Danes home opener is on September 13th, when they host the New Haven Chargers.