Drake will visit North Dakota State in the opening round of the FCS playoffs. The Bulldogs secured a bid after scoring a late touchdown for a 13-9 win at Butler and watched the selection show on Sunday.

That’s Drake coach Todd Stepsis. It caps a remarkable turnaround for a team that open the 2022 season with an 0-8 record and Stepsis credits his players for never wavering.

Its Drake’s first trip to the FCS playoffs and Stepsis says the Bulldogs are excited by the opportunity to extend their season.

Iowa is back in the AP Top 25 at number 20. The Hawkeyes used a late touchdown to edge Illinois 15-13 and a season that has featured a rash of injuries and struggling offense will including the Hawks second trip to the Big Ten Championship game in three years.

That’s Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes have overcome injuries to several key players to win a division championship.

Iowa takes a 9-2 record into a Black Friday game at Nebraska.

The Hawkeyes will play the winner of the game between second ranked Ohio State and third ranked Michigan in the championship game.

CORALVILLE, Iowa — University of Iowa volleyball fell to No. 1 Nebraska, 3-0, Sunday afternoon inside Xtream Arena.

Fifth year Caitlan Buettner led the way for the Hawkeyes, posting nine kills and hitting at a clip of .257. Redshirt freshman Nataly Moravec followed closely behind with eight kills. Senior setter Bailey Ortega led the team in assists registering 17 in the match. Redshirt junior Amanda Darling tallied 10 digs, and freshman Rosa Vesty and Buettner recorded five blocks apiece.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH JIM BARNES

“We fought together, for each other, and we didn’t give up. We made Nebraska earn their points. We were defensively really good. We had a lot of good touches at the net and good blocks. With our defense, we kept ourselves in it.”

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes travel to Evanston, Illinois, on Friday, Nov. 24 to play Northwestern inside Welsh-Ryan Arena. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on B1G+ (subscription required).

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The third-ranked University of Iowa men’s wrestling team won seven matches in a 25-11 victory over No. 16 Oregon State on Sunday afternoon in its home opener at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Hawkeyes had three bonus point victories over the Beavers and a 96-66 advantage in match points.

“Good test. I give them kudos,” said head coach Tom Brands. “I give Pendleton kudos. He is a professional. He is no slouch. He is a worthy opponent. He comes from a place where he isn’t going to roll over and let you tickle his belly. I have known him as a competitor for a long time. I knew that we had to be ready coming in here.”

Oregon State got on the board first as Brandon Kaylor won via a 7-6 decision over Drake Ayala. Kaylor used a takedown with 25 seconds remaining in the third period to clinch the win.

Iowa then rattled off two bonus point victories as Brody Teske put together a major decision over Gabe Whisenhunt before Real Woods notched a technical fall over Cleveland Belton by a score of 18-3.

“It is cool. It’s fun,” said Teske. “It is a lot better than working a nine to five. It is a great opportunity, and I give all the glory to God. All the support, I am grateful for everything. I’m in a great place right now and moving forward.”

At 149 pounds Victor Voinovich III and Nash Singleton remained tied after regulation but a takedown in sudden victory gave Voinovich a 6-3 victory. Jared Franek closed out the first half of the dual with a, 10-3, decision over Murphy Menke.

Michael Caliendo picked up where Franek left off and picked up a, 15-10, decision over Kekana Fouret. Caliendo used four takedowns and three escapes to earn the win.

True freshman Gabe Arnold made his dual debut for the Hawkeyes at 174 pounds. He picked up a ranked win in his first appearance at Carver-Hawkeye Arena defeating Travis Wittlake via a 4-2 decision.

“I wanted this match,” said Arnold. “Past All-American, no slouch at all. I wanted it. I wanted to put on a show for the home crowd. Terry said that this match, this dual, was to put the world on notice. I put the world on notice. I am here at 174 pounds, not backing down form anything, ready for it all. Let’s do it.”

After Brennen Swafford fell to Trey Munoz via a tech. fall, the Hawkeyes picked up a major decision from Zach Glazier over Justin Rademacher. Glazier had four takedowns to Rademacher’s one.

Oregon State closed out the dual with a win as Boone McDermott won a, 4-1, decision over Bradley Hill.

OF NOTE 

• Victor Voinovich III, Jared Franek, Michael Caliendo, Gabe Arnold, Brennan Swafford and Bradley Hill all made their debuts in Carver-Hawkeye Arena as Hawkeyes.
• Iowa has 12-bonus point victories in 20 dual matches this season.
• Arnold’s win at 174 was his dual debut for the Hawkeyes and was his first over a nationally ranked opponent. He is 6-0 this season.
  • Arnold made it the fifth straight season that a true freshman competed in a dual lineup for the Hawkeyes.
• Iowa moves to 7-1 all-time against Oregon State.

UP NEXT 

Iowa heads to Ames, Iowa on November 26 to take on Iowa State in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Dual.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State (4-0, 0-0 Big 12) stifled Grambling State (2-3, 0-0 SWAC) Sunday afternoon in Hilton Coliseum, holding the Tigers to 37 points in a 92-37 blowout to remain undefeated on the year.

ISU’s margin of victory this season is +45.5, defeating all four opponents by at least 30 points. It marked the second time in the T.J. Otzelberger era where an opponent was held under 40 points.

Iowa State led 48-14 at the break and were never threatened. The Cyclones dominated inside with a plethora of easy baskets, connecting on 63 percent of their shots from the field (32-51) while holding the Tigers to a 29 percent clip.

The Cyclones had five players in double figures, led Tamin Lipsey’s 17 points. Lipsey continues to improve by the game. The floor general also handed out a season-high nine assists and tallied three steals. He’s dished out five or more assists in all four games this season.

True freshmen Omaha Biliew and Milan Momcilovic added 14 and 13 points, respectively, and Curtis Jones netted 14 points and dished out five dimes.  

How It Happened
Iowa State made 11-of-its-first-15 shots and raced out to a 32-4 lead on the Tigers. Lipsey had four assists and the Cyclones converted nine points off turnovers to help forge their lead. Momcilovic scored eight points, including a pair of treys.

C. Jones had 10 points in the first 12 minutes of the contest, making 4-of-5 from the field with two 3-pointers.

It was a 48-14 Cyclone lead at the break. Lipsey finished the opening period with 10 points and eight dimes. Grambling’s 14 points tied for the fifth-lowest half output by a Cyclone opponent since 1949-50.

Top Performers
Omaha Biliew had one of his best games of his young Cyclone career, posting a career-high 14 points behind a 6-of-7 effort from the field.  Biliew, who did his damage in just 20 minutes of action, also had three rebounds.    

Up Next
Iowa State heads to Orlando during Thanksgiving to play in the ESPN Events Invitational. The Cyclones will play three games with a first-round matchup vs. VCU on Thursday. Tipoff is at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

SAINT CHARLES, Missouri – Five University of Iowa wrestlers placed at the Lindenwood Open at the Robert F. Hyland Arena on Saturday.

The Hawkeyes won 30 matches during the tournament — posting one second, one third, one fourth and two sixth-place finishes.

Koye Grebel won five bouts en route to a second-place finish in the Black (Freshman/Sophomore) Division. Grebel outscored his opponents 66-12 in his second collegiate competition.

Drake Rhodes put together three bonus point wins as he battled to a third-place finish in the Gold Division.

Heavyweights Gage Marty and Easton Fleshman – both competing unattached – finished fourth and sixth, respectively.

Joey Cruz finished in sixth after winning his first two matches: one by major decision and one by technical fall. He fell to Troy Spratley via tech. fall, 19-2, and then medically forfeited out of the tournament.

Iowa returns to action tomorrow hosting Oregon State at noon (CT) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena..