Iowa Hawkeyes Face Albany Great Danes in Season Opener

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Iowa Hawkeyes are set to kick off their 2025 football season this Saturday against the Albany Great Danes. The game will take place at 6 p.m. CT at Kinnick Stadium and will be broadcast on FS1.

After struggling as one of the nation’s least effective offensive teams in recent years, Iowa looks to turn things around this season. The Hawkeyes added transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski to their roster, who previously held a 49-6 record at South Dakota State and threw for over 3,000 yards last season. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz expressed optimism about Gronowski’s transition, noting his ability to run and maintain his composure under pressure.

Last season, Iowa finished with an 8-5 record, concluding with a loss to Missouri in the Music City Bowl. Meanwhile, Albany, coming off a 4-8 season, has appointed Jared Ambrose as its interim head coach after former head coach Greg Gattuso stepped down.

Albany’s starting quarterback, Van Weber, suffered a knee injury in spring practice, leading to a competitive battle among Aidan Semo, Jack Shields, and Colin Parachek for the starting role. Ambrose stated he believes his team can hold its own against a Power 4 conference opponent, despite the challenges of facing Iowa.

Ambrose told The League Winners, “We’re going to go out there and try and compete our tails off.” He added that the dynamics of a match like this can be unpredictable: “You really don’t know until you get there.”

The Albany roster features key players like running back JoJo Uga and wide receiver Caden Burti, who both aim to make significant contributions this season. The defense returns multiple leading players, including Ron Holmes Jr., indicating a potentially competitive outing against Iowa.

This game represents more than just a season opener; it’s an opportunity for both teams to showcase their development and growth in the offseason.