Iowa Receiver 'Blacked Out' After Game-Winning Catch Against Michigan
Reece Vander Zee hauled in a last-second touchdown to secure a 20-19 victory over the Wolverines, but has no memory of the play.
Iowa wide receiver Reece Vander Zee caught the game-winning 16-yard pass from quarterback Hank Brown as time expired, stunning Michigan 20-19 at The Big House. Vander Zee, who led the Hawkeyes in receptions against the Wolverines, described the moment as one where he "kind of blacked out" and does not recall the exact details of the play.
"We run that play every week, just you know, end of game situations, we do that every week," Vander Zee said on Sirius XM. "It was crazy, I kind of blacked out. Don’t really remember. I just remember all my teammates in my face. But yeah, it was just a great great team win. It’s just great to see everybody having a good time."
The Hawkeyes trailed by five points with 1:37 remaining before receiving the ball. They used their final timeout with 34 seconds left on their own 42-yard line. A 15-yard penalty on Michigan moved the ball into Wolverine territory with 26 seconds left. Following a 29-yard completion with just two seconds on the clock, the Hawkeyes executed the final play.
During the sequence, Michigan defender John Henry Daley sustained an injury, which stopped the clock. This stoppage allowed the Hawkeyes to get the ball into the end zone. The victory moved Iowa to 4-0 on the season, setting up a significant matchup against Ohio State. Michigan fell to 3-1 with the loss.