Iowa Hawkeyes football
Encyclopedia
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football
team at the University of Iowa
in Iowa City
, Iowa
. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference
since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA). Beginning in 2011, Iowa will compete in the Big Ten's Legends Division.
first officially recognized a varsity football team. In 1899, Iowa completed its first undefeated football season, which led to an invitation to join the Western Conference, now known as the Big Ten Conference
, the following year. In 1900
, the Hawkeyes
secured another undefeated season and won a share of the Western Conference title in their first year in the league.
Iowa claimed consecutive Big Ten titles in 1921 and 1922. The Hawkeyes won 20 straight games in the early 1920s under the guidance of Hall of Fame
coach Howard Jones. Jones soon left Iowa and established a powerhouse at Southern California, and the Hawkeyes were abysmal for most of the 1930s. As a result, little was expected of Iowa’s 1939 team, led by new coach Eddie Anderson. Nicknamed the “Ironmen”, the 1939 Hawkeyes scored several upset victories and vaulted into the national rankings. Though Iowa fell a game short of the Big Ten title, team MVP Nile Kinnick
won almost every major national award, including the 1939 Heisman Trophy
.
Forest Evashevski
was hired as Iowa’s head coach in 1952. He lured Calvin Jones
to Iowa, where Jones became the first Hawkeye – and the first African-American – to win the Outland Trophy
in 1955. From 1956 to 1960, Evashevski led Iowa to four finishes in the top five of the national rankings, three Big Ten Conference titles, two Rose Bowl victories, and the 1958 FWAA
national championship. After the 1960 season, Evashevski left coaching to become Iowa’s athletic director. The result was nineteen consecutive non-winning seasons for the Hawkeyes from 1962 to 1980.
Four head coaches after Evashevski were hired and left without success. Hall of Fame
coach Hayden Fry
was hired after the 1978 season to try to reverse Iowa’s fortunes. After decades of losing, Fry revived the Iowa program. In 20 years at Iowa, he led the Hawks to 14 bowl games, three Big Ten titles, and three Rose Bowl appearances. Fry retired in 1998, turning the program over to former assistant Kirk Ferentz
. Ferentz led Iowa to three consecutive top ten finishes from 2002 to 2004 and two Big Ten titles. The Hawkeyes have played in eight bowl games in the past nine seasons and in 22 bowl games over the last 29 seasons. Iowa has cracked the top 25 at the end of the season five times during the Kirk Ferentz era - No. 8 in 2002–04, No. 20 in 2008, and No. 7 in 2009. Iowa will begin its 122nd season of football, and its 111th season in the Big Ten, in 2010. Among the legends that Fry left behind is the iconic pink visitors locker room, as well as a statement he made the day he started as Iowa Head Coach that he would take the team to a bowl game within four years, or he would step down. He would not only succeed in his boast, by sending Iowa to the 1982 Rose Bowl
, he would do it in three years, coming in one year under his statement.
Jerry Burns coached after Evashevski retired. He had a 16-27-2 record. Ray Nagel followed from 1966-1970 with a 16-32-2 record. Frank Lauterbur followed, coaching from 1971 -1973 with a 4-28-1 record, with a 0-11 record in 1973. Bob Commings coached the Hawkeyes from 1974-1978. His record was 17 wins and 38 losses.
Ray Nagel finally won a game in his last year of coaching. He was quoted, “You can beat an egg, you can beat a rug, but you can’t beat a win.” This quote probably showed the sense of relief the coach felt for finally winning a game.
fell down with an 'injury'. This stopped the clock (Notre Dame had no time outs left). Varrichione went in that same play and the Irish scored on a touchdown pass to Dan Shannon, to tie the game 7-7 at the half. With the score still deadlocked late into the fourth quarter, Iowa intercepted a pass on their own 48-yard line. The Hawkeyes then scored on a touchdown pass to end Frank Gilliam
to give the Hawkeyes a 14-7 lead with only 2:06 left in the game. Notre Dame, having no time outs, was certainly 'up against it' and 'the breaks' were most definitely 'beating the boys'. However, without the Gipper's magic, Notre Dame was forced to use questionable tactics. With only 6 seconds left and the clock ticking away Frank Varrichione
came down with another 'injury' which stopped the clock (again he went back in that very same play). Notre Dame then scored a touchdown to tie the game up and stay unbeaten. After the game, sportswriters such as Grantland Rice
and others were infuriated calling it unfair, and The Irish earned the label: "The Fainting Irish of Notre Dame". Iowa head coach Forest Evashevski said after the game: "When the One Great Scorer comes to write against our name, He won't write whether we won or lost, but how come we got gypped at Notre Dame". The Hawkeyes, before the game ranked 20th, jumped teams with better records, to gain the #9 ranking. What is more, Varrichione has since admitted that the injuries were fake, in Steve Delsohn’s book, TALKING IRISH. In addition, Notre Dame Heisman winner Johnny Lattner
praised his team's tactics calling it "Pretty smart thinking, wasn't it?". While, Lattner may be correct in saying that it was 'smart', he failed to acknowledge the 'minor' problem that it was illegal. In college football, an injury timeout has always been reserved for actual injuries. Because of the game, the NCAA changed the rules making players sit out at least one down before returning to the game.
, Iowa drove the ball to the Michigan 12 yard line. As the clock expired, kicker Rob Houghtlin sent one through the uprights, to give Iowa the win. The Hawkeyes would go on to accept an invatation to the Rose Bowl.
. The Hawkeyes crushed the Redhawks, 21-3. However, the game is significant in that the Hawkeyes held Roethlisberger to no touchdown passes. In addition, the Hawkeyes, intercepted this future NFL great a total of 4 times. The RedHawkes went unbeaten after the loss to Iowa. However, that loss kept them out of a BCS Bowl Game and Roethlisberger out of Heisman contention.
was not fazed, for on the play he threw the ball 56 yards to Warren Holloway for an Iowa touchdown that gave the Hawkeyes a 30-25 victory over Nick Saban
's defending champion Tigers. The touchdown was Holloway's first and only career touchdown.
was picked-off by Iowa's Tyler Sash
. Iowa drove the ball to the Penn State 14 yard line, setting up a 31 yard Daniel Murray field goal to give the Hawks the win.
as a club sport in 1872, and began playing intramural
games against other colleges in 1882, but it was not until 1889 when Iowa
challenged Grinnell College
to an interscholastic varsity
football game. Since then, the Hawkeyes have played over 1,000 games, including 24 bowl game
s.
and a 31-30 defeat by Wisconsin
, the Hawkeyes were in Big Ten title contention until November. Iowa began the season with a 7-2 record, highlighted by a 37-6 victory over previously unbeaten and #5 ranked Michigan State
. But the Hawkeyes faded down the stretch, losing their last three games and dropping out of the national rankings. Iowa completed the 2010 regular season with a 7-5 record and are bowl eligible for the tenth straight season. The Hawkeyes defeated the Missouri Tigers
27-24 in the 2010 Insight Bowl
on December 28 in Tempe, AZ. In the victory Hawkeye true freshman Marcus Coker set an Iowa bowl record with 219 yards rushing.
, arguably the most prestigious organization at the time to vote on a national champion after the bowls were played, gave their national championship trophy, the Grantland Rice Award
, to Iowa.
prior to joining the Western Conference
, now known as the Big Ten, in 1900. Iowa currently claims 11 Big Ten Conference
championships:
, individual Hawkeye players of exceptional ability have received many accolades. Iowa has had several players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
, College Football Hall of Fame
, Canadian Football Hall of Fame
, and Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
. Individual Hawkeyes have won many prestigious national awards, including the Outland Trophy
, the Davey O'Brien Award
, Doak Walker Award
, and the Heisman Trophy
. 92 Hawkeyes have been named a first-team or second-team All-American
, and 22 have been named consensus first-team All-Americans.
The Iowa Hawkeyes have had ten players win the Big Ten Most Valuable Player Award
, and 219 Hawks have earned All-Big Ten recognition. Iowa has had 229 NFL draft picks, and several former Hawkeye players have gone on to become NFL head coaches or Division I college head coaches.
The only two players to have their numbers retired by the Hawkeye football program are Nile Kinnick
#24 and Cal Jones
#62. Kinnick won the University of Iowa's only Heisman Trophy
in 1939, while Jones was the first African-American to win the Outland Trophy
in 1955.
Five Hawkeyes have been nominated for the Heisman Trophy. Iowa has only one winner, while the rest came in second.
, formerly known as Iowa Stadium, is the home stadium of the University of Iowa
Hawkeyes in Iowa City
, Iowa
. It opened as Iowa Stadium in 1929; prior to that time, Iowa played its home games at Iowa Field. Iowa Stadium was renamed Kinnick Stadium in 1972 in honor of Nile Kinnick
, the 1939 Heisman Trophy
winner and the only Heisman winner in university history, who died in service during World War II
. It currently holds up to 70,585 people, making it the 27th largest college football stadium in America and the 86th largest sports stadium in the world.
, which has been awarded to the winner of the Iowa-Minnesota
game every season since 1935.
Iowa plays Iowa State
for the Cy-Hawk Trophy
, which was created when the Iowa-Iowa State series resumed in 1977.
Iowa has played Wisconsin
for the Heartland Trophy
since 2004. Starting in 2011, the Hawkeyes and Badgers will no longer compete every year since they are in opposite divisions.
which is sung by the marching band and the fans. Iowa's school song is On Iowa
. Iowa also plays a third fight song, entitled Roll Along Iowa
. After victories the band plays "In Heaven There Is No Beer".
, a black and gold caricature of a Hawk. Herky was created as a cartoon in 1948, and first appeared at a sporting event in 1959. Herky was actually named after the Greek God Hercules. The term "Hawkeye" originally appeared in the book The Last of the Mohicans and was later used in its plural form to describe the people of Iowa. The University of Iowa adopted this as the nickname for its athletic teams.
now performs at all Iowa Hawkeye home football games. The band also travels with the team to usually one away game per year and any post-season bowl games.
helped to create the Tiger hawk, the logo seen on Iowa's football helmets. Since both teams shared the colors of black and gold, Fry gained permission from the Pittsburgh Steelers
, the dominant NFL program of the 1970s, to overhaul Iowa’s uniforms in the Steelers’ image. Fry's idea was that if the team were going to act like winners, they first needed to dress like winners. Fry had originally asked Steelers Defensive Tackle "Mean" Joe Greene
for a replica helmet and home jersey; Greene was able to send Fry to one of the team owners, and three days later, the owners sent Fry reproduction copies of the home and away uniform of Steeler Quarterback Terry Bradshaw
, making Iowa one of only a few schools to use the uniform scheme of an NFL team. Although the uniforms appear the same, there are subtle differences, mainly in the scheme of the white away jerseys, the Steeler jerseys have the players names in yellow, while the Hawkeyes use black.
The Hawkeyes have twice removed the Tiger hawks, and the single gold stripe from their game helmets as a symbolic gesture of mourning. The first instance was on November 2, 1991, in recognition of the six victims of a fatal campus shooting. The second occasion was for a December 29, 1996, appearance in the Alamo Bowl
. It served to commemorate the family of linebacker Mark Mitchell, who were involved in a fatal vehicle accident while en route to the game. The accident resulted in the death of Mitchell's mother and severe injuries to his father and two brothers. Both games resulted in Iowa victories.
The Iowa Athletic Director has okayed only three stickers on the helmets over the last thirty years, the first, in 1984, when a gold disk appeared, with the black letters "ANF," Which stands for America Needs Farmers, this sticker has remained in place since it was first placed onto the helmet. The second was a small black sticker on the back of the helmet, with white letters that spelled out "EVY," the nickname of legendary Iowa head coach, and Athletic Director, Forest Evasheski, to commemorate his passing in 2009. The third was in memory of Iowa high school football coaching legend Ed Thomas, who was tragically killed in his team's weight room by a former player. A small gold sticker with the black letters "FFF" placed near the crown of the helmet represents Faith, Family, Football, a motto Coach Thomas preached to his players to represent what his players priorities should be not only through the season, but throughout life.
Before the game is about to start, Herky, Iowa's mascot, "surfs" on a platform carried onto the field by four cheerleaders. Herky jumps off the platform and runs around the field waving the Iowa flag before planting it firmly in the turf. This draws a very enthusiastic reaction from the crowd.
Hayden Fry
introduced "the swarm" upon his arrival at Iowa in 1979. When entering Kinnick Stadium, players jog slowly onto the field, hands locked and with the captains in front. It is designed to show the team's unity as they take the field as a group.
The Hawkeye team is led onto the field by four giant black and gold flags, spelling I-O-W-A. Each flag then moves to the four corners of the field. After every Hawkeye touchdown, fans in the four corners of the field, initially aided by the flags, spell out I-O-W-A.
After every Hawkeye victory, the Hawkeye Marching Band plays the Hawkeye Victory Polka
, the band's adaptation of the polka song, "In Heaven There Is No Beer". Many Hawkeye fans sing along as well. After losses, only the Iowa Fight Song is played.
Before the Hawkeyes enter the field, the stadium plays "Back in Black
" by AC/DC
and the video board shows the Hawkeye football players walking from the locker room to the field entrance.
The Hawkeyes enter the field to the song Enter Sandman
by Metallica
. The big screen shows Iowa's equipment semi running into the opposing team's logo as the Hawks swarm onto the field.
The Hawkeye Marching Band will perform the Imperial March after the Iowa defense forces a 4th down, while the fans clap in an up and down motion, imitating the beak of a Hawk chomping.
When the Iowa defense forces a third down, the ominous gong sounds from the beginning of AC/DC's Hell's Bells
are played to incite a reaction from the fans.
A recent tradition started by three, at the time, sophomores, Eric Gilmour, Mitch Ahrendsen, and Patrick Riley, students take off their shoes for kickoff (instead of taking out their keys).
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA). Beginning in 2011, Iowa will compete in the Big Ten's Legends Division.
History
Football was first played as a club sport at Iowa in 1872, with intramural games against other colleges played as early as 1882, but it was not until 1889 that the University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
first officially recognized a varsity football team. In 1899, Iowa completed its first undefeated football season, which led to an invitation to join the Western Conference, now known as the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
, the following year. In 1900
1990 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split championship and the ensuing controversy led to the creation of the Bowl Coalition, a precursor to the Bowl Championship Series. The title was split between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets...
, the Hawkeyes
1990 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 1990 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the 1990 college football season.-Schedule:-Cincinnati:...
secured another undefeated season and won a share of the Western Conference title in their first year in the league.
Iowa claimed consecutive Big Ten titles in 1921 and 1922. The Hawkeyes won 20 straight games in the early 1920s under the guidance of Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
coach Howard Jones. Jones soon left Iowa and established a powerhouse at Southern California, and the Hawkeyes were abysmal for most of the 1930s. As a result, little was expected of Iowa’s 1939 team, led by new coach Eddie Anderson. Nicknamed the “Ironmen”, the 1939 Hawkeyes scored several upset victories and vaulted into the national rankings. Though Iowa fell a game short of the Big Ten title, team MVP Nile Kinnick
Nile Kinnick
Nile Clarke Kinnick, Jr. was a student and a college football player at the University of Iowa. He won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-American. He died during a training flight while serving as a U.S Navy aviator in World War II...
won almost every major national award, including the 1939 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
.
Forest Evashevski
Forest Evashevski
Forest "Evy" Evashevski was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940 and with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks in 1942...
was hired as Iowa’s head coach in 1952. He lured Calvin Jones
Cal Jones
Calvin Jack Jones was a college football player for the University of Iowa. Jones is one of only two Iowa football players to have his jersey number retired by the school. Jones became the first Hawkeye, and the first African-American, to win the Outland Trophy in 1955...
to Iowa, where Jones became the first Hawkeye – and the first African-American – to win the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
in 1955. From 1956 to 1960, Evashevski led Iowa to four finishes in the top five of the national rankings, three Big Ten Conference titles, two Rose Bowl victories, and the 1958 FWAA
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
national championship. After the 1960 season, Evashevski left coaching to become Iowa’s athletic director. The result was nineteen consecutive non-winning seasons for the Hawkeyes from 1962 to 1980.
Four head coaches after Evashevski were hired and left without success. Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
coach Hayden Fry
Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
was hired after the 1978 season to try to reverse Iowa’s fortunes. After decades of losing, Fry revived the Iowa program. In 20 years at Iowa, he led the Hawks to 14 bowl games, three Big Ten titles, and three Rose Bowl appearances. Fry retired in 1998, turning the program over to former assistant Kirk Ferentz
Kirk Ferentz
Kirk James Ferentz is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Iowa, a position he has held since 1999. From 1990 to 1992, Ferentz was the head football coach at the University of Maine. He has also served as an assistant coach...
. Ferentz led Iowa to three consecutive top ten finishes from 2002 to 2004 and two Big Ten titles. The Hawkeyes have played in eight bowl games in the past nine seasons and in 22 bowl games over the last 29 seasons. Iowa has cracked the top 25 at the end of the season five times during the Kirk Ferentz era - No. 8 in 2002–04, No. 20 in 2008, and No. 7 in 2009. Iowa will begin its 122nd season of football, and its 111th season in the Big Ten, in 2010. Among the legends that Fry left behind is the iconic pink visitors locker room, as well as a statement he made the day he started as Iowa Head Coach that he would take the team to a bowl game within four years, or he would step down. He would not only succeed in his boast, by sending Iowa to the 1982 Rose Bowl
1982 Rose Bowl
The 1982 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game, played on January 1, 1982. It was the 68th Rose Bowl Game. The Washington Huskies defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes by a score of 28-0. Washington Freshman Jacque Robinson gained 142 yards on 20 carries and set up or scored three of the Huskies' four...
, he would do it in three years, coming in one year under his statement.
The "Lean" years
Iowa has had several successful coaches. Forest Evashevski won the Rose Bowl twice when he coached from the late 1950s until 1961, when he retired. Hayden Fry came to Iowa in 1978. Kirk Ferentz coached after Hayden Fry retired. In the interim years though, there were eighteen years without a winning season.Jerry Burns coached after Evashevski retired. He had a 16-27-2 record. Ray Nagel followed from 1966-1970 with a 16-32-2 record. Frank Lauterbur followed, coaching from 1971 -1973 with a 4-28-1 record, with a 0-11 record in 1973. Bob Commings coached the Hawkeyes from 1974-1978. His record was 17 wins and 38 losses.
Ray Nagel finally won a game in his last year of coaching. He was quoted, “You can beat an egg, you can beat a rug, but you can’t beat a win.” This quote probably showed the sense of relief the coach felt for finally winning a game.
1953 #20 Iowa vs #9 Notre Dame
On Nov. 21, 1953 undefeated and #1 Notre Dame were set to face the Hawkeyes in South Bend. The score was 0-0 when, in the first quarter, Iowa DB Dusty Rice intercepted the Irish. The Hawkeyes drove the ball 72-yards for an Iowa touchdown and a 7-0 lead. With only 2 seconds left in the first half, Irish tackle Frank VarrichioneFrank Varrichione
Frank Varrichione is a former American football tackle. He played eleven seasons in the National Football League: six for the Pittsburgh Steelers and five for the Los Angeles Rams.-See also:...
fell down with an 'injury'. This stopped the clock (Notre Dame had no time outs left). Varrichione went in that same play and the Irish scored on a touchdown pass to Dan Shannon, to tie the game 7-7 at the half. With the score still deadlocked late into the fourth quarter, Iowa intercepted a pass on their own 48-yard line. The Hawkeyes then scored on a touchdown pass to end Frank Gilliam
Frank Gilliam
Frank Gilliam was an All-American football player and coach for the University of Iowa. He later played several seasons in the Canadian Football League...
to give the Hawkeyes a 14-7 lead with only 2:06 left in the game. Notre Dame, having no time outs, was certainly 'up against it' and 'the breaks' were most definitely 'beating the boys'. However, without the Gipper's magic, Notre Dame was forced to use questionable tactics. With only 6 seconds left and the clock ticking away Frank Varrichione
Frank Varrichione
Frank Varrichione is a former American football tackle. He played eleven seasons in the National Football League: six for the Pittsburgh Steelers and five for the Los Angeles Rams.-See also:...
came down with another 'injury' which stopped the clock (again he went back in that very same play). Notre Dame then scored a touchdown to tie the game up and stay unbeaten. After the game, sportswriters such as Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice
Grantland Rice was an early 20th century American sportswriter known for his elegant prose. His writing was published in newspapers around the country and broadcast on the radio.-Biography:...
and others were infuriated calling it unfair, and The Irish earned the label: "The Fainting Irish of Notre Dame". Iowa head coach Forest Evashevski said after the game: "When the One Great Scorer comes to write against our name, He won't write whether we won or lost, but how come we got gypped at Notre Dame". The Hawkeyes, before the game ranked 20th, jumped teams with better records, to gain the #9 ranking. What is more, Varrichione has since admitted that the injuries were fake, in Steve Delsohn’s book, TALKING IRISH. In addition, Notre Dame Heisman winner Johnny Lattner
Johnny Lattner
John Joseph "Johnny" Lattner is a former American football player in the United States. He was a halfback for the University of Notre Dame where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1953, and won the Maxwell Award twice, in 1952 and 1953....
praised his team's tactics calling it "Pretty smart thinking, wasn't it?". While, Lattner may be correct in saying that it was 'smart', he failed to acknowledge the 'minor' problem that it was illegal. In college football, an injury timeout has always been reserved for actual injuries. Because of the game, the NCAA changed the rules making players sit out at least one down before returning to the game.
1958 Rose Bowl
With the conclusion of this game, Iowa won its first, and only, National Championship. The game was lopsided and by the end of the third quarter, with a 22-6 advantage over the California Golden Bears, Iowa could smell victory. The championship, however, is disputed. The AP, whose poll came out after the bowl games, had picked LSU as their National Champion. However, the 1958 LSU team refused to play teams with any African Americans, leaving few and inferior available opponents. Because of this fact, as well as the AP not choosing after the bowl games, many feel the Iowa Hawkeyes rightfully own the 1958 National Championship.1985 #2 Michigan vs #1 Iowa
The Hawkeyes trailed 10-9 late in the fourth quarter, in what may be considered the greatest game ever played at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa got the ball, with 5:27 left, on their own 22 yard line. Led by their All-American Quarterback, Chuck LongChuck Long
Chuck Long is an American football coach. He played quarterback in college at Iowa for Hayden Fry and professionally with the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams. He is an inductee of the College Football Hall of Fame. In the January 2008 issue of San Diego Magazine he was chosen as one of...
, Iowa drove the ball to the Michigan 12 yard line. As the clock expired, kicker Rob Houghtlin sent one through the uprights, to give Iowa the win. The Hawkeyes would go on to accept an invatation to the Rose Bowl.
2003 #15 Miami (OH) vs #12 Iowa
RedHawks were led by their Heisman hopeful, and future two time Super Bowl Champion, quarterback Ben RoethlisbergerBen Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
. The Hawkeyes crushed the Redhawks, 21-3. However, the game is significant in that the Hawkeyes held Roethlisberger to no touchdown passes. In addition, the Hawkeyes, intercepted this future NFL great a total of 4 times. The RedHawkes went unbeaten after the loss to Iowa. However, that loss kept them out of a BCS Bowl Game and Roethlisberger out of Heisman contention.
2005 Capital One Bowl Iowa vs. LSU ("The Catch")
The game has gone down in Hawkeye history known simply as "The Catch". Iowa was set to play the defending National Champion LSU Tigers. Despite leading the entire game, Iowa found itself down 24-25 and got the ball with only 46 seconds left on the clock. With only a few seconds left in the game, Iowa found itself on their own 44 yard line facing a 2nd and 6. Iowa Quarterback Drew TateDrew Tate
Drew Tate is a professional American and Canadian football quarterback for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Iowa....
was not fazed, for on the play he threw the ball 56 yards to Warren Holloway for an Iowa touchdown that gave the Hawkeyes a 30-25 victory over Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
's defending champion Tigers. The touchdown was Holloway's first and only career touchdown.
Iowa vs Penn State 2008
The Nittany Lions came into Kinnick Stadium boasting a 9-0 record and a #3 ranking. With 3:55 to go in the fourth quarter, Iowa found itself down 21-23, while Penn State was facing a 3rd and 24. On ensuing play Penn State quarterback Daryll ClarkDaryll Clark
Daryll Lawrence Clark is a football quarterback who is currently a member of the Chicago Rush. He was signed by the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League as an free agent in 2010. He played collegiately for the Penn State Nittany Lions. He is the Nittany Lions' all-time leader in...
was picked-off by Iowa's Tyler Sash
Tyler Sash
Tyler Sash is an American football safety for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Iowa.-College career:...
. Iowa drove the ball to the Penn State 14 yard line, setting up a 31 yard Daniel Murray field goal to give the Hawks the win.
Season records
The Hawkeyes began playing footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
as a club sport in 1872, and began playing intramural
Intramural sports
Intramural sports or intramurals are recreational sports organized within a set geographic area. The term derives from the Latin words intra muros meaning "within walls", and was used to indicate sports matches and contests that took place among teams from "within the walls" of an ancient city...
games against other colleges in 1882, but it was not until 1889 when Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
challenged Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
to an interscholastic varsity
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
football game. Since then, the Hawkeyes have played over 1,000 games, including 24 bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s.
Last Season
The 2010 season began with Iowa in the top ten in the national rankings. Despite a non-conference road loss to ArizonaArizona Wildcats football
The Arizona Wildcats football team is the football team of the University of Arizona, located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level.-Early years:...
and a 31-30 defeat by Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
, the Hawkeyes were in Big Ten title contention until November. Iowa began the season with a 7-2 record, highlighted by a 37-6 victory over previously unbeaten and #5 ranked Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans football
The Michigan State Spartans football program represents Michigan State University in college football as members of the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level...
. But the Hawkeyes faded down the stretch, losing their last three games and dropping out of the national rankings. Iowa completed the 2010 regular season with a 7-5 record and are bowl eligible for the tenth straight season. The Hawkeyes defeated the Missouri Tigers
Missouri Tigers football
The Missouri Tigers football team represents the University of Missouri in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team has competed in the North Division of the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996...
27-24 in the 2010 Insight Bowl
2010 Insight Bowl
The 2010 Insight Bowl was the 22nd edition of the college football bowl game, played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona on Tuesday, December 28, 2010...
on December 28 in Tempe, AZ. In the victory Hawkeye true freshman Marcus Coker set an Iowa bowl record with 219 yards rushing.
National championships
Iowa finished the 1958 regular season ranked #2 in the AP poll, behind 11–0 LSU, although that vote was taken before the bowl games. Iowa convincingly won the 1959 Rose Bowl, 38–12, setting or tying six Rose Bowl records. The Football Writers Association of AmericaFootball Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
, arguably the most prestigious organization at the time to vote on a national champion after the bowls were played, gave their national championship trophy, the Grantland Rice Award
Grantland Rice Award
The Grantland Rice Trophy is an annual award presented in the United States since 1954 to the college football team adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America to be "national champion". Named for the legendary sportswriter, Grantland Rice, the trophy was the first national...
, to Iowa.
| Year | Coach | Selector | Record | Bowl Game |
| 1958 | Forest Evashevski Forest Evashevski Forest "Evy" Evashevski was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940 and with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks in 1942... |
Football Writers Association of America Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA... |
8–1–1 | Rose Bowl |
Conference championships
Iowa has won 12 major conference championships in school history. Iowa was a member of the Western Interstate University Football AssociationWestern Interstate University Football Association
The Western Interstate University Football Association was one of the first intercollegiate athletic conferences in the United States, existing from 1892 to 1897.-Formation, history and evolution:...
prior to joining the Western Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
, now known as the Big Ten, in 1900. Iowa currently claims 11 Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championships:
| Year | Coach | Conference Record | Overall Record | Outright/Shared | Bowl Game |
| 1896 | Alfred E. Bull Alfred E. Bull -External links:... |
3–0–1 | 7–1–1 | Outright | |
| 1900 | Alden Knipe Alden Knipe Alden Arthur Knipe was an American football player and coach. He served as the sixth head football coach at the University of Iowa from 1892–1894, compiling a record of 30–11–4. Knipe was also the first head head baseball coach at Iowa, coaching two seasons from 1900 to 1901... |
2–0–1 | 7–0–1 | Shared | |
| 1921 | Howard Jones Howard Jones (football coach) Howard Harding Jones was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Syracuse University , Yale University , Ohio State University , the University of Iowa , Duke University , and the University of Southern California , compiling a career record of... |
5–0–0 | 7–0–0 | Outright | |
| 1922 1922 college football season The 1922 college football season had a number of unbeaten and untied teams, and no clear-cut champion. Three different "retro polls", taken years later and based on opinions drawn from historical research, reached different conclusions... |
Howard Jones Howard Jones (football coach) Howard Harding Jones was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Syracuse University , Yale University , Ohio State University , the University of Iowa , Duke University , and the University of Southern California , compiling a career record of... |
5–0–0 | 7–0–0 | Shared | |
| 1956 | Forest Evashevski Forest Evashevski Forest "Evy" Evashevski was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940 and with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks in 1942... |
5–1–0 | 9–1–0 | Outright | Won Rose Bowl 1957 Rose Bowl The 1957 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1957. In the game, the 43rd Rose Bowl, the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Oregon State Beavers by a score of 35–19... |
| 1958 | Forest Evashevski Forest Evashevski Forest "Evy" Evashevski was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940 and with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks in 1942... |
5–1–0 | 8–1–1 | Outright | Won Rose Bowl |
| 1960 | Forest Evashevski Forest Evashevski Forest "Evy" Evashevski was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940 and with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks in 1942... |
5–1–0 | 8–1–0 | Shared | |
| 1981 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Clemson Tigers, unbeaten and untied, taking the national championship after a victory over traditional power Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. This was also the first year of the California Bowl, played in Fresno, California; this game fancied... |
Hayden Fry Hayden Fry John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10... |
6–2–0 | 8–4–0 | Shared | Lost Rose Bowl 1982 Rose Bowl The 1982 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game, played on January 1, 1982. It was the 68th Rose Bowl Game. The Washington Huskies defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes by a score of 28-0. Washington Freshman Jacque Robinson gained 142 yards on 20 carries and set up or scored three of the Huskies' four... |
| 1985 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1985 NCAA Division I-A football season saw the Oklahoma Sooners, led by head coach Barry Switzer, win the national championship.Oklahoma finished the season 11-1, with their only loss to Miami at home, in a game future NFL star Troy Aikman was lost for the season... |
Hayden Fry Hayden Fry John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10... |
7–1–0 | 10–2–0 | Outright | Lost Rose Bowl 1986 Rose Bowl The 1986 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1986. It was the 72nd Rose Bowl Game. The UCLA Bruins defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 45-28. UCLA tailback Eric Ball was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. He ran for a Rose Bowl record four touchdowns.-Iowa Hawkeyes:Iowa... |
| 1990 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with a split championship and the ensuing controversy led to the creation of the Bowl Coalition, a precursor to the Bowl Championship Series. The title was split between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets... |
Hayden Fry Hayden Fry John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10... |
6–2–0 | 8–4–0 | Shared | Lost Rose Bowl 1991 Rose Bowl The 1991 Rose Bowl was the 77th Rose Bowl Game, played on January 1, 1991. The #8 Washington Huskies built a 33-7 halftime lead and defeated the #17 Iowa Hawkeyes 46-34. Washington sophomore quarterback Mark Brunell was named the Player of the Game.... |
| 2002 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season ended the season with what most consider an exciting double overtime national championship game. Ohio State and Miami both came into the Fiesta Bowl undefeated. The underdog Buckeyes defeated the Hurricanes 31–24, ending Miami's 34 game winning... |
Kirk Ferentz Kirk Ferentz Kirk James Ferentz is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Iowa, a position he has held since 1999. From 1990 to 1992, Ferentz was the head football coach at the University of Maine. He has also served as an assistant coach... |
8–0–0 | 11–2–0 | Shared | Lost Orange Bowl 2003 Orange Bowl The 2003 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the USC Trojans on January 2, 2003, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. USC won the game, 38–17... |
| 2004 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season The 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with several undefeated teams vying for a spot in the national title game, triggering controversy. In the 2003 season, no team finished the regular season unbeaten, and five teams finished the season with one loss... |
Kirk Ferentz Kirk Ferentz Kirk James Ferentz is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Iowa, a position he has held since 1999. From 1990 to 1992, Ferentz was the head football coach at the University of Maine. He has also served as an assistant coach... |
7–1–0 | 10–2–0 | Shared | Won Capital One Bowl 2005 Capital One Bowl The 2005 Capital One Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the LSU Tigers on January 1, 2005, at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Spread bettors favored LSU by seven points, but Iowa won, 30–25, when quarterback Drew Tate completed a 56-yard pass to... |
| "color:yellow;">11-time Big Ten Champions |
Appearances in the final Associated Press Poll
Iowa has made 284 appearances in the Associated Press poll over 36 seasons, including 112 weeks in the top 10. Iowa has finished the year ranked in the final Associated Press poll of the season 21 times:EWLINE
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EWLINE
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EWLINE
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Bowl games
Iowa has appeared in 25 bowl games, including 23 bowl games the past 30 seasons. In bowl games, Iowa has a 14-10-1 record:| Date | Bowl | W/L | Opponent | PF | PA |
| January 1, 1957 | Rose Bowl 1957 Rose Bowl The 1957 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1957. In the game, the 43rd Rose Bowl, the Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the Oregon State Beavers by a score of 35–19... |
W | Oregon State 1956 Oregon State Beavers football team The 1956 Oregon State Beavers football team represented Oregon State College in the 1956 NCAA college football season. The Beavers ended this season with seven wins, three losses, and a tie. The team captains were Dick Corrick and Gerry Laird. The Beavers scored 203 points and allowed 166 points... |
35 | 19 |
| January 1, 1959 | Rose Bowl | W | California California Golden Bears football The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to... |
38 | 12 |
| January 1, 1982 | Rose Bowl 1982 Rose Bowl The 1982 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game, played on January 1, 1982. It was the 68th Rose Bowl Game. The Washington Huskies defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes by a score of 28-0. Washington Freshman Jacque Robinson gained 142 yards on 20 carries and set up or scored three of the Huskies' four... |
L | Washington Washington Huskies football College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by... |
0 | 28 |
| December 31, 1982 | Peach Bowl | W | Tennessee 1982 Tennessee Volunteers football team The 1982 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Volunteers offense scored 281 points while the defense allowed 239 points. Led by head coach Johnny Majors, the Volunteers competed in the .-Schedule:-Team players... |
28 | 22 |
| December 30, 1983 | Gator Bowl Gator Bowl The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. Held continuously since 1946, it is the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised nationally... |
L | Florida | 6 | 14 |
| December 16, 1984 | Freedom Bowl Freedom Bowl The Freedom Bowl was an annual post-season college football bowl game played at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California, from 1984 to 1994. Beginning with the 1995 season, the Freedom Bowl's WAC tie-ins were merged with that of the Holiday Bowl and the game was dissolved... |
W | Texas Texas Longhorns football The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National... |
55 | 17 |
| January 1, 1986 | Rose Bowl 1986 Rose Bowl The 1986 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1986. It was the 72nd Rose Bowl Game. The UCLA Bruins defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 45-28. UCLA tailback Eric Ball was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game. He ran for a Rose Bowl record four touchdowns.-Iowa Hawkeyes:Iowa... |
L | UCLA | 28 | 45 |
| December 30, 1986 | Holiday Bowl 1986 Holiday Bowl The 1986 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 30, 1986 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the 19th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, and the unranked San Diego State Aztecs.... |
W | San Diego State San Diego State Aztecs football The San Diego State football team represents the San Diego State Aztecs in college football. The Aztecs, a Division I FBS team and a member of the Mountain West Conference, play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The field is natural grass and has a maximum capacity of... |
39 | 38 |
| December 30, 1987 | Holiday Bowl 1987 Holiday Bowl The 1987 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 30, 1987 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the 18th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, and the 10-2 Wyoming Cowboys.... |
W | Wyoming Wyoming Cowboys football The Wyoming Cowboys are a college football team that represents the University of Wyoming. They compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I. The team has won 15 conference titles... |
20 | 19 |
| December 31, 1988 | Peach Bowl | L | North Carolina State | 23 | 28 |
| January 1, 1991 | Rose Bowl 1991 Rose Bowl The 1991 Rose Bowl was the 77th Rose Bowl Game, played on January 1, 1991. The #8 Washington Huskies built a 33-7 halftime lead and defeated the #17 Iowa Hawkeyes 46-34. Washington sophomore quarterback Mark Brunell was named the Player of the Game.... |
L | Washington 1990 Washington Huskies football team The 1990 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the 1990 college football season. Led by head coach Don James, his top assistants were coordinators Gary Pinkel and Jim Lambright... |
34 | 46 |
| December 30, 1991 | Holiday Bowl 1991 Holiday Bowl The 1991 Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 30, 1991 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 1991 NCAA Division I-A football season. It featured the seventh ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, and the unranked . The teams played to a 13-13 tie.... |
T | BYU | 13 | 13 |
| December 31, 1993 | Alamo Bowl 1993 Alamo Bowl The 1993 edition to the Alamo Bowl featured the , and the Iowa Hawkeyes. One of the bowl's invites was expected to be a school from the Texas-based Southwest Conference . However, only 2 of the SWC's eight teams reached the necessary 6 wins for bowl eligibility and those teams were committed to... |
L | California California Golden Bears football The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to... |
3 | 37 |
| December 29, 1995 | Sun Bowl 1995 Sun Bowl The 1995 Sun Bowl featured the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Washington Huskies.Iowa scored first, after running back Sedrick Shaw rushed for a 58 yard touchdown, and a 7-0 Iowa lead. Kicker Brian Hurley added a 49 yard field goal, to make it 10-0 after one quarter of play.In the second quarter, Iowa got... |
W | Washington Washington Huskies football College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by... |
38 | 18 |
| December 29, 1996 | Alamo Bowl 1996 Alamo Bowl The 1996 edition to the Alamo Bowl featured the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Iowa Hawkeyes.Texas Tech had gone into the game as the heavy favorite, behind Running Back Byron Hanspard, and his rushing game, however, Hanspard suffered a personal record of takles for loss.Iowa opened the scoring... |
W | Texas Tech | 27 | 0 |
| December 31, 1997 | Sun Bowl 1997 Sun Bowl The 1997 Norwest Sun Bowl featured the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Arizona State Sun Devils.After a scoreless first quarter, Arizona State scored first, with a 35 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Steve Campbell to wide receiver Lenzie Jackson to give ASU an early 7-0 lead... |
L | Arizona State 1997 Arizona State Sun Devils football team The 1997 Arizona State Sun Devils football team represented Arizona State University in the college football season of 1997-1998. The team's head coach was Bruce Snyder, who was coaching his sixth season with the Sun Devils and 18th season overall. Home games were played at Sun Devil Stadium in... |
7 | 17 |
| December 29, 2001 | Alamo Bowl 2001 Alamo Bowl The 2001 edition to the Alamo Bowl featured the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. It was a rematch of the 1996 Alamo Bowl.Nate Kaeding scored the first points of the game for Iowa, as he connected on a 36 yard field goal, to give Iowa an early 3-0 lead. In the second quarter, running... |
W | Texas Tech | 19 | 16 |
| January 2, 2003 | Orange Bowl 2003 Orange Bowl The 2003 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the USC Trojans on January 2, 2003, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. USC won the game, 38–17... |
L | Southern California 2002 USC Trojans football team The 2002 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2002-2003 NCAA Division I-A college football season.... |
17 | 38 |
| January 1, 2004 | Outback Bowl 2004 Outback Bowl The 2004 Outback Bowl featured the Florida Gators, and the Iowa Hawkeyes.Florida appeared to come out of the gates swinging, with quarterback Chris Leak throwing a 70-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kelvin Kight to take an early 7-0 lead. Iowa got on the board following a 3 yard touchdown pass... |
W | Florida 2003 Florida Gators football team The 2003 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2003 college football season... |
37 | 17 |
| January 1, 2005 | Capital One Bowl 2005 Capital One Bowl The 2005 Capital One Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the LSU Tigers on January 1, 2005, at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Spread bettors favored LSU by seven points, but Iowa won, 30–25, when quarterback Drew Tate completed a 56-yard pass to... |
W | LSU 2004 LSU Tigers football team The 2004 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2004–2005. Coached by Nick Saban in his last season at LSU, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The team finished with a 9–3 record and an... |
30 | 25 |
| January 2, 2006 | Outback Bowl 2006 Outback Bowl The 2006 Outback Bowl featured the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Florida Gators. Florida came into the game under first year head coach Urban Meyer with an 8-3 record. Iowa came into the game with a 7-4 record... |
L | Florida 2005 Florida Gators football team The 2005 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2005 college football season... |
24 | 31 |
| December 29, 2006 | Alamo Bowl 2006 Alamo Bowl The 2006 Alamo Bowl Game was a college football bowl game, part of the 2006–2007 bowl season of the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The 2006 Alamo Bowl was played in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on December 30.... |
L | Texas | 24 | 26 |
| January 1, 2009 | Outback Bowl 2009 Outback Bowl The 2009 Outback Bowl was a college football bowl game played as the first official sporting event in the USA on January 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Scheduled for a kickoff of 11 AM US EST and telecast on ESPN, the game pit the South Carolina Gamecocks against the Iowa... |
W | South Carolina 2008 South Carolina Gamecocks football team The 2008 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head football coach was Steve Spurrier, who served his fourth season at USC... |
31 | 10 |
| January 5, 2010 | Orange Bowl 2010 Orange Bowl The 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl game featured the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Iowa Hawkeyes on Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at Land Shark Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida... |
W | Georgia Tech 2009 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team The 2009 Yellow Jackets football team represented the Georgia Institute of Technology in the 2009–2010 Football Season. The team was coached by second year head coach Paul Johnson... |
24 | 14 |
| December 28, 2010 | Insight Bowl 2010 Insight Bowl The 2010 Insight Bowl was the 22nd edition of the college football bowl game, played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona on Tuesday, December 28, 2010... |
W | Missouri 2010 Missouri Tigers football team The 2010 Missouri Tigers football team, in their 121st season, represented the University of Missouri in college football's 2010 season. The team was coached by Gary Pinkel, who returned for his tenth season with Mizzou, and played their home games at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. The team... |
27 | 24 |
| Total | 25 Bowl Games | 14-10-1 | 627 | 574 |
Individual honors
Over the course of the team's historyHistory of Iowa Hawkeyes football
- 19th century – Origins of Iowa football :Football was first played as a club sport at Iowa in 1872, with intramural games against other colleges played as early as 1882...
, individual Hawkeye players of exceptional ability have received many accolades. Iowa has had several players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
, College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
, Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
, and Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
The Iowa Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Des Moines Register, honors outstanding athletes and sports contributors. To be eligible, members must have either been born in Iowa or gained prominence while competing for a college or university in Iowa....
. Individual Hawkeyes have won many prestigious national awards, including the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
, the Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
, Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
, and the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. 92 Hawkeyes have been named a first-team or second-team All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
, and 22 have been named consensus first-team All-Americans.
The Iowa Hawkeyes have had ten players win the Big Ten Most Valuable Player Award
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
, and 219 Hawks have earned All-Big Ten recognition. Iowa has had 229 NFL draft picks, and several former Hawkeye players have gone on to become NFL head coaches or Division I college head coaches.
The only two players to have their numbers retired by the Hawkeye football program are Nile Kinnick
Nile Kinnick
Nile Clarke Kinnick, Jr. was a student and a college football player at the University of Iowa. He won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-American. He died during a training flight while serving as a U.S Navy aviator in World War II...
#24 and Cal Jones
Cal Jones
Calvin Jack Jones was a college football player for the University of Iowa. Jones is one of only two Iowa football players to have his jersey number retired by the school. Jones became the first Hawkeye, and the first African-American, to win the Outland Trophy in 1955...
#62. Kinnick won the University of Iowa's only Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
in 1939, while Jones was the first African-American to win the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
in 1955.
Five Hawkeyes have been nominated for the Heisman Trophy. Iowa has only one winner, while the rest came in second.
| Name | Year | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Nile C. Kinnick | 1939 | First |
| Alex Karras | 1957 | Second |
| Randy Duncan | 1958 | Second |
| Chuck Long | 1985 | Second |
| Brad Banks | 2002 | Second |
Kinnick Stadium
Kinnick StadiumKinnick Stadium
Kinnick Stadium, formerly known as Iowa Stadium, and known in the area simply as Kinnick, is a stadium located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, in the sport of college football...
, formerly known as Iowa Stadium, is the home stadium of the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
Hawkeyes in Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. It opened as Iowa Stadium in 1929; prior to that time, Iowa played its home games at Iowa Field. Iowa Stadium was renamed Kinnick Stadium in 1972 in honor of Nile Kinnick
Nile Kinnick
Nile Clarke Kinnick, Jr. was a student and a college football player at the University of Iowa. He won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-American. He died during a training flight while serving as a U.S Navy aviator in World War II...
, the 1939 Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner and the only Heisman winner in university history, who died in service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It currently holds up to 70,585 people, making it the 27th largest college football stadium in America and the 86th largest sports stadium in the world.
Rivalries
The Hawkeyes play two annual rivalry trophy games. Iowa's oldest rivalry trophy is Floyd of RosedaleFloyd of Rosedale
Floyd of Rosedale is the name of a bronze pig trophy that is awarded to the winner of the annual college football game between the Universities of Iowa and Minnesota...
, which has been awarded to the winner of the Iowa-Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
game every season since 1935.
Iowa plays Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
for the Cy-Hawk Trophy
Cy-Hawk Trophy
The Cy-Hawk Trophy is the trophy awarded to the winner of the American college football intra-state rivalry game played annually between Big 12 Conference member Iowa State Cyclones of Iowa State University and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten Conference.Conceived and created as a...
, which was created when the Iowa-Iowa State series resumed in 1977.
Iowa has played Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
for the Heartland Trophy
Heartland Trophy
The Heartland Trophy is a brass bull that is presented to the winner of the annual Iowa-Wisconsin football game. Although the rivalry is over one-hundred years old, the trophy is a relatively new addition. It was first presented in 2004 to Iowa, when they defeated Wisconsin 30–7...
since 2004. Starting in 2011, the Hawkeyes and Badgers will no longer compete every year since they are in opposite divisions.
Songs
Iowa's official fight song is the Iowa Fight SongIowa Fight Song
The "Iowa Fight Song" is one of three fight songs currently used by the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band along with On Iowa and Roll Along Iowa. The lyrics were written by Iowa native Meredith Willson, author of The Music Man, in 1951....
which is sung by the marching band and the fans. Iowa's school song is On Iowa
On Iowa
"On Iowa" is one of three fight songs currently used by the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band along with the Iowa Fight Song and Roll Along Iowa. The lyrics were written W.R. Law in 1919.-Music Link:**-Lyrics:...
. Iowa also plays a third fight song, entitled Roll Along Iowa
Roll Along Iowa
"Roll Along Iowa" is one of three fight songs currently used by the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band along with On Iowa and the Iowa Fight Song. The lyrics were written by John Woodman in 1954.-Lyrics:...
. After victories the band plays "In Heaven There Is No Beer".
Mascot
Iowa's mascot is Herky the HawkHerky the Hawk
Herky the Hawk is the athletics mascot of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. Herky is a student dressed in black and gold, including wings made out of fabric, with a headpiece shaped like a hawk's head. Herky was first drawn as a cartoon in 1948, and was first portrayed at a football game in 1959....
, a black and gold caricature of a Hawk. Herky was created as a cartoon in 1948, and first appeared at a sporting event in 1959. Herky was actually named after the Greek God Hercules. The term "Hawkeye" originally appeared in the book The Last of the Mohicans and was later used in its plural form to describe the people of Iowa. The University of Iowa adopted this as the nickname for its athletic teams.
Hawkeye Marching Band
Originally founded in 1881, the Hawkeye Marching BandHawkeye Marching Band
The Hawkeye Marching Band is the marching band for the University of Iowa. 255 members strong, it performs at all home Hawkeye football games inside historic Kinnick Stadium. It is the largest and most visible musical ensemble at the university and was awarded the Louis Sudler Intercollegiate...
now performs at all Iowa Hawkeye home football games. The band also travels with the team to usually one away game per year and any post-season bowl games.
Logos and uniforms
In 1979, Hayden FryHayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
helped to create the Tiger hawk, the logo seen on Iowa's football helmets. Since both teams shared the colors of black and gold, Fry gained permission from the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, the dominant NFL program of the 1970s, to overhaul Iowa’s uniforms in the Steelers’ image. Fry's idea was that if the team were going to act like winners, they first needed to dress like winners. Fry had originally asked Steelers Defensive Tackle "Mean" Joe Greene
Joe Greene (American football)
Charles Edward Greene, known as “Mean Joe” Greene, is a former all-pro American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL. Throughout the early 1970s he was the one of most dominant defensive players in the National Football League...
for a replica helmet and home jersey; Greene was able to send Fry to one of the team owners, and three days later, the owners sent Fry reproduction copies of the home and away uniform of Steeler Quarterback Terry Bradshaw
Terry Bradshaw
Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
, making Iowa one of only a few schools to use the uniform scheme of an NFL team. Although the uniforms appear the same, there are subtle differences, mainly in the scheme of the white away jerseys, the Steeler jerseys have the players names in yellow, while the Hawkeyes use black.
The Hawkeyes have twice removed the Tiger hawks, and the single gold stripe from their game helmets as a symbolic gesture of mourning. The first instance was on November 2, 1991, in recognition of the six victims of a fatal campus shooting. The second occasion was for a December 29, 1996, appearance in the Alamo Bowl
1996 Alamo Bowl
The 1996 edition to the Alamo Bowl featured the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Iowa Hawkeyes.Texas Tech had gone into the game as the heavy favorite, behind Running Back Byron Hanspard, and his rushing game, however, Hanspard suffered a personal record of takles for loss.Iowa opened the scoring...
. It served to commemorate the family of linebacker Mark Mitchell, who were involved in a fatal vehicle accident while en route to the game. The accident resulted in the death of Mitchell's mother and severe injuries to his father and two brothers. Both games resulted in Iowa victories.
The Iowa Athletic Director has okayed only three stickers on the helmets over the last thirty years, the first, in 1984, when a gold disk appeared, with the black letters "ANF," Which stands for America Needs Farmers, this sticker has remained in place since it was first placed onto the helmet. The second was a small black sticker on the back of the helmet, with white letters that spelled out "EVY," the nickname of legendary Iowa head coach, and Athletic Director, Forest Evasheski, to commemorate his passing in 2009. The third was in memory of Iowa high school football coaching legend Ed Thomas, who was tragically killed in his team's weight room by a former player. A small gold sticker with the black letters "FFF" placed near the crown of the helmet represents Faith, Family, Football, a motto Coach Thomas preached to his players to represent what his players priorities should be not only through the season, but throughout life.
Gameday traditions
- Herky Plants the Flag
Before the game is about to start, Herky, Iowa's mascot, "surfs" on a platform carried onto the field by four cheerleaders. Herky jumps off the platform and runs around the field waving the Iowa flag before planting it firmly in the turf. This draws a very enthusiastic reaction from the crowd.
- The Swarm
Hayden Fry
Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
introduced "the swarm" upon his arrival at Iowa in 1979. When entering Kinnick Stadium, players jog slowly onto the field, hands locked and with the captains in front. It is designed to show the team's unity as they take the field as a group.
- I-O-W-A
The Hawkeye team is led onto the field by four giant black and gold flags, spelling I-O-W-A. Each flag then moves to the four corners of the field. After every Hawkeye touchdown, fans in the four corners of the field, initially aided by the flags, spell out I-O-W-A.
- Hawkeye Victory Polka
After every Hawkeye victory, the Hawkeye Marching Band plays the Hawkeye Victory Polka
Hawkeye Victory Polka
The Hawkeye Victory Polka is the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band's adaptation of the song In Heaven There Is No Beer. First played in the 1960s, it was very popular among students and was played frequently as if it were another fight song. Controversy, however, surrounded the song, as some...
, the band's adaptation of the polka song, "In Heaven There Is No Beer". Many Hawkeye fans sing along as well. After losses, only the Iowa Fight Song is played.
- Back In Black
Before the Hawkeyes enter the field, the stadium plays "Back in Black
Back in Black (song)
"Back in Black" is a song by AC/DC, appearing as the first track on side two of their 1980 album, Back in Black. Known for its opening guitar riff, the song was AC/DC's tribute to their former singer Bon Scott...
" by AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
and the video board shows the Hawkeye football players walking from the locker room to the field entrance.
- Enter Sandman
The Hawkeyes enter the field to the song Enter Sandman
Enter Sandman
"Enter Sandman" is a 1991 song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the first single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica. The music was written by Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich...
by Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
. The big screen shows Iowa's equipment semi running into the opposing team's logo as the Hawks swarm onto the field.
- Imperial March
The Hawkeye Marching Band will perform the Imperial March after the Iowa defense forces a 4th down, while the fans clap in an up and down motion, imitating the beak of a Hawk chomping.
- Hell's Bells
When the Iowa defense forces a third down, the ominous gong sounds from the beginning of AC/DC's Hell's Bells
Hells Bells (song)
"Hells Bells" is the first track of Australian hard rock band AC/DC's album Back in Black. It is the first song on their comeback album after the death of vocalist Bon Scott, introducing his successor Brian Johnson....
are played to incite a reaction from the fans.
- SHOES
A recent tradition started by three, at the time, sophomores, Eric Gilmour, Mitch Ahrendsen, and Patrick Riley, students take off their shoes for kickoff (instead of taking out their keys).