Iowa Hawkeyes football

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2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
Iowa Hawkeyes football
2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
First season 1889
Staff
Athletic director Gary Barta
Head coach Kirk Ferentz
9th year, 61–49
Stadium
Home stadium Kinnick Stadium
Stadium capacity 70,585
Stadium surface Natural Grass
Location Iowa City, Iowa
League/Conference
Conference Big Ten
Team records
All-time record 559–505–39
Postseason bowl record 11–10–1
Awards
Conference titles 11
Heisman winners 1
All-Americans 60
Pageantry
Colors Old Gold and Black            
Fight song Iowa Fight Song
Mascot Herky the Hawkeye
Marching band Hawkeye Marching Band
Rivals Iowa State Cyclones
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Wisconsin Badgers
Website Hawkeyesports.com

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). Iowa plays their home games in Kinnick Stadium, which is named after the school's only Heisman Trophy winner, Nile Kinnick.

Contents

[edit] History

Main article: History of Iowa Hawkeyes football
See also: Iowa Hawkeyes football seasons

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 Iowa 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 1920’s 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 1930’s. 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.

Iowa's current helmet with the tiger hawk logo.
Iowa's current helmet with the tiger hawk logo.

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 1956–1960, Evashevski led Iowa to four finishes in the top five of the national rankings, three Big Ten titles, two Rose Bowl appearances, 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 1962–1980.

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 2002–2004 and two Big Ten titles. From 2001–2006, the Hawkeyes made six straight bowl appearances and have played in 20 bowl games the last 26 seasons. Iowa begins its 120th season of football, and its 109th season in the Big Ten, in 2008.

[edit] National championships

In 1958, the Hawkeyes played Air Force to a surprising 13–13 tie. The Air Force Academy had only existed for a few seasons, and few thought they would give Iowa a challenge. But Air Force salvaged a tie and finished the regular season with a 9–0–1 record. The tie gave the Hawkeye players a lesson in humility, and they illustrated that they had learned their lesson by winning five straight Big Ten games, clinching the Big Ten title earlier than any team in conference history. [13] The most notable win was a 37–14 defeat of Michigan, Evashevski's first (and only) win over his alma mater. For the first time, the Hawkeye team was able to force their coach to accept the game ball.

A week after Iowa clinched the league crown, Ohio State spoiled Iowa's undefeated record with a 38–28 win in a terrific contest. Iowa went back to the Rose Bowl and beat California, 38–12. The Hawkeyes set or tied six Rose Bowl records in that game. Running back Bob Jeter rushed for a Rose Bowl record 194 yards on just nine carries, including an 81-yard touchdown run, another Rose Bowl record. Jeter was the Rose Bowl MVP. Evashevski, who had battled the flu and a 101-degree temperature the week of the game, could barely give the halftime speech. Afterwards, Evy said, "Right now I’m probably the lousiest feeling coach that ever won a Rose Bowl game."

Iowa finished the year ranked #2 in the AP poll, behind 11–0 LSU, although that vote was taken before the bowl games. The Football Writers Association of America, 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.

Year Coach Selector Record Bowl Game
1958 Forest Evashevski Football Writers Association of America 8–1–1 Rose Bowl

[edit] Conference championships

Year Coach Conference Record Overall Record Outright/Shared Bowl Game
1896 A.E. Bull 4–0–0 7–1–1 Outright
1900 Alden Knipe 3–0–1 7–0–0 Shared
1921 Howard Jones 5–0–0 7–0–0 Outright
1922 Howard Jones 5–0–0 7–0–0 Shared
1956 Forest Evashevski 5–1–0 9–1–0 Outright Won Rose Bowl
1958 Forest Evashevski 5–1–0 9–1–0 Outright Won Rose Bowl
1960 Forest Evashevski 5–1–0 8–1–1 Shared
1981 Hayden Fry 6–2–0 8–4–0 Shared Lost Rose Bowl
1985 Hayden Fry 7–1–0 10–2–0 Outright Lost Rose Bowl
1990 Hayden Fry 6–2–0 8–4–0 Shared Lost Rose Bowl
2002 Kirk Ferentz 8–0–0 11–2–0 Shared Lost Orange Bowl
2004 Kirk Ferentz 7–1–0 10–2–0 Shared Won Capital One Bowl
11-time Big Ten Champions

Notes: 1896 championship was for the Western Interstate University Football Association; all other titles are Western Conference/Big Ten championships.

[edit] Appearances in the final Associated Press Poll

Year Ranking Record
1939 9 6–1–1
1953 9 5–3–1
1956 3 8–1
1957 6 7–1–1
1958 2 7–1–1
1960 3 8–1
1981 18 8–4
1983 14 9–3
1984 16 8–4–1
1985 10 10–2
1986 16 9–3
1987 16 10–3
1990 18 8–4
1991 10 10–1–1
1995 25 8–4
1996 18 9–3
2002 8 11–2
2003 8 10–3
2004 8 10–2
19 Appearances

[edit] Bowl games

Date Bowl W/L Opponent PF PA
January 1, 1957 Rose Bowl W Oregon State 35 19
January 1, 1959 Rose Bowl W California 38 12
January 1, 1982 Rose Bowl L Washington 0 28
December 31, 1982 Peach Bowl W Tennessee 28 22
December 30, 1983 Gator Bowl L Florida 6 14
December 16, 1984 Freedom Bowl W Texas 55 17
January 1, 1986 Rose Bowl L UCLA 28 45
December 30, 1986 Holiday Bowl W San Diego State 39 38
December 30, 1987 Holiday Bowl W Wyoming 20 19
December 31, 1988 Peach Bowl L North Carolina State 23 28
January 1, 1991 Rose Bowl L Washington 34 46
December 30, 1991 Holiday Bowl T BYU 13 13
December 31, 1993 Alamo Bowl L California 3 37
December 29, 1995 Sun Bowl W Washington 38 18
December 29, 1996 Alamo Bowl W Texas Tech 27 0
December 31, 1997 Sun Bowl L Arizona State 7 17
December 29, 2001 Alamo Bowl W Texas Tech 19 16
January 2, 2003 Orange Bowl L Southern California 17 38
January 1, 2004 Outback Bowl W Florida 37 17
January 1, 2005 Capital One Bowl W LSU 30 25
January 2, 2006 Outback Bowl L Florida 24 31
December 29, 2006 Alamo Bowl L Texas 24 26
Total 22 Bowl Games 11-10-1 545 526

[edit] Trophy games

[edit] Honors

[edit] Retired numbers

[edit] Hall of Fame inductees

University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame (41):

State of Iowa Sports Hall of Fame (23):

College Football Hall of Fame inductees (13):

Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees (3):

[edit] Big Ten honorees

Big Ten MVP’s (9):

Through the 2006 season, Iowa has had 207 first team All-Big Ten selections, starting with Clyde Williams in 1900. 46 players were multiple first team All-Big Ten selections, and the following 9 players were three-time first team All-Big Ten selections:

[edit] All-Americans

Through the 2006 season, Iowa has had 30 second team All-Americans and 60 first team All-Americans. Iowa has had seven players named first team All-American multiple times. Gordon Locke, Alex Karras, Reggie Roby, Larry Station, Tim Dwight, and Nate Kaeding were each named first team All-American twice, and Cal Jones was named first team All-American three times.

Of Iowa's 60 first team All-Americans, 21 players were consensus first team All-American selections.

Consensus First Team All-Americans (21):

[edit] National honors

8 Hawkeye players have finished in the top ten in the Heisman Trophy balloting with Chuck Long finishing in the top 10 twice:

[edit] NFL draft picks

Iowa has had at least one player drafted in every NFL draft since 1978. Through the 2007 season, Iowa has had 219 NFL draft picks, and 57 players have gone in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. Iowa has had 16 first round NFL Draft selections:

[edit] Notable players

See also: Iowa Players

A few notable players not previously mentioned:

[edit] References

  • 75 Years With The Fighting Hawkeyes, by Bert McCrane & Dick Lamb (ASIN: B0007E01F8)
  • 25 Years With The Fighting Hawkeyes, 1964-1988, by Al Grady (ASIN: B0006ES3GS)
  • Hawkeye Legends, Lists, & Lore, by Mike Finn & Chad Leistikow (ISBN 1-57167-178-1)
  • University of Iowa Football, by Chuck Bright (ISBN 0-87397-233-3)

[edit] External links

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