Hawkeyes FInish with 12-1 Record, Share for Big Ten Title, Win Orange Bowl Trophy and Coach Declines All Offers
January 4, 2011
Season Report Posted: October 30, 2008 21:59
The Hawkeyes are excited about the off-season and recruiting as they will look to improve their team with some more five stars and starting with a better ranking.
The Hawks will be tough to beat with the return of their coach, Bo Pelini. He declined all offers offered to him at the end of the season which included a 6 year extension with Iowa, a coaching job at Ohio State and a coaching job at Tennessee.
Hawkeyes Have Fun at Orange Bowl
January 3, 2011
Game Report Posted: October 30, 2008 21:52
The Hawkeyes had so much fun at the Orange Bowl that even their second string offense and defense had impressive numbers and they weren't even subbed in until the fourth quarter. The Hawks came out by air attacks and attacks by returning a record four out of 12 punts for touchdowns. SR Colin Sandeman and Heisman Winner was player of the game with 398 All-Purpose Yards (199 PR Yds., 199 Rec. Yds., one rec. td and two punt returns for touchdowns). Freshman WR Franklin Newby also returned two punts for touchdowns.
The Hawks proved to the polls that they deserve to be higher than a #5 ranking, which reflected by the final polls. They finished at #3 in the Coaches and BCS and #4 in the Media final polls.
The Hawkeyes broke a lot of their own season records: They tied their high score with 79 points, tied for passing touchdowns in a game with three, broke their record for passing yards with 340, and destroyed their punt return yards with 327 yards. Franklin Newby had 128 punt return yards and Sandeman had 199 yards.
On the defensive side. They had a season high of only allowing the opposing team with two first downs. Set a record for only allowing 42 passing yards. Didn't allow a team to have a single 3rd down conversion as West Virginia went 0-13 on 3rd downs. Created five fumbles and made a team punt 12 times in a game.
Hawkeyes Look to Start Streaks Back Up Again
January 1, 2011
Season Report Posted: October 25, 2008 02:07
With the loss to Notre Dame during the regular season, the Iowa Hawkeyes lost their winning streaks. They had a 38 game winning streak that ended. Their Top 25 undefeated record went to 16-1 and their undefeated season went to 11-1.
The Hawkeyes averaged 73,379 in attendance this year which has improved dramatically with the hiring of their new coach two years ago and their winning seasons didn't hurt either.
The Hawkeyes will face #11 West Virginia at the FedEx Orange Bowl on January 3, 2011.
Post-Season Awards Handed Out Mostly to Iowa Players
December 1, 2010
Season Report Posted: October 25, 2008 01:46
Many post-season awards were handed out to Iowa players.
DE Lebron Daniel snatched up four awards in the post season: Bednarik, Lombardi, 1st Team All-American, and 1st Team Big 10.
WR Colin Sandeman also snatched up four awards: Best Returner, HEISMAN, 1st team All-American, and 2nd Team Big 10.
K Daniel Murray grabbed the Groza award along with 1st Team All-American and 1st Team Big 10.
C James Ferentz grabbed 1st Team All-American honors as well as 1st Team Big 10.
DT Karl Klug was named to the 1st Team All-American and 1st Team Big 10.
LG Julian Vandervelde grabbed 2nd Team All-American honors as well as 1st Team Big 10.
Named to the Freshman All-American team was DT Anthony Harrison and WR Franklin Newby. Harrison was also named to the 2nd Team Big 10.
Finishing out the 1st Big Ten honors are: CB Jordan Bernstine, T Brandon Rodgers, and HB Jevon Pugh
More 2nt Team Big Ten Honors go to: LOLB Dezman Moses, DE Adrian Clayborn and T Josh Bowser.
Iowa's Streaks Come to an End Against #8 Notre Dame
November 27, 2010
Game Report Posted: October 25, 2008 01:26
It was a heartbreaker to see Iowa miss an opportunity to put away Notre Dame on the 3-yard line with :00 left on the game clock. Iowa could have won the game had they made an easy field goal from the left hash mark on the field. "The wind was blowing directly at my kick and I think I put too much power in the kick because I had it angled as far right as I could but I still went wide left of the goal posts," said senior kicker Daniel Murray on Saturday.
With the missed field goal the game went into overtime and the Hawkeyes threw an interception in double overtime to give the win to #8 Notre Dame. "It was a hard fought battle the entire game. It will probably be one of the best games I'll ever coach" stated Coach Pelini after the game.
With the loss, the Hawkeyes slip out of their #1 spot in the BCS to a #5 and still will play in a very good Orange Bowl in January.
"I'm pleased with how my team did. I would have liked to see the turnovers not be there but to stay with the Fighting Irish at their home field, I was pleased. I'm excited to go to a neutral site and play in the FedEx Orange Bowl. Our fans travel VERY well and we know this from Iowa's past Orange Bowl bids," Coach Pelini stated.
The Hawkeyes are set to face #11 West Virginia Mountaineers on January 3, 2011 in Miami, FL at Dolphins Stadium for the FedEx Orange Bowl.
The Hawkeyes also came away with a share of the Big Ten title along with Michigan. The two teams never met during the regular season and both teams ended up with an 8-0 Conference record to take a share of the Conference title.
Iowa's average attendance at home was: 73,379
