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| Since 2014, the Iowa Hawkeyes have won 10 of 12 rivalry game trophies, including three straight against the Nebraska Huskers on Black Friday. Iowa rolled to a 55-14 win on Friday, after a 14-14 deadlock at the half. |
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| Iowa senior RB 25 Akrum Wadley lead the Hawkeyes in scoring, with three rushing TDs. All four Iowa RBs came away with a rushing TD, fueled by 42 unanswered second half points, as the Hawkeyes moved to 7-5 for the season. |
Clearly, throughout the 2017 Big Ten season, Wisconsin became the most consistent program in the Big Ten, aided by a very favorable schedule, much like Iowa, in 2015.
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| The Hawkeyes were held to only 66 yards offense, as the scoring was fueled off two Pick 6 touchdowns by Iowa junior CB Joshua Jackson. It knocked everyone, but Wisconsin out of the Big Ten West division race. |
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| The 2017 Iowa Hawkeyes beat Ohio State for the first time, since the 2004 season. |
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| In the 2015 Big Ten Championship Game, Michigan State RB L.J. Scott scored in the final minute to hand the Iowa Hawkeyes a 16-13 defeat, as the Hawkeyes end an undefeated season on the field in Indianapolis. |
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| On the final play of the game, Penn State knocked off Iowa 21-19 to open the 2017 Big Ten season. The Hawkeyes would fall in back to back B1G games, with a 17-10 road loss in East Lansing, against Michigan State. |
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| The Dean of College Football, Kirk Ferentz, in his 19th season as head coach at Iowa, handed the play calling duties over to his son, Brian, for the 2017 season. |
Iowa will head their 15th bowl game under Kirk Ferentz in 2017
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| Iowa linebackers fueled three interceptions in the 56-14 win at Nebraska. The Hawkeyes were lead by three senior linebackers, as Josey Jewell, Bo Bower and Ben Niemann played outstanding at times. Senior Kevin Ward lead the Iowa special teams and started in the 17-10 OT loss @ Northwestern this season. |
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| First year offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz had his ups and downs in 2017, including a Senior Day loss at the hands of Purdue. He also received a reprimand. after a halftime melt down up in the press box during another Big Ten game. |
Kirk Ferentz opened the 2017 season, with four coaches in new positions all on the offensive side the ball, as mentioned. Brian Ferentz was promoted from offensive line/run game coordinator, while Ken O'Keefe returned from the NFL, after five seasons to serve as quarterbacks coach. New offensive line coach Tim Polacek and new wide receivers coach Kelton Copeland arrived in the Spring, from North Dakota State and Northern Illinois, respectively. There has been growth, along with frustration and inconsistencies.
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| Iowa saw two true freshman step up against Nebraska, as CB 8 Matt Hankins made his first career start, while SS 9 Geno Stone, came into the game early, to provide eight tackles, in place of injured senior SS 19 Miles Taylor. |
Iowa defensive coordinator and secondary coach Phil Parker saw his defense get three more interceptions to raise the season total to 19, which leads the FBS in 2017. Iowa junior cornerback Joshua Jackson is a Thorpe finalists, as a first-year starter, leading the nation in interceptions and among the best in pass breakups.
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| Nebraska junior WR 8 Stanley Morgan takes on role of breakup guy, as he fights for the ball with Iowa junior CB 15 Joshua Jackson during the Heroes Game, on Black Friday. Morgan scored two touchdown receptions to lead the Huskers. |
Building blocks for the future in Iowa City
Iowa will need to replace 18 seniors, after the 2017 season. On offense, the Hawkeyes will have four returning offensive linemen back, two strong tight ends, as sophomore, first-year starting quarterback Nate Stanley will likely build on solid numbers, after his first full season under and behind the center.
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| Iowa sophomore QB 4 Nate Stanley enjoyed two five touchdown games, in his first season, as a starting quarterback. In his first road start at Iowa State, and his huge breakout party nationally against Ohio State, Stanley showed solid skills. |
The Hawkeyes, as of this week, played the fourth most challenging schedule, in 2017. The Hawkeyes beat Iowa State and Ohio State, but lost to Penn State, Michigan State, Northwestern and Wisconsin, who at one time or another were all among the Top 25 in the nation.
While the Iowa Hawkeyes didn't successfully compete for the Big Ten West division title in 2017. The University received tremendous national press, after unveiling "The Wave" at the end of the first quarter at home games at Kinnick Stadium. Clearly, college football is a competitive sport, but at the end of the day, it is only a game, unlike the real fight children face over at the children's hospital in Iowa City.
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| The Iowa Hawkeyes also introduced "The Wave" in 2017. |
Mike Riley is relieved of his duties as Huskers head coach
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| Mike Riley was fired in Lincoln on Saturday, as the three year experiment ends. It was 20 years ago that Michigan and Nebraska were co-National Champions, as the 1997 season, under Lloyd Carr for the Wolverines and Dr. Tom Osborne for the Huskers. How the fans in Lincoln want to get back into the national conversation. |
Lincoln, NE – Athletic Director Bill Moos announced today that the University of Nebraska has ended Head Football Coach Mike Riley’s employment effective immediately. Moos will talk with members of the media at 1 p.m. today (Nov. 25) in the West Memorial Stadium Don Bryant Press Box (Sixth Floor) and has begun the search for Nebraska’s next head football coach.
“Mike Riley has brought tremendous professionalism and energy to the Nebraska football program, but unfortunately, those attributes have not translated to on-field success,” Moos said. “After a thorough review of all aspects of our football program, I have chosen to move in a different direction.”
After consulting with university leaders, Moos decided to seek a new coach for the storied football program, which finished with a disappointing 4-8 record in 2017. The University of Nebraska Football Program has won five national championships and entered the 2017 season ranked fourth all-time with 889 victories since the program’s first year in 1890. Hired as Nebraska’s 29th coach on Dec. 5, 2014, Riley posted a 19-19 mark over three seasons.
Moos said the focus now turns to hiring a head coach who will put the Huskers in the best position to compete in the Big Ten and nationally. Nebraska will move quickly in its search to secure a new head coach and Moos has appointed Assistant Coach Trent Bray, who coaches Husker linebackers, to serve as head coach in the interim.
“I expect to find a leader for our football program that will put our student-athletes in a position to compete for championships and grow as young men. I am confident our next coach will meet that standard.”
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