2019: Iowa cup is half full heading into off season

From my morning post on Hawkeye Report this morning, Happy 2019 everyone!

[QUOTE="cidsports, post: 6073877, member: 1242"]Iowa won the 33rd Outback Bowl, did I hear on the broadcast?

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Mississippi State doesn't travel well and people there (one of their forum comments) commented about expenses, after women's Final 4 and a trip to Omaha for CWS in past year.

Ultimately, both fanbases expected more than a 8-4 regular seasons in 2018. Not sure Bulldogs fanbase were giving Joe Moorhead's staff adequate time.

But, Dan Mullen was 5-2 over 7 bowl seasons in 9 years in Starksville. Best coach in past 40 years for them.

Isn't their men's basketball team in Top 25, as well?

Iowa was fortunate to win game yesterday. Thankful for drop and 10 point swing on Jake Gervase's interception.

Iowa scored 27 points off 199 yards of total offense, including -15 rushing. Wow!

Clean game for Iowa though, which was huge. What would Iowa's season have been trading QBs with MSU?

This 14 member senior class went out on a high note and and Iowa could lose four juniors to NFL draft?  Wow!

Iowa has won 8+ games for four straight seasons. However, Wiaconsin, Norrhwestern and now Purdue have Iowa's number the past 3 or 2 seasons, respectfully.

What will 2019 bring? Can Iowa improve on 4-5, then 5-4 conference marks?

In 2016, Iowa lost to North Dakota State for first FCS loss in modern history. Nate Stanley has the opportunity to finish like Ricky Stanzi, with three wins in bowl games.

Great start to 2019 with this 27-22 bowl win! The glass is certainly half full, then empty, but plenty of unfinished business, since 2015 for Kirk Ferentz and his mix of young and veteran coaching staff.

Mississippi State fan mentioned Iowa needs to find a couple of strong (SEC?) recruiters?

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The Hawkeyes won an Outback Bowl for the first time in 3 years. Over the past four seasons, Iowa has won 8+ games in each season, but in the Big West pecking order ....

Iowa is #4

So, what will 2019 bring for the Iowa Hawkeyes?

The Hawkeyes need to close out the Class of 2019 recruiting class with 3-4 strong prospects?

That may be asking too much?

Iowa must replace the 14 seniors and leadership, that really stepped up in the Outback bowl prep this season.

Iowa has won back to back bowl games heading into 2019. Wow!

Mississippi State had won three straight bowls, but QB Nick Fitzgerald was clearly no Dak Prescott.

They had a championship level defense, but ultimately, Iowa had better receivers and thankfully QB Nate Stanley, who enters 2019 will mixed results, much like Fitzgerald at MSU.

Iowa should enter 2019 as a Top 25 program, both in the final poll for 2018 and likely for 2019 in the preseason polls, despite losing up to four juniors to the NFL draft.

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Happy New Year and congratulations to [USER=13584]@rivercityjazzman[/USER], his son and the 2018 Hawkeyes for a 9-4 season.

peace

Black Friday: Iowa at Nebraska

Iowa has two trophies in the trophy case. There is one more to hold onto in 2017, as the Hawkeyes face the Nebraska Cornhuskers later today.

Iowa has won 3 of 4 in the Black Friday showdown, and is 3-3, since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.

Kirk Ferentz is Dean of College Football, while Mike Riley is likely the second coach to end his career following a game with Iowa.

Iowa has 18 seniors to Nebraska's 22 seniors on the Huskers' Senior Day today in Lincoln. In 2014, many of those players witnessed Bo Pelini's final days at Nebraska.

Now, it appears to be Tom Riley's swan song. It was a 37-34 OT win in 2014, when Pelini went out. That win for the Huskers was in Iowa City.

Today, the Hawkeyes and Huskers square off for the Heroes Game Trophy with a 3 p.m. game on FS1.

The Hawkeyes have scored 10, 10 and 14 points on each of the three B1G road losses on the season. The Hawkeyes lone road win came in Ames, with the Cy-Hawk Trophy, in a 44-41 OT win.

How the offense has sputtered, since September, on the road for the Hawkeyes. In the Wisconsin loss, both touchdowns were on Pick 6 interceptions.

Nebraska has lost four home games this season in Lincoln, with the 21-17 non-conference loss to Northern Illinois kicking it off, then losses to Wisconsin, Ohio State and Northwestern in B1G play.

Both Iowa and Nebraska lost to Northwestern in OT in 2017. Both teams gave up 38 points to Wisconsin in losses.

The only major outlier was against Ohio State. Both teams hosted Urban Meyer's team at home this season.

The Huskers fell hard to the Buckeyes 56-14 at home, while weeks later, the Hawkeyes scored the largest win in series history, with a 55-24 win over Ohio State.

That's football for the Iowa Hawkeyes. 48 offensive points one week, then zero offensive points the next.

The biggest win for the Nebraska Cornhuskers this season was also on a Friday, in a night game in Champaign, when the Huskers beat Illinois 28-6.

Like the Iowa-Iowa State game, this game has potential for a shootout, like the game in Iowa City in 2014 that ended the Pelini era.

This also could be a one sided game, based on the play of each team.

Special teams have been big for the Huskers and Hawkeyes. That can be good and bad. In 2014, the comeback win was fueled by special teams for the Huskers. For the Hawkeyes in 2017, special teams has been inconsistent and last week against Purdue, a huge difference in leading to a Senior Day loss for the Hawkeyes.

Special teams ... the good, the bad and the ugly as the past four seasons offer some intrigue today!

Do the offenses get on track today?What about the defenses?

Iowa's run game vs. Nebraska's run defense?How dialed in will the coaching staffs be on Black Friday?

Iowa 34, Nebraska 30 suggests a tight game.

The Hawkeyes won in Lincoln in 2013, after not winning in the series, since 1981.   Iowa was lead by three senior starters at linebacker, just like 2017.

Iowa has won big before in this B1G series. Unlike the Fry and early Ferentz eras, before Nebraska joined the Big Ten, this series hasn't been dominated by the Huskers.

We shall see how it plays out with a 3 p.m. game from Lincoln.

Gameday: Battle for Floyd of Rosedale at Kinnick

Iowa City, IA -- The Iowa Hawkeyes (4-3, 1-3 B1G West) seek to rebound against Minnesota (4-3, 1-3 B1G West) and retain the Floyd of Rosedale trophy, after a disappointing 17-10 overtime loss at Northwestern.

Kirk Ferentz is the Dean of College Football now at Iowa, while P.J. Fleck is in his first season as head coach for the Golden Gophers.

Both teams are struggling in phases of the game. Our pick tonight at Kinnick Stadium:

IOWA 19
Minnesota 17

The 2015 Iowa Hawkeyes finish first 12-0 season, first unbeaten season, since back to back 1921 and 1922

The Iowa Hawkeyes finished 12-0 during the 2015 regular season, capped off by
a 28-20 win over Nebraska, to bring back their fourth rivalry trophy. Iowa
senior DE #34 Nate Meier and native Nebraskan, sophomore DT #99 Nathan
Bazata carry off the Heroes Trophy off the Memorial Stadium field.

Lincoln, NE -- The Hawkeyes completed the task on the field at Memorial Stadium, in Lincoln. Iowa's first unbeaten season, in a long, long time. The #3 Iowa Hawkeyes finished 1-0 for 12 weeks during the 2015 regular season for the first time in Iowa history. It was the first experience for Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz in his career in coaching.

Iowa 2015 has been very much been TE U for the Hawkeyes. Iowa junior TE
#46 George Kittle put Iowa up 7-0 in the second quarter, with his sixth TD
of the season from his TE position for the Hawkeyes.

Opening Statement from Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz ...

"We're thrilled to get the victory and it was hard fought. We knew that coming in it was going to be a tough environment and a tough team to play against. Just really excited about getting the victory and really happy for our players. I told them, I said, 'I don't really know what to say.' I've never been around a team that is 12-0. I'm a little bit speechless on that. It is just an unbelievable accomplishment. Unbelievable effort by the players today. We said back in August, our goal is to be a championship level team, a Big Ten championship level team. So today we moved one step closer and we are very happy about that. A couple of things this team has done this season, they've done a great job of taking each week by itself and they treat it with the importance it deserves to be treated with. I told them on Tuesday, they all know every game is as important as game 12. You talk about those kinds of things for players to understand and then act it out. That is impressive and they have done that. And beyond that this is a tough-minded group. They've been tough-minded really since the season began. They believe in each other and care about each other and that is a pretty good combination. We're just really proud of our football team and proud of the staff and what they've done to prepare the team, the adjustments they have been making. I'm happy about that. I also just want to say it was great in the fourth quarter to hear our fans having some fun up there. Them for the first time to be able to say 12-0, chanting that is just fantastic. I appreciate them being here and I know we'll see them in Indianapolis next week on top of it. All-in-all just a really special day and a really special achievement for our players. They deserved all of the good things that certainly came their way."

Iowa sophomore SS #19 Miles Taylor celebrates with Iowa redshirt freshman
DE #40 Parker Hesse, after the deflected pass by Hesse and short Pick 6
to put Iowa up for good at 14-7 against Nebraska. Iowa intercepted Nebraska
QB Tommy Armstrong, Jr. four times, but this was the only INT that lead to
Iowa points on Saturday.

On where this game stands on an emotional standard ...

"It was pretty good. That's what makes this fun. The highs and the lows. If you're going to be involved in that you get both. Today just to see, look at our players and what they've accomplished. It's a pretty good feeling. I know our staff felt the same way. It's a great thing."

Iowa junior QB #16 C.J. Beathard and the Iowa sidelines celebrate, after the
Nebraska onside kick was recovered by the Hawkeyes, sealing the 12-0 record.

On recovering the onside kick, what was going through your mind ...

"First of all, all of us were nervous. You always run that situation, they still needed a two-point conversion. Unlike last week, this one came up big. Once that thing came up I felt pretty good. Then you know you got the game, that's always a good feeling. Anytime we can take a knee, that's as good as it gets in football. It's just been a special thing for all of us."

Iowa sophomore MLB #43 Josey Jewell has been an anchor and primary play-caller
for the 2015 Iowa defense. The Hawkeyes finish 12-0 overall, during the regular season.
The Hawkeyes won all four trophy games, after an 0-4 season last year.

On how pretty a football team he thinks he has ...

"We're not trying to be pretty, we are just trying to be productive. That has been our goal from day one. Football is not gymnastics. Gymnastics is a very demanding sport, an outstanding sport. Here it's about having a little more point than your opponent. I'm trying to do it, day after day, week after week. That's a challenge. These guys were 12-for-12, you can't do anything better than that."

In his 17th season, as head coach at Iowa, 26th season on the sidelines coaching the
Black & Gold; Kirk Ferentz had never experienced a 12-0 season. He has
now, as the Hawkeyes win the Big Ten West and will play next Saturday
in their first Big Ten Championship Game in five seasons, since the game originated.

The Hawkeyes (12-0) return to action Dec. 5 in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship game. The Hawkeyes will face either Michigan State, Ohio State, or Michigan.

Happy Thanksgiving, as Hawkeye fans, there is plenty to be thankful for in 2015

Cedar Rapids, IA -- It is Thanksgiving. A time to be thankful, spending time with family and friends over a meal and conversation. This year, the Iowa Hawkeyes have given the Big Ten, the nation and the fans plenty to be thankful for in 2015.





Iowa has its best start in program history (11-0), due to excelling in all three phases of the game.

The Iowa Hawkeyes switched signal callers ahead of the 2015 season. This
move has been a huge factor in Iowa's rebirth in Kirk Ferentz's 17th season at
the helm leading the Hawkeye program.

#3 IOWA (11-0, 7-0 B1G West) at Nebraska (5-6, 3-4 B1G West)

The Real difference between Hawkeyes and Huskers in 2015 - Link

Date: Nov. 27, 2015 | 2:36 p.m. (CST)

Location: Lincoln, Neb. | Memorial Stadium (87,000)

TV: ABC

Radio: Learfield Communications

Online: Hawkeye All-Access

Live Stats: Stat Broadcast | Twitter Game Updates

The Hawkeyes are in the Big Ten Championship Game for 2015. The Heroes Game is a key step, if Iowa plans to also capture a spot in the second annual College Football Playoff. Black Friday should be very exciting place in Lincoln, as the Hawkeyes and Huskers square off in Memorial Stadium for the fifth straight season. It is the 25th straight season for the Huskers playing the day after Thanksgiving.

Iowa won the Big Ten West Division and clinched a berth in the Big Ten Championship game after defeating Purdue, 40-20, on Nov. 21. The Hawkeyes’ East Division opponent will be determined Nov. 28. If Michigan State defeats Penn State, the Spartans will win the East. If Michigan State loses, the winner of the Michigan-Ohio State game will win the East. The Big Ten Championship game is in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Kickoff is 7:17 p.m. (CT). The game will be televised nationally on FOX. Iowa will be the home team and wear its black jerseys at the Big Ten title game.

Iowa is now ranked #4 in the College Football Playoff poll for the first time in program history this week. The Hawkeyes are now fourth behind #1 Clemson, #2 Alabama and #3 Oklahoma, after being fifth prior to the latest poll.

The top four teams on Dec. 6 advance to the CFP semifinals on Dec. 31 at one of two locations: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; Capital One Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida. The semifinal winners advance to the National Championship Game on, Jan. 11 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

A great tribute story on Iowa's Bob Brooks ...

Long time, veteran Iowa broadcaster and reporter Bob Brooks.

KWWL ‏@KWWL 

3 hours ago

From #TodayInIowa: If you're a fan of
@TheIowaHawkeyes, you've heard
his legendary voice: Link