List of Iowa Hawkeyes football seasons

Iowa's defense lines up against Syracuse on September 8, 2007.

This is a list of seasons completed by the Iowa Hawkeyes football program since the team's conception in 1889. The list documents season-by-season records, and conference records from 1892–1896 and 1900 to the present. The Hawkeyes began playing football 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 Iowa College to an interscholastic varsity football game. Since then, the Hawkeyes have played over 1,100 games, including 26 bowl games.

Historically, Iowa has seen moderate success. The Hawkeyes won the Western Interstate University Football Association championship in 1896 and the Big Ten Conference football championship in 1900 – the school's first year as a member of the Big Ten Conference – but did not win another in the Big Ten until 1921. Iowa's coach at that time was Howard Jones. Under his direction, the Hawkeyes won conference championships in 1921 and 1922, and recorded a school-record 20-game winning streak from 1920–1923. However, the Hawkeyes' success on the field dipped once again. Debt on Iowa's new football stadium – Iowa Stadium – grew yearly, and the Hawkeyes finished in the bottom three of the Big Ten every year except 1933 from 1930–1938. Then, in 1939, Iowa surprisingly finished the season 6–1–1, tripling the win total from the last two seasons combined. The team was nicknamed the "Ironmen," and is generally thought to be one of the greatest teams in school history. They were led by Heisman winner Nile Kinnick, who died in 1943 during a World War II training flight. 29 years later, in 1972, Iowa Stadium was renamed as "Kinnick Stadium" in his honor.

Following the 1939 season, the Hawkeyes slipped into another "down period." From 1940–1955, Iowa recorded 11 losing seasons, and their best finish in the Big Ten was fourth. But in 1952, the Hawkeyes upset Ohio State in Forest Evashevski's first season as coach. Three years later, in 1956, the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten championship with a 9–1 record. Under Evashevski, Iowa won two more conference championships in 1958 and 1960, posting 8–1–1 and 8–1 records respectively. In 1958, the Hawkeyes were awarded the Grantland Rice Trophy as national champions of the Football Writers Association of America. Soon thereafter, however, Evashevski became athletic director, and the football program suffered. The team posted a winning record in 1961 under new head coach Jerry Burns, but it was Iowa's last winning season until 1981. From 1961–1978, the Hawkeyes had four head coaches. Not one of them had a team that finished better than fourth in the Big Ten.

In 1979, Hayden Fry was hired as Iowa's 24th head coach. In 1981, he took the Hawkeyes to their first Rose Bowl since 1958. Iowa won the Big Ten championship three times under Fry, and played in the Rose Bowl in each of those seasons. Following his tenure at Iowa, which ended after the 1998 season, Kirk Ferentz was hired as his successor. Ferentz has won Big Ten championships twice at Iowa, in 2002 and 2004.

Seasons

National Champions Conference Champions Division Champions Bowl game berth
Season Coach(es) Conference(s) Division Season results Bowl result Final ranking
Conference finish Wins Losses Ties AP1 Coaches'2
Iowa Hawkeyes football seasons
1889 No Coach Independent — — 0 1 0 — N/A N/A
1890 Independent — — 1 1 0 — N/A N/A
1891 Independent — — 3 2 0 — N/A N/A
18923 E. A. Dalton WIUFA — 4th 3 2 1 — N/A N/A
1893 Ben Donnelly WIUFA — T–3rd 3 4 0 — N/A N/A
1894 Roger Sherman WIUFA — T–3rd 4 4 1 — N/A N/A
1895 No Coach WIUFA — 4th 2 5 0 — N/A N/A
1896 A. E. Bull WIUFA — 1st 7 1 1 — N/A N/A
1897 Otto Wagonhurst Independent — — 4 4 0 — N/A N/A
1898 Alden Knipe Independent — — 3 4 2 — N/A N/A
1899 Independent — — 8 0 1 — N/A N/A
1900 Western4 — T–1st 7 0 1 — N/A N/A
1901 Western — 8th 6 3 0 — N/A N/A
1902 Western — 7th 5 4 0 — N/A N/A
1903 John Chalmers Western — 5th 9 2 0 — N/A N/A
1904 Western — T–7th 7 4 0 — N/A N/A
1905 Western — T–7th 8 2 0 — N/A N/A
1906 Mark Catlin Western — 7th 2 3 0 — N/A N/A
1907 Western; MVIAA5 — 4th; T–1st 3 2 0 — N/A N/A
1908 Western; MVIAA — 6th; 7th 2 5 0 — N/A N/A
1909 John Griffith Western; MVIAA — 7th; 4th 2 4 1 — N/A N/A
1910 Jess Hawley Western; MVIAA — 4th; 2nd 5 2 0 — N/A N/A
1911 Western — 5th 3 4 0 — N/A N/A
1912 Western — 7th 4 3 0 — N/A N/A
1913 Western — T–2nd 5 2 0 — N/A N/A
1914 Western — 7th 4 3 0 — N/A N/A
1915 Western — 7th 3 4 0 — N/A N/A
1916 Howard Jones Western — 7th 4 3 0 — N/A N/A
1917 Western — 8th 3 5 0 — N/A N/A
1918 Western — T–4th 6 2 1 — N/A N/A
1919 Western — 6th 5 2 0 — N/A N/A
1920 Western — 5th 5 2 0 — N/A N/A
19216[1] Western — 1st 7 0 0 — N/A N/A
19227[2] Western — 1st 7 0 0 — N/A N/A
1923 Western — 6th 5 3 0 — N/A N/A
1924 Burt Ingwersen Western — 3rd 6 1 1 — N/A N/A
1925 Western — T–4th 5 3 0 — N/A N/A
1926 Western — T–9th 3 5 0 — N/A N/A
1927 Western — T–9th 4 4 0 — N/A N/A
1928 Western — T–4th 6 2 0 — N/A N/A
1929 Western — 5th 4 2 2 — N/A N/A
1930 Western — 9th 4 4 0 — N/A N/A
1931 Western — 10th 1 6 1 — N/A N/A
1932 Ossie Solem Western — 10th 1 7 0 — N/A N/A
1933 Western — T–5th 5 3 0 — N/A N/A
1934 Western — 9th 2 5 1 — N/A N/A
1935 Western — 7th 4 2 2 — N/A N/A
1936 Western — T–7th 3 4 1 — — N/A
1937 Irl Tubbs Western — 10th 1 7 0 — — N/A
1938 Western — 7th 1 6 1 — — N/A
1939 Eddie Anderson Western — 2nd 6 1 1 — 9 N/A
1940 Western — 6th 4 4 0 — — N/A
1941 Western — 6th 3 5 0 — — N/A
1942 Western — T–6th 6 4 0 — — N/A
1943 Slip Madigan Western — 9th 1 6 1 — — N/A
1944 Western — 9th 1 7 0 — — N/A
1945 Clem Crowe Western — T–9th 2 7 0 — — N/A
1946 Eddie Anderson Western — 4th 5 4 0 — — N/A
1947 Western — T–6th 3 5 1 — — N/A
1948 Western — T–5th 4 5 0 — — N/A
1949 Western — T–5th 4 5 0 — — N/A
1950 Leonard Raffensperger Western — 6th 3 5 1 — — —
1951 Western — 9th 2 5 2 — — —
1952 Forest Evashevski Western — 7th 2 7 0 — — —
1953 Big Ten — T–5th 5 3 1 — 9 10
1954 Big Ten — 5th 5 4 0 — — —
1955 Big Ten — 7th 3 5 1 — — 19
19568 Big Ten align="center style="background:#dfd;"|— 1st 9 1 0 Won Rose Bowl vs. Oregon State, 35–19 3 3
1957 Big Ten — 3rd 7 1 1 — 6 5
19589 Big Ten — 1st 8 1 1 Won Rose Bowl vs. California, 38–12 2 2
1959 Big Ten — 6th 5 4 0 — — —
196010 Big Ten — T–1st 8 1 0 — 3 2
1961 Jerry Burns Big Ten — 7th 5 4 0 — — —
1962 Big Ten — T–5th 4 5 0 — — —
1963 Big Ten — 8th 3 3 2 — — —
1964 Big Ten — 9th 3 6 0 — — —
1965 Big Ten — 10th 1 9 0 — — —
1966 Ray Nagel Big Ten — 10th 2 8 0 — — —
1967 Big Ten — T–9th 1 8 1 — — —
1968 Big Ten — T–5th 5 5 0 — — —
1969 Big Ten — T–5th 5 5 0 — — —
1970 Big Ten — 4th 3 6 1 — — —
1971 Frank Lauterbur Big Ten — 10th 1 10 0 — — —
1972 Big Ten — T–8th 3 7 1 — — —
1973 Big Ten — T–9th 0 11 0 — — —
1974 Bob Commings Big Ten — T–7th 3 8 0 — — —
1975 Big Ten — T–7th 3 8 0 — — —
1976 Big Ten — T–7th 5 6 0 — — —
1977 Big Ten — T–6th 5 6 0 — — —
1978 Big Ten — 8th 2 9 0 — — —
1979 Hayden Fry Big Ten — 5th 5 6 0 — — —
1980 Big Ten — 4th 4 7 0 — — —
1981 Big Ten — T–1st 8 4 0 Lost Rose Bowl vs. Washington, 28–0 18 15
1982 Big Ten — 3rd 8 4 0 Won Peach Bowl vs. Tennessee, 28–22 — —
1983 Big Ten — 3rd 9 3 0 Lost Gator Bowl vs. Florida, 14–6 14 14
1984 Big Ten — T–4th 8 4 1 Won Freedom Bowl vs. Texas, 55–17 16 15
1985 Big Ten — 1st 10 2 0 Lost Rose Bowl vs. UCLA, 45–28 10 9
1986 Big Ten — T–3rd 9 3 0 Won Holiday Bowl vs. SDSU, 39–38 16 15
1987 Big Ten — T–2nd 10 3 0 Won Holiday Bowl vs. Wyoming, 20–19 16 16
1988 Big Ten — T–3rd 6 4 3 Lost Peach Bowl vs. NC State, 28–23 — —
1989 Big Ten — T–6th 5 6 0 — — —
1990 Big Ten — T–1st 8 4 0 Lost Rose Bowl vs. Washington, 46–34 18 16
1991 Big Ten — 2nd 10 1 1 Tied Holiday Bowl vs. BYU, 13–13 10 10
1992 Big Ten — 5th 5 7 0 — — —
1993 Big Ten — 8th 6 6 0 Lost Alamo Bowl vs. California, 37–3 — —
1994 Big Ten — 7th 5 5 1 — — —
1995 Big Ten — 6th 8 4 0 Won Sun Bowl vs. Washington, 38–18 25 22
1996 Big Ten — T–3rd 9 3 12 Won Alamo Bowl vs. Texas Tech, 27–0 18 18
1997 Big Ten — T–6th 7 5 Lost Sun Bowl vs. Arizona State, 17–7 — —
1998 Big Ten — T–7th 3 8 — — —
1999 Kirk Ferentz Big Ten — 11th 1 10 — — —
2000 Big Ten — 8th 3 9 — — —
2001 Big Ten — T–4th 7 5 Won Alamo Bowl vs. Texas Tech, 19–16 — —
2002 Big Ten — T–1st 11 2 Lost Orange Bowl vs. USC, 38–17 8 8
2003 Big Ten — T–4th 10 3 Won Outback Bowl vs. Florida, 37–17 8 8
2004 Big Ten — T–1st 11 2 Won Capital One Bowl vs. LSU, 30–25 8 8
2005 Big Ten — T–3rd 7 5 Lost Outback Bowl vs. Florida, 31–24 — —
2006 Big Ten — T–8th 6 7 Lost Alamo Bowl vs. Texas, 26–24 — —
2007 Big Ten — T–5th 6 6 — — —
2008 Big Ten — T-4th 9 4 Won Outback Bowl vs. South Carolina, 31–10 20 20
2009 Big Ten — T-2nd 11 2 Won Orange Bowl vs. Georgia Tech, 24–14 7 7
2010 Big Ten — T-4th 8 5 Won Insight Bowl vs. Missouri, 27–24 — —
2011 Big Ten Legends 4th 7 6 Lost Insight Bowl vs. Oklahoma, 14–31 — —
2012 Big Ten Legends 6th 4 8 — — —
2013 Big Ten Legends 2nd 8 5 Lost Outback Bowl vs. LSU, 14–21 — —
2014 Big Ten West 7 6 Lost TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Tennessee, 28–45 — —
Total 599 528 38 (only includes regular season games)
14 13 1 (only includes bowl games)
613 541 39 (all games)

[3]

  1. The AP Poll was introduced in 1936. Thus, there are no polls for previous seasons.
  2. The Coaches Poll was introduced in 1950. Thus, there are no polls for previous seasons.
  3. The outcome of Iowa's game vs. Kansas in 1892 was disputed. Iowa lists the game as an 18–14 Hawkeye victory, while Kansas lists the game as a 14–12 Jayhawk victory. In this list the game is regarded as an Iowa victory in the best interest of keeping Iowa's victory total at 559, which is where it stands according to official Iowa Hawkeye school records.
  4. The Big Ten was unofficially named The Western Conference from its inception till 1949.
  5. Iowa held dual membership in the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MVIAA) and the Big Ten Conference from 1907-1910.
  6. Two selectors, Billingsley and Parke H. Davis, awarded the national championship to Iowa in 1921. Iowa does not recognize this National Championship in their official school records.
  7. Billingsley once again awarded their national title to Iowa in 1922. Iowa does not recognize this National Championship in their official school records.
  8. Football Research awarded Iowa their national championship in 1956. Iowa does not recognize this National Championship in their official school records.
  9. The Football Writers Association of America awarded the national championship and the Grantland Rice Award to Iowa in 1958.
  10. Despite a tie for first in the Big Ten, four publications listed Iowa as their national champion in 1960. The four publications were Berryman, Boand, Litkenhous, and Sagarin. Iowa does not recognize this National Championship in their official school records.
  11. In 1977, Iowa lost to UCLA 34–16. However, UCLA later forfeited the game, giving Iowa a 5–6 final record.
  12. Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.cfrc.com/Archives/NC_Year_2011.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.cfrc.com/Archives/NC_Year_2011.htm
  3. ↑ "2012 Iowa Football Media Guide". Issuu.com. 2012-08-02. Retrieved 2012-11-07.

External links