Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Ranking Kirk Ferentz's Best Iowa Football wins

Starting point is 00:00:00 Over the weekend, Kirk Ferentz picked up win number 200 of his career. We're going to go down memory lane. A look back at Kirk Ferentz's 10 best victories with the Iowa Hawkeyes today. Lockdown Hawkeyes. You are locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Lockdown Podcastyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast.

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Starting point is 00:01:06 Right now, place your first $5 bet. You'll get started with $200 in bonus bets guaranteed. Just visit FanDuel.com to get started. So something a little bit different here today. As after Kirk Ferentz picks up win number 200 with the victory last week against in the matchup against Washington. I started to have some memories and started to go back and remember some of the great moments of Kirk Ferentz, some of my favorites. And that's what this is going to be today. Some of my favorite games, favorite

Starting point is 00:01:34 victories in the Kirk Ferentz era. Now for me, a guy in my mid forties, I've been here from the beginning. In fact, Kirk's first season was my sophomore year at Iowa. So I've been there. I've been here from the beginning. In fact, Kirk's first season was my sophomore year at Iowa. So I've been there. I've been going to games since I was a little kid and been to, I believe, on this list, almost every one of these games that we're going to go through here. I was at each and every one of them, which is incredible to think about in its own right. Iowa football, something that I love. I was there for 95% of them as a fan. This is not a media member. Don't like to use the press pass. I like to be there in the stands, be part of the fans, and I'll be able to do a little tailgating too. That definitely helps out. So we're going to

Starting point is 00:02:16 go through here. Before we get into the top 10 though, I want to start with some honorable mentions. Some games that didn't make the cut for my top 10, but are games that are definitely memorable and some of my favorites throughout the time. And we can play this game for a long time. I mean, there's just so many victories that I didn't even get through the list here. And we're still talking about probably 25 games that were towards the top.

Starting point is 00:02:38 One of the first ones has to be the first Big Ten win in 2000 against Michigan State. Michigan State came in ranked number 25 that year. Iowa started the season off 0-5 that season. Iowa was also going through a 13-game losing streak. I think some of you youngsters just don't realize just how dire and how ugly things were at the end of the Hayden era in his final year in 1998.

Starting point is 00:03:03 Kirk's first year when they go 1-10, and the only win was in Game 3 against Northern Illinois. LeVar Woods had a big play in that one. But 2000, 0-5 start, and we're waiting for the signs. And there were a few things, but the offensive line was not fully built at that point. You still had guys like Bruce Nelson that were weighing 260 pounds. They couldn't really run the football even with a very talented running back in Liddell Betts. That game though, making plays.

Starting point is 00:03:31 John Butcher was chucking around the field. His second career start came in that football game. I think a lot of people remember Bob Sanders had a big hit on a kickoff return. That was late in the game. In fact, that was right after Iowa took the lead in that football game. Kevin Casper got the reception, a tunnel screen that they ran, and they ran that play so much because they couldn't do a whole lot else because that offensive line wasn't fully formed. But got that one done, 21-16. Hail Mary in the end zone at the end. We rushed a field, and that was definitely a good one. 2001, one that definitely jumps to mind is the Alma Bowl. My first bowl game that I ever went to. Went with a group of friends. Just had a

Starting point is 00:04:10 great time. Doubted San Antonio for that one. Definitely towards the top of the list. 1916, Kading with the late field goal. Played that game. Aaron Greving, in fact, was the guy as Liddell Betts wasn't able to go because of an injury. 2002, we got a game in there in the top 10 when we get there. A couple other games, Purdue, Dallas Clark had a monster performance. Adolphus Shelton with the late interception that ended up holding on there. The Penn State game also that year, Iowa jumped out to a big lead, nearly blew it. In fact, went into overtime. Iowa was up 35-13 in that football game late in the third quarter

Starting point is 00:04:45 and ultimately won it in overtime. That was a great one. The Minnesota game, of course, 2002. Tear down the goalpost. And I've told the story before here. Unlocked on Hawkeyes was there on the field. One of the first ones on the field for that one. I was not part of the people.

Starting point is 00:04:59 Tear down the goalpost, though. 2003, ending the streak against Iowa State as they had the long winning streak against the Hawkeyes. The Michigan game at 03, one of my favorites, but didn't make the top 10 cut. It was right there though. That one, Ramona Choa just had a monster performance in that one.

Starting point is 00:05:16 Couple of games in 2004, they were both blowouts, but it's fun to blow these teams out. Beating Ohio State 33-7, just because it's a rarity. Not a very great Ohio State team at that time. And then beating Wisconsin to win the Big Ten title 30-7 after the upset earlier in the day set the table for Iowa to get a share in 2004. A couple others, 2008, it was a domination there

Starting point is 00:05:40 against Minnesota, 55-0. Turned out the lights, though, the last game in the Metrodome. That's obviously memorable. Some off the field or in the bathroom antics also led to some of the memories in that one for a lot of people. Let's see, Michigan 2009, 30-28. Just remember just how cold that was. It was October, what do I have in my notes here?

Starting point is 00:06:07 October 10th, just piss cold. Snow on the ground that morning. It warmed up a little bit, but it was just a chilly one, certainly for that time of year. Let's see, what else do we have in here? 2015, Marshall Cain with the 57-yarder to be Pitt. Also, that was Brett Greenwood coming onto the field for the first time after what he had sustained. So that one definitely is up there. 2019 Iowa State,

Starting point is 00:06:33 1917 won their punt returner. I got ran into by one of the gunners. That was a great one. Also had the long delay. 2019 beating a top 10 Minnesota team who came in undefeated. Anytime you can beat Minnesota when they have any hope, that's always a good time. USC also that year in the Holiday Bowl. Those are just some of the honorable mentions. Well, let's get into it here as we're going to go through my top 10 victories of the Kirk Ferentz era. And of course, you can agree, disagree, hit us up on Twitter at Trent Condon is where you can find me. And you can also find us at Lockdown Iowa, or if you're watching on YouTube, I make your comments there.

Starting point is 00:07:11 And we definitely check in with each and every one of those. Number 10 on my list, go back to 2013, not an overly memorable year in comparison to some of these seasons that we're talking about. But it was the 38-17 win against Nebraska. Not just beating Nebraska for the first time since 1981, but it was just the physicality that Iowa was playing with that day. Mark Wiseman running through people. You can see at times the Nebraska guys were just quitting on the football field. And finally, a couple years in, getting that victory against Nebraska, that one definitely felt good to get that win. And to tell the Huskers that this is going to be a rivalry.

Starting point is 00:07:50 So there's a lot of victories here to choose from in the Nebraska series recently. That one definitely at the top of the list for me. At number nine, going back just a couple of years ago, 2021, number three versus number four, as Penn State came to Kinnick Stadium for that one Spencer Petras with the crossing route as he was able to hit Nico Raggini would prove to be the game winner another huge memory as we were in the early stages of the new end zone on the north end of Kinnick Stadium and just seeing how impactful that north end zone is I definitely saw it in that one with all the false starts that were happening in that one.

Starting point is 00:08:26 Number nine on my list, the win against Penn State in 2021. Number eight on my list, my favorite games of the Kirk Ferentz era, favorite victories of the Kirk Ferentz era. Seven got six. I saw just the other day we had the anniversary of this one 15 years ago as Iowa and Marvin McNutt gets it done Ricky Stanzi with the throw fourth and goal from the six yard line seven gets six as Marvin McNutt scores it and Iowa wins 15-13 kept the undefeated season alive at that point too in 2009 definitely a big one I told

Starting point is 00:09:00 the story here before I believe every day as day, as you might remember me mentioning this. I was actually down in Alabama for the Alabama-Tennessee game at that time with my then-girlfriend, now wife. And we went down for that football game. She had some connections to Alabama people. And, well, let's make it happen. And then got back to Birmingham that night and watched the game on DVR. And even a celebration, even if it was a couple hours after the game actually concluded, that was definitely a fun one there. We continue here to number seven, 2010,

Starting point is 00:09:31 which will be remembered for a disappointing year. I came in with a lot of hype, a lot of pub, a lot of expectations, but for one day, it all was right. Undefeated, 8-0, Michigan State comes to town. They're ranked fifth in the country. Iowa already with a couple losses. Still with the shot, though, at a Big Ten title. Iowa ran them off the field.

Starting point is 00:09:56 Up 30-0 at the half. Most memorable play of that game. Tyler Sash with the interception. He pitches it to Micah Hyde, who darts in. Cut, weaves his way into the end zone. He pitches it to Micah Hyde, who darts in, cuts, weaves his way into the end zone as Iowa jumped out to an early lead and just dominated that one. There was also some off-field things that were happening leading into that one. Obviously, the physicality that we saw in that game going back to the game the year previous against Michigan State, just how physical

Starting point is 00:10:21 that game was against the Spartans. There was some bad blood. There was some negative recruiting that was happening during that time. Chris Rucker just got let out of jail. D'Antonio let him play. So there was a lot there and that felt good, at least in a disappointing season in 2010. And finally, well, let's get into our top six. There's some big games in here. There's some big upsets. There's some milestone victories as we're going through my top 10 favorite games. We got six more to go here as we look back a little bit before we get into some Iowa football conversation and the here and now we'll do that as we continue. This is Locked on Hawkeyes.

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Starting point is 00:13:38 Just visit FanDuel.com. That's FanDuel.com. Trent Conant back with you once again on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. So as we continue here, our conversation after win number 200 from Kirk Ferentz over the weekend, we're going through our top 10. So we made it up to number six, number six on the list of my favorite games in the Kirk Ferentz era.

Starting point is 00:14:08 It is the Capital One Bowl. And I know a lot of people, this might be number one for you. The 2004 Capital One Bowl after the 2004 season, technically 2005, January 1st against LSU. You're taking on the defending national champion. Clinton Solomon had a big touchdown early in that football game. They're going to blow to blow with a very talented team.

Starting point is 00:14:28 And then we saw this guy come off the bench, turned out to be a number one pick in the draft. Now it didn't work very well for him in the NFL, but boy, that dude had some talent. That aside though, the reason it's not higher for me and being in Orlando for that football game, the reason that I don't have it higher on my list is the moment was incredible. It was just the frustration of knowing what was happening, seeing the clock start, and looking at the sideline. Nobody's using the timeout.

Starting point is 00:14:58 Nobody knows that the clock is running. And as you hear Gary Dolphin call on the radio side of things, the game's going to end on this play and they don't know it. So because of that, I guess it is a little bit lower for me. Excuse me, but what a moment. And captivating, culminating, excuse me, that season, got off to the slow start, two losses, blown out by Arizona State. Lose a week later against Michigan.

Starting point is 00:15:29 They play a lot better in that one, but the injuries that they had sustained throughout the course of the year at the running back position, as we saw the emergence of airbag, you had that component to it. Just a very fun one, no doubt about it, beating LSU. And Nick Saban's final game with the Tigers. That was definitely big. Number five on the list. Let's go to 2016.

Starting point is 00:15:50 Number two, Michigan comes rolling into town. Now, Iowa the week previous was absolutely pulverized out of Penn State. They lost a 41-14. It wasn't even that close. Penn State piled up 599 yards of offense against the Hawkeye defense that day. It wasn't looking good. And Michigan was doing whatever they wanted.

Starting point is 00:16:13 They were dominating opponents. It was early in the Harbaugh regime, and they looked like a well-oiled machine that was just going to make their way into Kinnick Stadium, and they were going to run away with it. They're up 10-0, and then suddenly starts to... Excuse me again. Still battling this cold.

Starting point is 00:16:34 We're going to get through it. So, all right. Get a safety. Get a touchdown late in the half. It's 10-8 going into the second half. 11-10 lead for Iowa. Michigan kicks a 50-yarder. And then get a stop.

Starting point is 00:16:55 A couple of first downs. And through the uprights. Keith Duncan with the field goal. Iowa wins it 14-13 in a game that wasn't 14-13 with the safety in there. Iowa gets the win. Iowa chasing points in the first half. in a game that wasn't 14-13 with the safety in there. Iowa gets the win. Iowa chasing points in the first half. What a game, though. And, you know, coming out in the heels of 2015 and what that was

Starting point is 00:17:14 and getting those good feelings back was definitely a great one. Number four on my list. Let's go to 2008. Sean Green was running. The green-out effect was happening inside Kinnick Stadium. That football game, Iowa was lucky to hang around. We always meet up at halftime, me and my group of friends, and we got our tickets together.

Starting point is 00:17:37 We also have some other people scattered across, and we always meet in one of the corners at the half. We're sitting there conversing, talking,ing you know how it is and it just had that feeling that penn state's a lot better that there's there's nothing that iowa can do to hang around in the football game or they do they hang around the football game and they get an opportunity late ricky stansy was outstanding he was making throws djk was so good in that final drive, setting up the game winner as Daniel Murray walked it off with the victory. Now, didn't walk it off.

Starting point is 00:18:12 There was actually a second left. Iowa still had to kick off after he made the field goal. Penn State goes down. They were in the conversation for a national championship. They go down 24-23. So that was 2008. Loved that one. Another cool day in Kittick Stadium.

Starting point is 00:18:27 Number three on my list, my favorite Kirk Ferentz victories at Iowa, is the Woodshed game. 55-24 against Ohio State. It was Noah Fant. It was the tight ends. It was just pure domination. Ahmadi Hooker, first play of the game, pick six. And here we go. One of the craziest games. And I know I mentioned this before.

Starting point is 00:18:53 There was this sound in Kinnick Stadium throughout the course of the evening and into the night. I've just never heard before. It was, I think people are just incredulous that this was actually happening. Because we've talked about it. How does Iowa win these games? They hang around, make a play, defensively, offensively, special teams, whatever it is, and they eke it out. Iowa doesn't win games like this.

Starting point is 00:19:18 But they did it on that one. And an absolutely incredible one. Number three on my list, 55-24 over Ohio State. The Woodshed game in 2017. Number two, 2002. So this was my first big road game. I've been to road games before, a bunch of them in Minnesota. I've been to Wisconsin before, but had never gone for a long road trip, if you will. So me and my buddies get a bus and we make our way out to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan. Now, earlier that week, Aaron Greving had quit the team. It felt like though we thought this Iowa team was pretty good, going up against Michigan at that time was just, it was a different animal. In 2001, the year previous, Iowa gave them a hell of a run in

Starting point is 00:20:06 Kinnick Stadium. Marquise Walker made one of the most ridiculous catches you'll ever see in the end zone over Benny Sapp, who was a freshman at that time. But we just didn't know how good that Iowa team, of course, Iowa had already blown the game against Iowa State earlier that season, leading 24-7 and nearly blown the game, as we talked about earlier in the honorable mention, against Penn State as they finally won in overtime 42-35. There was just a lot going on. And Iowa went there and just absolutely ran away from them in the second half of the football game. So you had Fred Russell.

Starting point is 00:20:40 He was OK. But it was this guy, well, you see his jersey right behind me, Jermell Lewis. Yeah, that's a game-worn Alamo Bowl jersey from the year previous. And Jermell was outstanding. Took a little shovel pass into the end zone, just overpowering. You can see one time, if you watch the replay of the broadcast anytime, it's up on YouTube. You can see my group of guys there going to the big house for the first time.

Starting point is 00:21:02 Just an amazing experience. 34-9, Iowa hands Michigan, one of their biggest losses in Michigan Stadium history. Number two on my list, the 2002 win against Michigan. Number one, it was 2009 against Penn State. So we talked about the 2008 game. Dana Murray with the walk-off. So 2009, Penn State, they're not going to lose again.

Starting point is 00:21:27 It's game day. It's a whiteout. It is a monster game. And on the first play of the game, Penn State goes up top and they score. And it looks like, oh boy, we made a long drive out here to watch a pummeling. Not the case. Iowa hangs around. Iowa starts making plays. Pat Engerer, who you hear on the radio broadcast, he was all over the field that night. Iowa comes back. The punt block

Starting point is 00:21:54 by Adrian Claiborne. I can still hear that echo from being in Beaver Stadium that day, that night, and it still rings in my ears today. Absolutely amazing. The celebration got to go on the field for, I think they gave us about 10 seconds after the game. Our group, as we took a picture on the field there at Beaver Stadium. One of my favorites, and it's number one on my list, 2009, beating Penn State in a whiteout when they had all the motivation in the world, and the Hawkeyes were just better that day. There's a lot of great victories. We have a lot to be happy about.

Starting point is 00:22:31 As I started this conversation, if you're an old-timer like me, you remember how bad it got. You remember when they said there were 60,000 in the stands in the late 90s and early 2000s at Kinnick Stadium. You have plenty of room to spread out. It's not a birthright that Iowa football is always going to be great. And at times we sometimes overlook the victories. I think we take for granted what we have. I think all of us as fans, we want more. We want to see this program elevate up another step. And it's frustrating what we've seen recently against these top level teams and how it feels like the gap is widening between

Starting point is 00:23:17 the Michigans, the Ohio States, the Penn States of the world, and us, the Iowa Hawkeyes. And I get that. But also remember what we have. Remember what we've been able to see. A lot of good football, a lot of great victories, and a lot of great memories. Let's take a peek at Michigan State when we come back, getting ready for the matchup.

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Starting point is 00:25:42 Back with you one final time on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for being with us and thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Michigan State, Iowa, a six-point favorite against the Spartans. It's a road tilt, which is always a little bit more difficult, obviously, as we know. Had this question on the radio show yesterday asking, what is the most difficult road trip coming up for the Hawkeyes?

Starting point is 00:26:09 I was got this one this week against Michigan State. They go to UCLA that Friday night game in November and followed up after a bye week with another road trip to the other coast, down to Maryland in their second to last game of the season. A lot of people think it's this one. And I think the most talented team that they'll face is going to be this Michigan State team. Now, I still maintain there's something goofy with that UCLA game. Quick turnaround, Friday night game.

Starting point is 00:26:35 I think those are components. Plus, it's going out west. And as we've seen from a lot of teams this year, that has been a pretty major issue throughout the course of this season. Teams making those trips, either the West Coast teams coming back here to the Midwest or over to the East Coast, that's been impactful. And then going the other way, teams that have gone out there have really struggled throughout the course of the season.

Starting point is 00:26:56 But this is a good team. Aiden Chiles is a good quarterback. We talked about him. He's turned it over a little bit too much, but he can be dynamic. So here's the numbers. Total offense for Sparty, 103rd. Okay, that's good for Iowa. 102nd in rush offense, averaging 120 yards per game. Pretty good. 118th in scoring offense. Now we're cooking. And as I go through this statistical profile for Michigan State, there isn't anything to be overly concerned about.

Starting point is 00:27:27 We pointed out some things. We talked about it a week ago against Washington. I was inability to get a stop in the red zone, and then they got a stop in the red zone in the first drive of the game from Washington. Michigan State's been pretty good defensively, 37th in total defense. Rush defense giving up 130 yards per game. That's 59th in the country, but they're not elite at anything. There's nothing that you point to and say, look out. This is going to be something that slows down Iowa. I think this is

Starting point is 00:27:56 very simple. If Iowa can go out on Saturday night, have a very workmanlike performance, don't turn it over. Don't give up the big plays. Play Iowa football. I think they win this game and win it comfortably. But there's the other side. We talked about a week ago, Cade McNamara hadn't thrown a touchdown against a power four opponent. He did it against Iowa when he was a Michigan Wolverine in the Big Ten Championship game after 2021. That was the last time he had done it. Well, he broke that streak a week ago against Washington through a couple of touchdowns. We'll see if this was a building block win last week against Washington. I believe that it was, but they're going to have to play

Starting point is 00:28:35 well. They play smart, play fundamental, play Iowa football. I think Iowa's going to get a win. Now, is it going to be getting into the top 10 list of all-time wins of Kirk Ferentz? Probably not, but a win is a win, and Iowa needs to keep stacking them up here as we make our way to the back half of the season. Thanks for being with us here today. A little bit different Locked On Hawkeyes as we go down memory lane, reliving some of the great moments of the Kirk Ferentz era. Thanks for being with us, and thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Go Hawks!

Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Ranking Kirk Ferentz's Best Iowa Football wins

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