This feeds into the history of the program debate and the quality of bowls debate. As lots of posters would like to take a victory each year away from Ferentz due to games played and schedules, the following also goes to compare our 2 head coaches.
The Hawkeyes won 6 bowls under Fry and 6 so far under Ferentz. However, Fry defeated 2 teams in the top 25, while Kirk has beat 4 teams. ( All 4 of Ferentz's victories were against higher ranked teams than Hayden's)
Fry era:
1995 Sun Bowl over #20 Washington
1984 Freedom Bowl over #19 Texas
Ferentz era:
2009 Insight Bowl over #14 Missouri
2009 Orange Bowl over #9 Georgia Tech
2005 Cap One Bowl over #12 LSU
2004 Outback Bowl over #17 Florida
Fry had 2 6 win seasons and a 7 win season. The Hawks went to bowl games in each of those seasons, losing all 3 including an embarrassing 37-3 loss to unranked California in the 1993 Alamo Bowl. (This was the only winning season Keith Gilbertson had with the Golden Bears. In 94 he went 4-7 and 95 he went 3-8, leaving California with an overall 20-26 record).
Ferentz has had 2 6 win seasons and 4 7 win seasons. One of the 6 win seasons we were not invited to a bowl. We had one bowl win and 4 losses, including an embarrassing 45-28 loss to unranked Tennessee. (Butch Jones's Vols seem to be on pace to being a way better team than Gilbertson's Golden Bears.)
The Hawkeyes won 6 bowls under Fry and 6 so far under Ferentz. However, Fry defeated 2 teams in the top 25, while Kirk has beat 4 teams. ( All 4 of Ferentz's victories were against higher ranked teams than Hayden's)
Fry era:
1995 Sun Bowl over #20 Washington
1984 Freedom Bowl over #19 Texas
Ferentz era:
2009 Insight Bowl over #14 Missouri
2009 Orange Bowl over #9 Georgia Tech
2005 Cap One Bowl over #12 LSU
2004 Outback Bowl over #17 Florida
Fry had 2 6 win seasons and a 7 win season. The Hawks went to bowl games in each of those seasons, losing all 3 including an embarrassing 37-3 loss to unranked California in the 1993 Alamo Bowl. (This was the only winning season Keith Gilbertson had with the Golden Bears. In 94 he went 4-7 and 95 he went 3-8, leaving California with an overall 20-26 record).
Ferentz has had 2 6 win seasons and 4 7 win seasons. One of the 6 win seasons we were not invited to a bowl. We had one bowl win and 4 losses, including an embarrassing 45-28 loss to unranked Tennessee. (Butch Jones's Vols seem to be on pace to being a way better team than Gilbertson's Golden Bears.)