Not ready for prime time.
There's really not much more to say about Iowa's dispiriting and disappointing Pasadena performance on New Year's Day. After fighting and scrapping to the best regular season record in school history, the Hawkeyes had zero answers for anything the fast and fierce Stanford Cardinal could throw at them in the Rose Bowl and succumbed with barely a whimper.
I don't know if anyone other than the biggest Pac 12 homer saw that thrashing coming. After watching Nebraska ambush UCLA and Wisconsin handle U.S.C. earlier in the bowl season, I was confident that Iowa would be in this biggest of big games until the final whistle.
Iowa players and coaches seemed as shocked as anyone in their post-game comments. When asked over and over what happened, no one could muster much more than "we were outplayed." That was evident from the very first play of the game, but the why may remain a mystery. I can't believe that this team - that gave every ounce of effort and stayed focused all season long - was distracted or in any way overlooked Stanford. If I had to guess, I'd say they just weren't ready for the magnitude of the setting.
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The loss in the Rose doesn't take away from what Beathard and Iowa accomplished this season.
Speaking of the setting, attending my first Rose Bowl in person was definitely a bucket list item. There is really something special and a little surreal seeing that iconic venue appear as you wind down the valley in the warm California sunshine.
The Iowa football team may have lost the game on the field, but the Hawkeye fans won the tailgating in a blowout even bigger than game itself. Walking through the lots before the game, I wasn't sure there would be any Stanford fans inside the stadium. The festive atmosphere even survived the most ridiculous security screening I've ever witnessed. We left our tailgate a full hour before game time and still just barely made it to our seats in time for the kickoff.
As Stanford proceeded to blow Iowa's doors off, I have to admit to feeling a bit incensed.
Logically, I know Iowa football owes me - or any other fan for that matter - nothing more than their best effort. But I confess to swallowing some bitterness watching an utter display of ineptitude after spending thousands of dollars and uncounted emotional energy gearing up for an epic Rose Bowl battle that turned out to be a massacre.
But then a series of memories from this past season flooded in. The amazing scramble by CJ Beathard in Ames. Marshall Koehn drilling a 57-yard field goal as night fell to stun Pitt. The goal-line-stand and fumble recovery to beat the Badgers. Akrum Wadley exploding on Northwestern filling in for his injured comrade. C.J. leaping into the end zone in Bloomington at risk to life and limb. The tip and pick against Tommy Armstrong to help subdue the Cornhuskers. The valiant-but-futile fight to the end in Indy.
One game - no matter how ugly - can't spoil a special season. There is much to celebrate about the 2015 Iowa Hawkeyes, despite their final flameout.
The program is back on solid ground and Coach Kirk Ferentz's legacy remains intact. The core of this year's team returns and after their last game, should again find the motivation to prove doubters wrong.
Next summer is going to drag on forever!
Follow me on Twitter @ToryBrecht and follow the 12 Saturdays podcast @12Saturdays
There's really not much more to say about Iowa's dispiriting and disappointing Pasadena performance on New Year's Day. After fighting and scrapping to the best regular season record in school history, the Hawkeyes had zero answers for anything the fast and fierce Stanford Cardinal could throw at them in the Rose Bowl and succumbed with barely a whimper.
I don't know if anyone other than the biggest Pac 12 homer saw that thrashing coming. After watching Nebraska ambush UCLA and Wisconsin handle U.S.C. earlier in the bowl season, I was confident that Iowa would be in this biggest of big games until the final whistle.
Iowa players and coaches seemed as shocked as anyone in their post-game comments. When asked over and over what happened, no one could muster much more than "we were outplayed." That was evident from the very first play of the game, but the why may remain a mystery. I can't believe that this team - that gave every ounce of effort and stayed focused all season long - was distracted or in any way overlooked Stanford. If I had to guess, I'd say they just weren't ready for the magnitude of the setting.
USA TODAY SPORTS
The loss in the Rose doesn't take away from what Beathard and Iowa accomplished this season.
Speaking of the setting, attending my first Rose Bowl in person was definitely a bucket list item. There is really something special and a little surreal seeing that iconic venue appear as you wind down the valley in the warm California sunshine.
The Iowa football team may have lost the game on the field, but the Hawkeye fans won the tailgating in a blowout even bigger than game itself. Walking through the lots before the game, I wasn't sure there would be any Stanford fans inside the stadium. The festive atmosphere even survived the most ridiculous security screening I've ever witnessed. We left our tailgate a full hour before game time and still just barely made it to our seats in time for the kickoff.
As Stanford proceeded to blow Iowa's doors off, I have to admit to feeling a bit incensed.
Logically, I know Iowa football owes me - or any other fan for that matter - nothing more than their best effort. But I confess to swallowing some bitterness watching an utter display of ineptitude after spending thousands of dollars and uncounted emotional energy gearing up for an epic Rose Bowl battle that turned out to be a massacre.
But then a series of memories from this past season flooded in. The amazing scramble by CJ Beathard in Ames. Marshall Koehn drilling a 57-yard field goal as night fell to stun Pitt. The goal-line-stand and fumble recovery to beat the Badgers. Akrum Wadley exploding on Northwestern filling in for his injured comrade. C.J. leaping into the end zone in Bloomington at risk to life and limb. The tip and pick against Tommy Armstrong to help subdue the Cornhuskers. The valiant-but-futile fight to the end in Indy.
One game - no matter how ugly - can't spoil a special season. There is much to celebrate about the 2015 Iowa Hawkeyes, despite their final flameout.
The program is back on solid ground and Coach Kirk Ferentz's legacy remains intact. The core of this year's team returns and after their last game, should again find the motivation to prove doubters wrong.
Next summer is going to drag on forever!
Follow me on Twitter @ToryBrecht and follow the 12 Saturdays podcast @12Saturdays
