Xmas Hawkeye Fun

[ButtersHawk]

Just for fun whats your guys favorite season of Iowa football? Maybe give age for relevance.

For me I am 31 and the most fun season for me is '04 with the Cap One Bowl finish.

What say you guys?🤔

 

[Hans81]

Just for fun whats your guys favorite season of Iowa football? Maybe give age for relevance.

For me I am 31 and the most fun season for me is '04 with the Cap One Bowl finish.

What say you guys?🤔

I’m 60 years old…I enjoyed watching the 11-2 Hawkeye team in 2002. The offense was led by QB Brad Banks senior year, with Dallas Clark at tight end, and a salty defense with linebackers Chad Greenway & Abdul Hodge. I believe Iowa finished ranked #8 that season.

 

[KFsdisciple]

2009... edges out some really fun teams... but blocking 2 kicks to beat UNI, beating Michigan, almost winning at Ohio state, winning a BCS bowl...

 

[jberesford]

I’m 60 years old…I enjoyed watching the 11-2 Hawkeye team in 2002, offense was led by QB Brad Banks senior year, with Dallas Clark at tight end and a salty defense. I believe Iowa finished ranked #8 that season.

Im 41 and I agree. Wasn't the first great season of my life but it was the first good one of my adult life. They were just crushing everyone through the big ten season. Banks was a Heisman finalist, the games were just all around fun to watch, and the season was just flat out exciting. They had a bad draw in USC that made for an ugly ending, but in the hypothetical universe that '02 team to me beats the '09 and '15 teams no problem. Imagine the possibilities if we could have another offensive season like that one.

 

[Hwkfn1]

1985, 1990, 2002.

 

[SI_NYC]

It wasn’t the greatest year, but I really enjoyed the latter half of the 2008 season when the learned who they were. No one was beating that team at that point. You just knew Iowa was going to win. Loved it.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

I’m 60 years old…I enjoyed watching the 11-2 Hawkeye team in 2002. The offense was led by QB Brad Banks senior year, with Dallas Clark at tight end, and a salty defense with linebackers Chad Greenway & Abdul Hodge. I believe Iowa finished ranked #8 that season.

Greenway and Hodge never played on that team. The linebackers were Fred Barr, Grant Steen and Kevin Worthy. Greenway and Hodge led the 2005 team in tackles...

 

[uihawk82]

I am 72 and my mom and dad were big fans so I knew and watched the 1958 team. I didnt know a lot of the intracacies but I remember they had lots of exciting players and plays. That team was Nat Champ caliber.

Then 1985 and the great season leading to a #1 ranking, the great win vs Mich, it got spoiled a bit at the Rose Bowl but still very good.

1990 team was very good, 2002 awesome, 2015 undefeated 12-0 season was amazing and hadnt been done in about 100 years

 

[Hawk_4shur]

1985
2004
2009
2002
2015

So many to choose from!

But, I'd have to say 1981. Not much expected from that team that ended up in the Rose Bowl. It just didn't seem possible after xo many disappointing seasons.

Started of the season with a big W against Nebraska. What? Yes, we "hucked the fuskers" in Kinnick. Amazing! And then a win over UCLA. What again? And another against Michigan! All impossible.

A trip to NW was a highlight. They put the mascot (Willie the Wildcat) in a cage and announced, "We're not going to let Willie out until the Wildcats score!" Very bad idea. You could hear the Hawk fans with a quiet chuckle throughout the crowd. The first quarter was 30-0. Ron Gonder and Mike Riley on WMT "passed in the songbooks" the earliest time ever. Hawks 64-0. Willie still in the cage at the end.

Ended the regular season with a win against Michigan State. The most exciting moment was when the "crowd" learned that Ohio St had beaten Michigan, and Hawks would go to the Rose Bowl win a win that day. No announcement over the loud speakers, no internet of course - fans listening on their portable radios and the news spread through the stadium like a wild fire. I think the refs were marching off a penalty against the Hawks and the fans were going nuts!

Then came the Rose Bowl. Ugh.

Great memories!

 

[cidhawkeye]

Greenway and Hodge never played on that team. The linebackers were Fred Barr, Grant Steen and Kevin Worthy. Greenway and Hodge led the 2005 team in tackles...

Both on the team but young and not yet leaders.

 

[Packer54]

Mine would have to be 1981. I was on campus then and frankly it was stunning how BAD we were before Hayden arrived and even more stunning how fast he made us a contender. It was all so exciting...new uniforms....new offense....etc. It was also great fun as my parents tailgated right next to the stadium so I would bring a few of my buddies to the tailgate. We would bring our own beer but mom made sure she made extra chili for us guys! My dad loved it....he would get pretty tuned up at the tailgate. Winning the last game after the Mich/OSU game fell our way was just a surreal happening. That entire year was just knowing things had turned and there would be many fun years ahead. Little did I know that this would last over 40 years. Pretty amazing.

My first experience going to an Iowa gam as a student was vs Northwestern when Cummings was the coach. I clearly remember the student section cheering for a bird as it hopped to the end zone. We won that day but we are awful. Never imagined where we would end up!

 

[LukaDuka]

My favorite season? Every season we beat the sh$t outta the Fuskers... Huck them read a$$e$. Cannot stand their pompous fans. It's been a pretty good decade!

Nebraska fans:

 

[HawkCapt1912]

I’m 61. My favorite Hawkeye season was my freshmen year at Iowa, 1981. Upsets is UCLA & Nebraska and a Rose Bowl. This coming off years of futility.

 

[HawkeyeGenius]

2015 was pretty good because each week people expected or wanted Iowa to lose. 2002 was good because it was unexpected.

 

[TDJ7]

2001 for me. You could see the tide turning. We just spent 2 years winning 1 total game, then made a bowl in 2001.

 

[Hans81]

Greenway and Hodge never played on that team. The linebackers were Fred Barr, Grant Steen and Kevin Worthy. Greenway and Hodge led the 2005 team in tackles...

Greenway and Hodge played at Iowa from ‘01 to ‘05; however, you’re correct…they prolly didn’t play much as freshman. I believe Fred Russell and Jermelle Lewis were running backs on that 2002 team. 😉

 

[Heathen Raider]

I’m 61. My favorite Hawkeye season was my freshmen year at Iowa, 1981. Upsets is UCLA & Nebraska and a Rose Bowl. This coming off years of futility.

that was My 1st Hawkeye game ( Nebraska 10-7) and even tho I spent 25 Years in Louisiana , 13 in the military away it hooked me on Iowa football , My Dad was a Husker Fan so it really burned His arse I chose the good Guys. So I guess 1981 and that goal line stand it is

 

[Roncuba55]

2003. Kaeding, Gallery and Sanders senior year. Those guys were badasses.

 

[Mike in SUX]

Im 60 and have been attending games since the rose bowl year in 85, had season tickets from 02-20. Obviously the 85 year was amazing and im still sad that it sort of fizzled. Tim Dwight Tavian Banks years were fun because those 2 could score on any play. 02 was a great year. Banks was so fun to watch. Greenway and Hodge years. Stanzi years and the freezing cold orange bowl victory was probably my favorite team. Claybourne, McNutt, Fiedorowicz, Klug, lots of great names. Beathard and the 15 teams run to loose a heartbreaker and get throttled by mccaffrey also hurt. So many great wins in Kinnick over the years, many spent with my son at my side. Great binder between father and son.