Your Top 10 Games in the Kirk Ferentz Era

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

To celebrate Kirk's 200th career victory at Iowa, let's list what are your top 10 games (or merely just top 10 favorite games) from the Kirk Ferentz Era from 1999 to as of 2024:

My picks-

10. 2002 Iowa at Minnesota (dominant win clinches Iowa's first B10 title since 1990)

9. 2016 Michigan at Iowa (Amidst a string of mediocrity from 2016 to 2019, there were a few bright spots. One such was Iowa's out of nowhere classic upset over Michigan featuring a walk-off FG)

8. 2004 Outback Bowl- Iowa vs Florida (In hindsight, Ron Zook was not a good HC, but at the time, this was an eye-opening win for Iowa and its first NYD Bowl win since 1959)

7. 2021 Penn State at Iowa (In the moment, at least, there may have never been a greater moment or feeling from Hawkeye Nation in the program's history, and Kinnick Stadium may have never looked or sounded better than it did on that night)

6. 2009 Iowa at Michigan State (Stanzi to McNutt. TOUCHDOWN)

5. 2008 Penn State at Iowa (the win that signified Kirk 2.0 had arrived. Iowa turns a corner after 3 seasons of struggling from '05-'07 and stuns PSU for the biggest upset win in the Ferentz era.

4. 2017 Ohio State at Iowa (55-24 will be etched in the minds of everyone who got to bear witness on that day.....)

3. 2005 Capitol One Bowl- Iowa vs LSU (Thrilling ending which can be argued was the greatest finish in Iowa football history. Victory came over a Top 15 LSU team in the former Citrus Bowl at a time when it still carried some prestige)

2. 2010 Orange Bowl- Iowa vs Georgia Tech (Classic Iowa "blowout" earning a 10 pt win over the ACC champs for Kirk's biggest bowl victory to date)

1. 2004 Wisconsin at Iowa (Iowa swarms the Badgers and storms the field as the Hawks win a de facto B10 CCG for their second title in 3 years)

 

[Hawkeye Marching Band]

To celebrate Kirk's 200th career victory at Iowa, let's list what are your top 10 games (or merely just top 10 favorite games) from the Kirk Ferentz Era from 1999 to as of 2024:

10. 2002 Iowa at Minnesota (dominant win clinches Iowa's first B10 title since 1990)

9. 2016 Michigan at Iowa (Amidst a string of mediocrity from 2016 to 2019, there were a few bright spots. One such was Iowa's out of nowhere classic upset over Michigan featuring a walk-off FG)

8. 2004 Outback Bowl- Iowa vs Florida (In hindsight, Ron Zook was not a good HC, but at the time, this was an eye-opening win for Iowa and its first NYD Bowl win since 1959)

7. 2021 Penn State at Iowa (In the moment, at least, there may have never been a greater moment or feeling from Hawkeye Nation in the program's history, and Kinnick Stadium may have never looked or sounded better than it did on that night)

6. 2009 Iowa at Michigan State (Stanzi to McNutt. TOUCHDOWN)

5. 2008 Penn State at Iowa (the win that signified Kirk 2.0 had arrived. Iowa turns a corner after 3 seasons of struggling from '05-'07 and stuns PSU for the biggest upset win in the Ferentz era.

4. 2017 Ohio State at Iowa (55-24 will be etched in the minds of everyone who got to bear witness on that day.....)

3. 2005 Capitol One Bowl- Iowa vs LSU (Thrilling ending which can be argued was the greatest finish in Iowa football history. Victory came over a Top 15 LSU team in the former Citrus Bowl at a time when it still carried some prestige)

2. 2010 Orange Bowl- Iowa vs Georgia Tech (Classic Iowa "blowout" earning a 10 pt win over the ACC champs for Kirk's biggest bowl victory to date)

1. 2004 Wisconsin at Iowa (Iowa swarms the Badgers and storms the field as the Hawks win a de facto B10 CCG for their second title in 3 years)

Those are all great games. Three others worthy of consideration:

• 2000 against #12 Northwestern in the Hawks first major win under KF
• 2002 at Michigan
• 2001 Alamo Bowl - “The Hawks are back!”

 

[JerseyCityHawki]

To celebrate Kirk's 200th career victory at Iowa, let's list what are your top 10 games (or merely just top 10 favorite games) from the Kirk Ferentz Era from 1999 to as of 2024:

10. 2002 Iowa at Minnesota (dominant win clinches Iowa's first B10 title since 1990)

9. 2016 Michigan at Iowa (Amidst a string of mediocrity from 2016 to 2019, there were a few bright spots. One such was Iowa's out of nowhere classic upset over Michigan featuring a walk-off FG)

8. 2004 Outback Bowl- Iowa vs Florida (In hindsight, Ron Zook was not a good HC, but at the time, this was an eye-opening win for Iowa and its first NYD Bowl win since 1959)

7. 2021 Penn State at Iowa (In the moment, at least, there may have never been a greater moment or feeling from Hawkeye Nation in the program's history, and Kinnick Stadium may have never looked or sounded better than it did on that night)

6. 2009 Iowa at Michigan State (Stanzi to McNutt. TOUCHDOWN)

5. 2008 Penn State at Iowa (the win that signified Kirk 2.0 had arrived. Iowa turns a corner after 3 seasons of struggling from '05-'07 and stuns PSU for the biggest upset win in the Ferentz era.

4. 2017 Ohio State at Iowa (55-24 will be etched in the minds of everyone who got to bear witness on that day.....)

3. 2005 Capitol One Bowl- Iowa vs LSU (Thrilling ending which can be argued was the greatest finish in Iowa football history. Victory came over a Top 15 LSU team in the former Citrus Bowl at a time when it still carried some prestige)

2. 2010 Orange Bowl- Iowa vs Georgia Tech (Classic Iowa "blowout" earning a 10 pt win over the ACC champs for Kirk's biggest bowl victory to date)

1. 2004 Wisconsin at Iowa (Iowa swarms the Badgers and storms the field as the Hawks win a de facto B10 CCG for their second title in 3 years)

Number 10… as that was the longest period of time without the BT crown 👑… speaking of that I am hoping for a crown before I kick the bucket

 

[Hawk-A-Doodle-Doo]

Obvious answer is obvious......THE quintessential game of the Kirk Ferentz era.

6-4

 

[jhawk23]

2009 at Penn State needs to be on the list. Unranked Iowa goes to Happy Valley and knocks off a top 5 PSU team at night on ABC in the rain after an Adrian Clayborn blocked punt and scoop and score in the 4th quarter. Setting up one of Ferentz’s most memorable seasons.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

To celebrate Kirk's 200th career victory at Iowa, let's list what are your top 10 games (or merely just top 10 favorite games) from the Kirk Ferentz Era from 1999 to as of 2024:

10. 2002 Iowa at Minnesota (dominant win clinches Iowa's first B10 title since 1990)

9. 2016 Michigan at Iowa (Amidst a string of mediocrity from 2016 to 2019, there were a few bright spots. One such was Iowa's out of nowhere classic upset over Michigan featuring a walk-off FG)

8. 2004 Outback Bowl- Iowa vs Florida (In hindsight, Ron Zook was not a good HC, but at the time, this was an eye-opening win for Iowa and its first NYD Bowl win since 1959)

7. 2021 Penn State at Iowa (In the moment, at least, there may have never been a greater moment or feeling from Hawkeye Nation in the program's history, and Kinnick Stadium may have never looked or sounded better than it did on that night)

6. 2009 Iowa at Michigan State (Stanzi to McNutt. TOUCHDOWN)

5. 2008 Penn State at Iowa (the win that signified Kirk 2.0 had arrived. Iowa turns a corner after 3 seasons of struggling from '05-'07 and stuns PSU for the biggest upset win in the Ferentz era.

4. 2017 Ohio State at Iowa (55-24 will be etched in the minds of everyone who got to bear witness on that day.....)

3. 2005 Capitol One Bowl- Iowa vs LSU (Thrilling ending which can be argued was the greatest finish in Iowa football history. Victory came over a Top 15 LSU team in the former Citrus Bowl at a time when it still carried some prestige)

2. 2010 Orange Bowl- Iowa vs Georgia Tech (Classic Iowa "blowout" earning a 10 pt win over the ACC champs for Kirk's biggest bowl victory to date)

1. 2004 Wisconsin at Iowa (Iowa swarms the Badgers and storms the field as the Hawks win a de facto B10 CCG for their second title in 3 years)

I like this list. I might have flipped a couple, but it's a solid Top 10,

 

[eyesofhawk]

I can think of about 200

 

[hawkfan2024]

Friday, November 24, 2023 - Iowa beating Nebraska in Lincoln, with Meeder's last second field goal.
Any game from the undefeated season a few years ago

 

[ButtersHawk]

One of my favorite but less impressive wins is the year we beat Nebraska and Pelini hit the ref with his hat

 

[gojojo]

2003 Michigan was a great one. Not many expected us to have a shot vs that stacked team. Kinnick was as loud as I've ever heard it prior to the reconstructed north endzone.

2002 Purdue. Great comeback after a lackluster 55 minutes of football.

 

[Hawky42]

1. Michigan 2002. We blew out a um team that gave ohio state Nat.Ch team trouble
2. Lsu 04-2005 cap one bowl.
3. Ohio St 2017. Some people claimed osu should've been in cfp despite this loss.
4. Michigan 2016. Another top 5 team
5. Penn state 2008, even they couldn't stop Shonn Greene and it salvaged a tough luck season.
6. Michigan St 2009. Though msu was not great it was a dramatic last play win.
7. 03-2004 outback bowl. Humbling Florida to the point they rig the rematch 2 years later
8. 2002 purdue.
9. 2019 Minnesota. I was at that game and over a thousand gopher fans were there all cocky and top ten and we win. Priceless
10. 2019 holiday bowl vs usc. Seems like 9 years ago because of the pandemic.

Honorable mentions. Ohio St and Penn St in 2004 , every time at jack trice since 2011, 2023 Minnesota and 2009 indiana never will forget Tyler Sash rip

 

[TampaHawkfan]

2004 Wisconsin to take a share of the Big 10 title in the final regular season game is another good one I haven't seen mentioned yet.

Michigan 2002 is maybe my favorite. That was the game that made me realize that team was for real. Blowing out Michigan in the big house - doesn't get better than that. Except for maybe destroying OSU in 2017.

 

[joelbc1]

For me, the biggest Ferentz win was 2002 vs. Purdue..one of the greatest games ever played in Kinnick…huge plays (Dallas Clark and Banks). That win set the tone for the rest if the season.
A few years ago, the Hawks rik-rolled the Buckeyes (Urban Meyer)… and a couple of years ago Iowa beating UMichigan @Kinnick was special, too.
Those are my “Big 3” but I’m old and can’t remember everything!
Favorite bowl game win… beating SoCal in San Diego back in ‘19.

 

[hawkdave007]

2003 Michigan was a great one. Not many expected us to have a shot vs that stacked team. Kinnick was as loud as I've ever heard it prior to the reconstructed north endzone.

This game deserves honorable mention.

Iowa was actually struggling a bit that day (versus a better Michigan team), but the crowd was the difference maker. I often tell people it's probably one of the few times where I saw the Iowa crowd actually will the team to victory.

I watched it from the Airliner. I saw fans storm the field afterwards, and, for a beat, the TV camera perfectly captured one student holding a sign that read F**K MICHIGAN on national television. Everyone at the Liner screamed so loud that my ears plugged.

 

[andrewrayhons]

That 2021 penn state game was crazy. Normally only make one game a year, had been to one in 2021, but told the wife we were making another trip to Iowa to see that game in person. Was insane how loud it was, game was amazing, crowd was intense, and of course storming the field.

 

[uihawk82]

I think the 2004 team beat the snot out of OSU at home and that was key to co-championship plus it is one of a few wins against the hated bucks.

 

[4ohs]

That Indiana game on Halloween.

Start down big. Then Tyler mother****ing Sash takes a ridiculous interception to the house. Second half both McNutt and DJK with long td’s.

End up winning big. Such a crazy game.

 

[Hawkeye Marching Band]

Maybe not Top 10, but the 44-41 OT win in Ames was exciting. Stanley had 5 TD passes in his second career start and true freshman ISM had the game-winning catch.

 

[SA_Hawk]

Honorable mention - 2015 @ Nebraska to go 12-0.

 

[IIowaFarmBoy]

10. Iowa v Purdue 2002
1-9 Iowa 55 OSU 24.

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

2009 at Penn State needs to be on the list. Unranked Iowa goes to Happy Valley and knocks off a top 5 PSU team at night on ABC in the rain after an Adrian Clayborn blocked punt and scoop and score in the 4th quarter. Setting up one of Ferentz’s most memorable seasons.

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Absolutely. That block, scoop, score by Clayborn in the rain with Brent on the call... Gets that game on the list alone.... And then you have all the other moments and even the PAYBACK building up of that game for PSU.

PSU struck 1st with a huge play and everyone thought.... Oh yeah "PSU is getting payback tonight". But the hawks just grinded out that game. If I have to pick a game that best represents what "Ferentz Ball" is, that would be it. Took it on the chin, but stayed the course.

 

[HawkOptimist]

6-4 win at Penn State in 2004.

 

[Dr. Phil Seuss]

To celebrate Kirk's 200th career victory at Iowa, let's list what are your top 10 games (or merely just top 10 favorite games) from the Kirk Ferentz Era from 1999 to as of 2024:

10. 2002 Iowa at Minnesota (dominant win clinches Iowa's first B10 title since 1990)

9. 2016 Michigan at Iowa (Amidst a string of mediocrity from 2016 to 2019, there were a few bright spots. One such was Iowa's out of nowhere classic upset over Michigan featuring a walk-off FG)

8. 2004 Outback Bowl- Iowa vs Florida (In hindsight, Ron Zook was not a good HC, but at the time, this was an eye-opening win for Iowa and its first NYD Bowl win since 1959)

7. 2021 Penn State at Iowa (In the moment, at least, there may have never been a greater moment or feeling from Hawkeye Nation in the program's history, and Kinnick Stadium may have never looked or sounded better than it did on that night)

6. 2009 Iowa at Michigan State (Stanzi to McNutt. TOUCHDOWN)

5. 2008 Penn State at Iowa (the win that signified Kirk 2.0 had arrived. Iowa turns a corner after 3 seasons of struggling from '05-'07 and stuns PSU for the biggest upset win in the Ferentz era.

4. 2017 Ohio State at Iowa (55-24 will be etched in the minds of everyone who got to bear witness on that day.....)

3. 2005 Capitol One Bowl- Iowa vs LSU (Thrilling ending which can be argued was the greatest finish in Iowa football history. Victory came over a Top 15 LSU team in the former Citrus Bowl at a time when it still carried some prestige)

2. 2010 Orange Bowl- Iowa vs Georgia Tech (Classic Iowa "blowout" earning a 10 pt win over the ACC champs for Kirk's biggest bowl victory to date)

1. 2004 Wisconsin at Iowa (Iowa swarms the Badgers and storms the field as the Hawks win a de facto B10 CCG for their second title in 3 years)

2009 Penn State game is definitely top 5.
The signature win of KFs most successful Iowa team. Few plays that could rival the clayborn block, scoop, and score in the KF era. In my opinion, that play was a microcosm of his entire era wrapped into one incredible individual effort.

 

[HawkOptimist]

My favorite was the 2004 win against Wisconsin to win a share of the Big 10 title. True story… I was the first few to storm the field. Found Tate and got a pic with him as he was being mobbed. CSB.

 

[MilleGinja]

Idk where it ranks, but I don’t think I saw it mentioned… 2010 vs Michigan St (who was co big ten champ that year). They came in ranked #5 and we proceeded to beat the snot out of them.

Maybe it’s easy to forget because the regular season ended in misery losing 3 in a row each by 1 score. So zooming out from that game to the whole season, that game didn’t really mean much. But gods was it fun to watch.

 

[coorsoriginal02]

Taking 8 out of the 10 games from the 2002 season when the Hawks were actually fun to watch.

The other games? Probably the bowl win / Holloway catch vs LSU and the 2017 win vs Ohio State.

 

[swihawk]

Beat down of Ohio State by Stanley. Laid half a hundy on them.
Best down of the "5 star guys" of USC by Stanley. Laid 49 on them.
All the Nebby wins, the 56-14, the 40-10, 38-17 over Pelini. And all the heart wrenching close games that broke Debbie's soul.

 

[iahawks10]

My favorite was the 2004 win against Wisconsin to win a share of the Big 10 title. True story… I was the first few to storm the field. Found Tate and got a pic with him as he was being mobbed. CSB.

We had a pretty similar experience. I was row 2 in the SEZ for that game. We stormed the field, because we really didn’t have a choice.

After the game, we went to a tailgate on Melrose with some family from Clinton. Drew’s mom and other family were there. After an hour or so, Tate walks up with his GF wearing a sweatshirt and shorts. I was freezing my ass off. I spoke to him briefly saying good game and such. He signed my Iowa hat. It sounded like he’d go over there after every home game, so everyone pretty much just let him be.

The game itself would probably be my #2B. #2A Capital One Bowl 2005. (Crazy back to back games). #1 Minnesota 2002. But there have been so many, it’s hard to rank.

 

[iahawks10]

Idk where it ranks, but I don’t think I saw it mentioned… 2010 vs Michigan St (who was co big ten champ that year). They came in ranked #5 and we proceeded to beat the snot out of them.

Maybe it’s easy to forget because the regular season ended in misery losing 3 in a row each by 1 score. So zooming out from that game to the whole season, that game didn’t really mean much. But gods was it fun to watch.

That’s a good one. Sash picks off Cousins and pitches it back to Hyde for TD return.

2010 Iowa ended up beating Gabbert’s Mizzou team in the Insight Bowl after Hyde has another pick six. 2010 was a good team but a little bit of a let down after 2009 and what they had returning.

 

[joelbc1]

6-4 win at Penn State in 2004.

The “slobberknocker” game according to Iowa’s defensive ci-ordination that day.