Week One: Maine
The Hawkeyes win easily over an FCS cupcake.
Week Two: Florida International
Another easy win against the team best known for brawling with Miami.
Week Three: Iowa State
The Hawkeyes overcome two interceptions and a 5-14 performance by Ricky Stanzi to defeat their in-state rival 17-5 in what must have been a supremely ugly game. Incredibly, Iowa State gained 325 yards in this game but did not manage to score more than five points, perhaps lending credence to our Iowa friends' claims that you can move the ball against the Hawkeyes but will have trouble once you get into the red zone. The Cyclones spent plenty of time inside the 20 in this game but were unable to score a TD and missed three FGs.
Week Four: at Pitt
After receiving a pep talk from successful Panthers hoops coach Jamie Dixon, Wannie and his crew upend the Hawkeyes by a point. This time Iowa is the team that has red zone woes; the Hawkeyes out-gained Pitt by over a hundred yards but had to settle for a couple of FGs when a TD on one of those two drives would have won the game for them.
Week Five: Northwestern
Iowa loses another close game. Despite gaining over 400 yards, the Hawkeyes turned the ball over five times, four on lost fumbles. Iowa had a chance to win the game late, but after moving the ball to the NW eight yard line, Ricky Stanzi threw four straight incompletions to turn the ball over on downs.
This appears to be Iowa's version of our Vandy game.
Week Six: at Michigan State
Turnovers again kill the Hawkeyes chances as they fall to MSU 13-16. After winning their first three, the Hawkeyes are now 3-3.
Week Seven: at Indiana
Iowa pounds one of the Big 10's worst teams by a score of 45-9. Not only does Shonn Greene run for over 100, but the Hawkeyes' backup Jewel Hampton does as well. Indiana must have some kind of run defense.
Week Eight: Wisconsin
Despite giving up over 400 yards, Iowa again keeps their opponent from putting up too many points as they pound Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes' appear to have the epitome of a bend-don't-break defense.
Whatever happened to Wisconsin, by the way? The Badgers went from being a national title contender to going 7-5 and almost losing to Cal-Poly.
Week Ten: at Illinois
Juice Williams singlehandedly beats the Hawkeyes. Well, he appears to have gotten some help from his defense, but Williams accounted for the large majority of the Illini's offense. Iowa drops to 5-4.
Week Eleven: Penn State
The Hawkeyes take down the Big 10 champs at home. This was the biggest moment of Iowa's season and one of the most important games of the year, as the Iowa win kept Penn State out of the national title game. Florida and Oklahoma thank you, Hawkeyes. The Iowa defense was the story of the day. They held the Nittany Lions, possessors of one of the country's more prolific offenses, to less than 300 yards.
Week Twelve: Purdue
The Hawkeyes edge the Boilermakers on the legs of Shonn Greene, who rushed for over 200.
Week Thirteen: at Minnesota
Iowa pounds Bucky Beaver on his home turf. The Hawkeyes end the season on a high note with an 8-4 record.