1990 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

Schedule

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Rankings

Game summaries

Cincinnati

Iowa City, IA

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Kicking off the start of the 1990 Iowa Hawkeye season, the Hawks welcomed in the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Bearcats finished out the '89 season at 1–9–1 as the Hawks finished out at 5–6. In a game that ended up in a blowout, the Hawks cruised to a 63–10 win. Iowa managed to set records as well as they pummeled the Cincinnati defense. After Cincinnati built a 7–0 lead after an interception and a 1-yard touchdown run from Joe Abrams, the Hawks took command for the afternoon. After a scoreless first quarter, quarterback Matt Rodgers led the Hawks to 28 unanswered points, following two touchdowns from Rodgers, and one each from running backs Nick Bell and Tony Stewart. Cincinnati scored its last points of the game with a late field goal and ended the half with Iowa up 28–10. After halftime, Iowa went on cruise control. Iowa went on to score 21 points in the 3rd and 14 in the 4th to win the contest 63–10. Rodgers ended the game going 15–27 on passes with 191 yards. Hawkeye offense racked up 662 yards with 455 yards rushing. The defense was excellent as well. The Bearcats were allowed only 4 first downs and 69 yards rushing.

Iowa State

Battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy Iowa City, IA

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

The Hawkeyes won a high-scoring affair with in-state rival Iowa State, their eighth in a series of fifteen straight wins in the rivalry.

At Miami (FL)

Miami, FL

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

After pulling to within 24–21 midway through the third quarter, Iowa fell to the mighty Miami Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl, 48–21. It was Miami's 33rd consecutive home win. Even in showing some competitiveness at the game in Miami, FL, few Hawk fans could have guessed what was going to follow, especially following the 5–6 debacle of the previous season, which represented the first season Iowa had not gone to a bowl since 1980.

At Michigan State

East Lansing, MI

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

In opening Big Ten play, Iowa started what ended up being their third Rose Bowl run in ten seasons. What set this conference season apart from others was that the Hawkeyes played most of their best football on the road. In weeks 1, 3, and 5, Iowa upset what ended up being the other three teams that tied for the Big 10 championship that season, all at their home venue. First was a wind-blown, defensive struggle at East Lansing, with Iowa holding onto a 12–7 victory. Hayden Fry admitted after the game that every pass he had Matt Rodgers throw was with the wind, which was blowing at a diagonal across Spartan Stadium.

Wisconsin

rivalry Game Iowa City, IA

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

After falling behind 10–3, the Hawkeyes scored the final 27 points of the game to earn a victory over the Badgers in the first meeting between Hayden Fry and former Iowa assistant Barry Alvarez.

At Michigan

Ann Arbor, MI

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

After a win over (what ended up being cellar-dweller) Wisconsin at home, Iowa traveled to the Big House in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines were still smarting after a tight, tough loss the previous week against Michigan State and it was Homecoming week. But Iowa kept it close throughout. Following a botched two-point conversion by the Wolverines after they had taken a 20–10 lead, the Hawkeyes went to work. Following one Hawkeye touchdown countered by a Michigan field goal, the Hawkeyes put together a drive for the ages, never facing a third-down. Tony Stewart grabbed the last of a series of key passes from Matt Rodgers with one hand, giving the Hawkeyes the ball at the Michigan 1-yard line. Paul Kujawa ran it in from there, and with the extra point, the Hawks took the lead by the eventual final score of 24–23. A sack by Moses Santos and an interception by linebacker John Derby sealed the stunner. It was Michigan's first loss on Homecoming since the 1967 season.

Northwestern

Iowa City, IA

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Nick Bell rushed 16 times for 136 yards and 3 touchdowns. Tony Stewart added 122 yards on 15 carries as the Hawkeyes rushed for 371 yards.

At Illinois

Champaign, IL

• Sources: [ Box score]

The Hawks key road triumphs weren't finished as they traveled to Champaign, Illinois. Against an Illinois team that had the inside track to the Rose Bowl, Iowa put together one of their best offensive games in the Fry era, especially for a key road game. The Hawkeyes used an early fumble by the Illini to begin an exhibition by RB Nick Bell, the likes of which had rarely been seen in the Big 10 between two undefeated teams (in conference play). Bell literally ran over the Illini, scampering for 130 yards in the 1st quarter alone. The Hawks led by an amazing 28–0 early in the second quarter, and they stretched it to 44–14 by the end of the 3rd quarter, before settling for a 54–28 final. It was most likely from the efforts of that game that Nick Bell was named by the media as the Big 10 player of the year.

Ohio State

Iowa City, IA Box score--

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

The Hawkeye bubble burst in Iowa City with a last-second loss to Ohio State. Buckeye WR Bobby Olive caught the game winning TD, his second scoring reception of the 4th quarter, from QB Greg Frey with 0:01 left on the clock. Ohio State also scored a 48-yard touchdown as the first half expired.

Purdue

Iowa City, IA

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

The Hawkeyes, entering as 26-point favorites, bounced back with what proved to be a Big 10-clinching win at home against Purdue.

At Minnesota

Battle for Floyd of Rosedale Minneapolis, MN

• Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Knowing that they were Rose Bowl-bound before they even took the field, the Hawkeyes dropped their final road game at Minnesota, 31–24. In that game, Tony Stewart became the Hawkeyes all-time leading rusher (at least at that time), though he lost a key fumble on that play.

Rose Bowl

Pasadena, CA

• Sources: [Box score]

Main article: 1991 Rose Bowl

The Rose Bowl placed an over-matched Iowa against one of the best teams in the country that season, the Washington Huskies, led by head coach Don James. The Hawkeyes trailed badly at the half and trailed 39–14 after three quarters. With Washington reserves taking over in the fourth quarter, Iowa scored two touchdowns to draw within thirteen. With another Washington touchdown the margin was back to twenty, and Iowa's late last score and conversion brought them to within a dozen where the game ended, 46–34. It was Hayden Fry's last trip to Pasadena, and he ended up 0–3 in those games.

Roster

• Carl Jackson – Offensive Coordinator
• Bill Brashier – Defensive Coordinator
• Don Patterson – Quarterbacks/Wide receivers
• Bernie Wyatt – Recruiting Coordinator
• Bill Dervich – Strength and Conditioning
• Milan Vooletich – Defensive ends

Postseason awards

• Hayden Fry – Big Ten Coach of the Year
• Nick Bell and Matt Rodgers – co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (coaches)
• Merton Hanks – All-American Defensive Back (Newspaper Enterprise Association)

Team players in the 1991 NFL draft

Main article: 1991 NFL draft

Other notable players

• Bret Bielema, nose guard – Head coach at Wisconsin, 2006–2012, Head coach at Arkansas, 2013–2017.

References

References

1. The University of Iowa Athletic Communications. "University of Iowa Football 2011 Media Fact Book: IOWA MVPs". The University of Iowa Athletic Communications.
2. (December 8, 1990). "Iowa football team names 10 co-winners of MVP award". [[United Press International.
3. Wingert, Scott. (September 16, 1990). "Iowa Smashes Records, Kicks Cincinnati, 63-10". The Telegraph Herald.
4. (September 23, 1990). "Big Eight Roundup". Daily Union.
5. (September 23, 1990). "Record crowd sees Iowa overcome Iowa State". The Forum.
6. Hinshaw, Lydia. (September 30, 1990). "'Canes Clip Hawkeyes, Await Battle With Seminoles". Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal.
7. (September 30, 1990). "McGuire powers UM past Hawkeyes 48–21". News-Press.
8. (October 7, 1990). "Iowa 12, Michigan St. 7". Ocala Star-Banner.
9. (October 7, 1990). "Hawkeyes hang on against Spartans". The Times Herald.
10. (October 14, 1990). "Iowa 30, Wisconsin 20". Ocala Star-Banner.
11. (October 14, 1990). "Iowa surge flattens Badgers". Wisconsin State Journal.
12. (October 21, 1990). "Iowa knocks off Michigan, 24–23". Lansing State Journal.
13. (October 28, 1990). "Iowa 56, Northwestern 14". Gadsden Times.
14. (October 28, 1990). "Bell, Stewart run wild as Iowa routs Wildcats". Omaha World-Herald.
15. (November 4, 1990). "No. 13 Iowa, No. 5 Illinois". Kingman Daily Miner.
16. (November 4, 1990). "Iowa outfoxes Illinois". Herald & Review.
17. Sherman, Ed. (November 11, 1990). "Ohio State Stuns Iowa, Stays Alive". Chicago Tribune.
18. (November 11, 1990). "Buckeyes stop Iowa – again". The Waterloo Courier.
19. (November 18, 1990). "Iowa 38, Purdue 9". Gainesville Sun.
20. (November 18, 1990). "Rodgers blasts Purdue". The Republic.
21. (November 25, 1990). "It's Like a Road Game at Home". Star Tribune.
22. (November 25, 1990). "Gophers surprise Hawkeyes, 31–24". The Albert Lea Tribune.
23. Cunningham, Dave. (January 2, 1991). "Fry Proves Prophetic In Loss To Washington". Orlando Sentinel.
24. (January 2, 1991). "Huskies win, but can't go the rout". The Los Angeles Times.
25. "1990 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC.
26. (September 16, 1990). "Iowa 63, Cincinnati 10". [[Chicago Tribune]].
27. (September 23, 1990). "In Battle of Iowas, Hawkeyes Extend Win Streak, 45-35". [[Los Angeles Times]].
28. (September 30, 1990). "Hawks go down gamely: 10th rated Miami tops Iowa, 48-21". [[The Gazette (Cedar Rapids).
29. (October 7, 1990). "Iowa defense, Foster stonewall Michigan St.". [[Chicago Tribune]].
30. (October 14, 1990). "Iowa punishes Wisconsin with all-day running game". [[Chicago Tribune]].
31. (October 21, 1990). "Iowa makes it 2 for 2 in Michigan". [[Chicago Tribune]].
32. (October 28, 1990). "Tuneup For Showdown: Iowa Routs NU". [[Chicago Tribune]].
33. (November 4, 1990). "College Football; Scent of Roses for Hawkeyes". [[The New York Times]].
34. (November 11, 1990). "Ohio State Stuns Iowa, Stays Alive". [[Chicago Tribune]].
35. (November 18, 1990). "No Room to Run, So Iowa Passes Purdue". [[Los Angeles Times]].
36. (November 25, 1990). "Iowa Finds Rose Amid Thorns: Big Ten: Hawkeyes lose to Minnesota but gain the bowl berth out of four-way tie for conference title.". [[Los Angeles Times]].
37. (January 2, 1991). "Washington Outlasts Fast-Finishing Iowa". The New York Times.
38. "1991 NFL draft".