Editor’s note: Information garnered from Quad-City Times article by Steve Batterson.
For the first time since 1922, the University of Iowa Hawkeye football team finished the season with a perfect 12 and 0 record of wins. The Hawkeyes traveled to Lincoln, NE, to defeat the Cornhuskers in a close game, 28 to 20, on Friday, November 27, 2015. The Nebraska team was attempting to become bowl game eligible. Instead, the traveling Heroes Game Trophy went to their neighbor, Iowa.
“On a blustery…day, the Hawkeyes didn’t get a chance to reclaim the…trophy until Senior Henry Krieger Coble wrapped his arms around an onside kick, with one minute, 16 seconds left in the game,” wrote Batterson.
Earlier, defensive end Parker Hesse had returned the first interception of his career four yards, for a touchdown midway through the second quarter. This gave Iowa a 14-7 lead it never relinquished.
Ending the half with a slim 14-to-10 lead, Coach Kirk Ferentz and his men “talked at halftime about something it has talked a lot about, since a second-half collapse one year ago this weekend against the Cornhuskers.” They discussed how players needed each other and how they needed to stay focused to finish the job. In addition, Ferentz explained, “We told them earlier this week that this game was no more or less important than our first game against Illinois State. The approach has always been the same. To their credit, they never lost sight of that.”
Ferentz stated, “I really don’t know what to say. I’ve never been around a 12-0 team before. What a special day! What a special achievement! I’m so happy for our players. They earned this one week at a time.”
The record of unbeaten Hawkeye regular-season football games follows:
- 1899–8-0-1
- 1900–8-0-1
- 1921–7-0
- 1922–7-0
- 2015–12-0.
On Saturday, December 5, the Hawkeyes will play at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN, at 7:15 p.m. (Fox television.) The Big Ten Championship game will be a first-time participation for the West Division champions.