Ferentz: 24-28 record in close games

PJHawk

Well-Known Member
Overall not that great but that three year stretch at 11-1 is pretty remarkable:

Ferentz owns a 24-28 record in close games since taking over the Iowa program in 1999.

Seven of the losses came during a two-season period in which the Hawkeyes were 4-19 overall. “Our first 20 games we were working at it but weren’t really there,â€￾ Ferentz said.

A 19-16 win against Texas Tech in the 2001 Alamo Bowl kicked off a three-year period when Iowa went 11-1 in nail biters – ending with a dramatic 30-25 triumph against Louisiana State in the 2005 Capital One Bowl. The Hawkeyes then went 1-8 from Oct. 22, 2005 to Sept. 22, 2007.

Hawkeyes experience elation, heartbreak in close games | Hawk Central
 


I'd rather that record be north of .500 but I'll add these stats. By my math KF is 86-57 as Iowa's HC.

So 28% of his wins are close wins and 49% of his losses are close losses.
 


I am just curious when talking about close games. The Michigan game this year is not considered close (because we won by 10) but it was in doubt late (until the Meyer FG with 2:53 left). Also, the Orange Bowl was close (until the BW TD with 1:56 left gave Iowa a 10 point lead), but is not considered close by the criteria of a TD or less. I consider both of those games close with how the game was actually played, but not with the criteria of 7 points or less. I just thought that was interesting.
 


I am just curious when talking about close games. The Michigan game this year is not considered close (because we won by 10) but it was in doubt late (until the Meyer FG with 2:53 left). Also, the Orange Bowl was close (until the BW TD with 1:56 left gave Iowa a 10 point lead), but is not considered close by the criteria of a TD or less. I consider both of those games close with how the game was actually played, but not with the criteria of 7 points or less. I just thought that was interesting.

This is a point I tried to make on another thread. Ultimately, I find this stat pretty meaningless. If Iowa had a habit of giving away leads, ok, that's a problem. If we'd never shown the ability to come from behind and win, ok, that's a problem. I don't see either being a concern. At the end of the day, we'll evaluate the season by how many games we win and lose, whether it's by a single point or by 30+.
 


The big thing not mentioned in that stat is that many of those games had no business being close games, either way.
 


The big thing not mentioned in that stat is that many of those games had no business being close games, either way.
Maybe. Maybe not.

More likely you're thinking about 10-14 point wins that could/should have been 24-28 point wins not 3-7 point wins that could/should have been 24- 28 point wins.
 


Too lazy to look it up, but wasn't KF record really bad in games when trailing going into the 4th quarter. At one point I remember it was like 3-40 something......that was around 2007 right before this 2 year run.


I remember people making a big deal of it then....Not an indictment on KF just throwing it out there.
 




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