Iowa Football Almost Classic

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Niemo

Well-Known Member
I certainly enjoy the replayed classics on the BTN but it seems like forever to get new games added.

Well how about this...what games do you remember as great games but Iowa lost?

Would you still want to watch?

For example, remember Chuck Hartleib at Purdue? Had a monster game but we came up short. I'd watch that game again.

How about you? What games come to mind?
 
The 1986 and was it the '91 Rose Bowls would be fun to watch. They were pretty exciting games with the hawks making mistakes and getting down but they kept coming back. Besides Harmon's 4 lost fumbles Larry Station was playing hurt and UCLA used a great cutback run attack to take advantage.

IIRC the hawks had a late first half punt blocked against Wash. in Fry's last rose bowl which gave UW a big enough lead to carry them against a high scoring hawk attack the rest of the game. Fry might have tried about 3 onside kicks in the second half trying to trade opponent fgs or punts for hawks TDs. I think the hawks lost by 8 or 10.
 
That 1991 Rose Bowl was one of times in which I felt Iowa was truly outmatched. Washington's speed overwhelmed them. It only ended up being a 12 point margin but Iowa was down 39-14 in the 4th quarter when Washington called off the dogs.

I think you could have every game from the 1988 season on the almost classic list. Iowa lost 3 games that were very close and tied 3 others. On of the weirdest seasons for any Iowa sport ever.

Another game would be the 1987 B1G opener against Michigan St. Iowa lost a tough game 19-14. They never trailed until the 4th quarter. The loss ultimately cost Iowa the B1G championship.

That game also marked the beginning of the Hartlieb era as McGwire got hurt in the 2nd half and Chuck took over and pretty much didn't look back.
 
I would not enjoy watching ANY game which Iowa loses. It’s a thousand times worse when they play well and still lose a close one.
Hartlieb would throw for 500 yards and lose. A lot. The Philip Rivers of college football.
 
Niemo said:
I certainly enjoy the replayed classics on the BTN but it seems like forever to get new games added.

Well how about this...what games do you remember as great games but Iowa lost?

Would you still want to watch?

For example, remember Chuck Hartleib at Purdue? Had a monster game but we came up short. I'd watch that game again.

How about you? What games come to mind?
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I think the Hartlieb game was at at Indiana. Marv Cook, Deven Harberts and Nick Bell had huge receiving numbers and Mike Saunders also threw a halfback option pass for a two point conversion. As was frequently the case in the late eighties, special teams let Iowa down. A successful Indiana fake field goal reversed the momentum after it looked like Iowa would mount a huge comeback.
 
Two games come to mind I'd like to re-watch again (I saw both in person):

#1--Sept 8th 1979 vs Indiana. Fry's first game. Iowa stormed out to a big half-time lead. Fans are in disbelief. Indiana comes back and wins at the end. Fans are in disbelief.

#2--Sept 17th 1988 vs Colorado. Dreadfully hot day. Buffs were loaded. I remember Iowa playing well but Colorado played better in Kinnick. DiNardo was Buff's offensive coordinator.
 
Seth53 said:
Two games come to mind I'd like to re-watch again (I saw both in person):

#1--Sept 8th 1979 vs Indiana. Fry's first game. Iowa stormed out to a big half-time lead. Fans are in disbelief. Indiana comes back and wins at the end. Fans are in disbelief.

#2--Sept 17th 1988 vs Colorado. Dreadfully hot day. Buffs were loaded. I remember Iowa playing well but Colorado played better in Kinnick. DiNardo was Buff's offensive coordinator.
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Eric Bienemy, now the Kansas City Chiefs OC, had a huge game, and sort of did it in classic Eric Ball style. He came of the bench after JJ Flannigan hurt his ankle.

Merton Hanks blocked a punt near the goal line and scored a TD on the play, right in front of where I was sitting.

It was brutally hot that day, and in 1988 Kinnick still had the turf. It was the warmest game I ever attended.

Matchup I would have loved to see in the late eighties-Colorado’ vs the U. Inner city South Florida kids vs a mix of South Central LA, Houston and New Orleans. A lot of future NFL players on those teams. Who played with attitude (for that time era).
 
RobHowe said:
'02 at Michigan. Does BTN play that one?

I never thought I'd see an Iowa team thoroughly dominate the Wolverines like that.
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It’s on occasionally. Like 1990 I think we left points on the field at the end of the half. Holly Rowe was trying to interview Kirk coming off the field and he was steamed.

As he often did, Bob Sanders set the tone for the rout by separating the punt returner from the ball, which Scott Boleyn recovered, early in the second half. Bob and Shonn Greene may be the two most influential players, arguably, the The Kirk era.
 
Fred Russell told me that some of the younger guys on offense would fake injuries on live hitting days with Bob lining up in the backend. It eventually got to the point, where they kept Bob from hitting in many practices for his and others' safety.

He is far and away the most influential player of the KF Era, IMO. I believe KF feels that way as well.
 
Seth53 said:
Two games come to mind I'd like to re-watch again (I saw both in person):

#1--Sept 8th 1979 vs Indiana. Fry's first game. Iowa stormed out to a big half-time lead. Fans are in disbelief. Indiana comes back and wins at the end. Fans are in disbelief.

#2--Sept 17th 1988 vs Colorado. Dreadfully hot day. Buffs were loaded. I remember Iowa playing well but Colorado played better in Kinnick. DiNardo was Buff's offensive coordinator.
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That Indiana game was the first game that I saw in Kinnick Stadium. I'll never forget that wheel route that they called with about 2 minutes left to score the go-ahead touchdown. It was a huge letdown but at the same time, you could see what Hayden was building and that part of it was encouraging.
 
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1979
IU, Neb, OU, Purdue.

Was Hartlieb actually the best QB at Iowa ever take away his size?

1988, I hated Fry's prevent defense that prevented a number of victories. Every game went down to the last where Iowa lost or tied.
 
Northside Hawk said:
I think the Hartlieb game was at at Indiana. Marv Cook, Deven Harberts and Nick Bell had huge receiving numbers and Mike Saunders also threw a halfback option pass for a two point conversion. As was frequently the case in the late eighties, special teams let Iowa down. A successful Indiana fake field goal reversed the momentum after it looked like Iowa would mount a huge comeback.
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That's right! Thank you.

Speaking of hot games...anybody go to game against K state in arrowhead?!

Hottest game I've been to in 50 yrs and I live in Florida lol
 
Northside Hawk said:
It’s on occasionally. Like 1990 I think we left points on the field at the end of the half. Holly Rowe was trying to interview Kirk coming off the field and he was steamed.

As he often did, Bob Sanders set the tone for the rout by separating the punt returner from the ball, which Scott Boleyn recovered, early in the second half. Bob and Shonn Greene may be the two most influential players, arguably, the The Kirk era.
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I remember he destroyed a NW wide receiver on the sidelines during the 2000 season. You could hear the thud sound throughout the stadium it was unreal. The Penn St. game was the game changer that year, but that NW game, that moment, just set the tone for Iowa football moving forward. '01 Alamo Bowl, he and Derek Pagel just beat the shit out of the TTech receivers by the end of the end of the game they had alligator arms. That and Keading being money is what won that bowl game.

RobHowe said:
Fred Russell told me that some of the younger guys on offense would fake injuries on live hitting days with Bob lining up in the backend. It eventually got to the point, where they kept Bob from hitting in many practices for his and others' safety.

He is far and away the most influential player of the KF Era, IMO. I believe KF feels that way as well.
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You can't even hit like that anymore. It wasn't illegal, but that type of physicality has been removed from the game. Many will argue probably for the better.
 
trj said:
The game I became a fan I remember listening to it on the radio like it was yesterday.
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Watching a rerun a while back for the first time, I was surprised how much Iowa was the dominant team. Game not as close as the score.
 
Niemo said:
That's right! Thank you.

Speaking of hot games...anybody go to game against K state in arrowhead?!

Hottest game I've been to in 50 yrs and I live in Florida lol
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Yes, my son and I were at that game. You are not understating how hot it was as totally clear skies, blistering sun, and I cant remember about the humidity but I am sure it was high enough. It was terribly hot and a few Sept games at kinnick have been close to that bad with a lot of people fainting and getting heat stroke.

We bought tickets very late and were up by the north endzone scoreboard and got some occasional shade which was great. I remember by the second half if not some of the 2nd quarter looking down at the main stands and watching people just walk out of the sun to the concourse to get some shade which made for a good number of empty seats. I am sure there were some spouses of fans from both teams who were not super huge football or fans who told themselves this aint worth it.

Brutal but we both thought Iowa played well against a highly regarded and ranked team. There were a couple of late game chances for Iowa where K Kasper caught a slant for what could have been a huge gain if not a TD but was just barely ankle tackled by a safety and hawks later punted. And K STate had a real good returner who iirc had a long punt return to seal the win. The hawks played them very close.

I would like to see that game again.
 
RobHowe said:
'02 at Michigan. Does BTN play that one?

I never thought I'd see an Iowa team thoroughly dominate the Wolverines like that.
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I told a co-worker early that morning that Iowa would win 35-10. Closest I've ever been to picking a score!
 
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