The Greatest Upset in Iowa Football History

ChosenChildren

ChosenChildren

Well-Known Member
I would love your opinions on the greatest upsets in Iowa football history. In other words, what victories (or ties) by Iowa over the years were the most surprising, the biggest upset? I can definitely name a few from over the years:

1. 1952: Iowa 8 Ohio State 0 (a winless Iowa team took down mightly Ohio State at home; Evy's first victory of any kind and it was rated the biggest upset of the year in college football!)

2. 1939: Iowa 7 Notre Dame 6 (the game that made Kinnick famous)

3. 1953: Iowa 14 Notre Dame 14 (an unheralded Iowa team tied #1 Notre Dame on their home field and cost them the national championship!)

4. 1981: Iowa 9 #6 Michigan 7 (an Iowa team that had suffered 20 consecutive years of losing seasons knocks off mighty Michigan on their home field!)

5. 2008: Iowa 24 #2 Penn State 23 (this shocker cost Penn State a possible national title)

6. 1981: Iowa 10 #6 Nebraska 7 (this one rocked the football world)

7. 1995: Iowa 38 Washington 18 (Sun Bowl: an unranked Iowa team blew out the Pac-10 co-champs)

8. 2009: Iowa 21 #5 Penn State 10 (this one led to the Orange Bowl)

9. 1990: Iowa 54 #4 Illinois 28 (incredible blowout led to Rose Bowl berth)

I'm sure I'm leaving a bunch out.
 
ChosenChildren said:
I would love your opinions on the greatest upsets in Iowa football history. In other words, what victories (or ties) by Iowa over the years were the most surprising, the biggest upset? I can definitely name a few from over the years:

1. 1952: Iowa 8 Ohio State 0 (a winless Iowa team took down mightly Ohio State at home; Evy's first victory of any kind and it was rated the biggest upset of the year in college football!)

2. 1939: Iowa 7 Notre Dame 6 (the game that made Kinnick famous)

3. 1953: Iowa 14 Notre Dame 14 (an unheralded Iowa team tied #1 Notre Dame on their home field and cost them the national championship!)

4. 1981: Iowa 9 #6 Michigan 7 (an Iowa team that had suffered 20 consecutive years of losing seasons knocks off mighty Michigan on their home field!)

5. 2008: Iowa 24 #2 Penn State 23 (this shocker cost Penn State a possible national title)

6. 1981: Iowa 10 #6 Nebraska 7 (this one rocked the football world)

7. 1995: Iowa 38 Washington 18 (Sun Bowl: an unranked Iowa team blew out the Pac-10 co-champs)

8. 2009: Iowa 21 #5 Penn State 10 (this one led to the Orange Bowl)

9. 1990: Iowa 54 #4 Illinois 28 (incredible blowout led to Rose Bowl berth)

I'm sure I'm leaving a bunch out.
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I'd vote for that Directional Michigan upset that kept Iowa out of a bowl game.
 
I would vote for '81 Nebraska/Iowa game. That game, that season was when I first started following Iowa football. Lot of Nebraska fans lived in the area where I grew up.....Had fellas like Roger Craig, Jaime Williams who were from the area who played for Nebraska. So I might be a little bias, imo.
 
HawkeyeMike23 said:
Yep, I bet the guys on that team will never get over missing out on playing in the classic Motor City Bowl, who wouldn't have wanted a trip to Detroit in December.
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based on the original post you quoted... and my assumption that duffman is a clone....

How was Boise around New Years Eve?
 
DuffMan said:
I'd vote for that Directional Michigan upset that kept Iowa out of a bowl game.
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you beat me to it ... even before I opened the thread, just read the subject line and the first thing that popped into my head was Western Michigan ... #2 would be Tulsa

I don't think Iowa beating ANYONE is much of an upset ... we are a BIG TEN school
 
bwsmoney said:
you beat me to it ... even before I opened the thread, just read the subject line and the first thing that popped into my head was Western Michigan ... #2 would be Tulsa

I don't think Iowa beating ANYONE is much of an upset ... we are a BIG TEN school
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So your saying that Northwestern beating Iowa this year was not an upset because NW is a big ten school?

Or even better, a Purdue team that did not even make a bowl beating the conference champion Ohio State team?? Not an upset?

Just saying...
 
ChosenChildren said:
I would love your opinions on the greatest upsets in Iowa football history. In other words, what victories (or ties) by Iowa over the years were the most surprising, the biggest upset? I can definitely name a few from over the years:

1. 1952: Iowa 8 Ohio State 0 (a winless Iowa team took down mightly Ohio State at home; Evy's first victory of any kind and it was rated the biggest upset of the year in college football!)

2. 1939: Iowa 7 Notre Dame 6 (the game that made Kinnick famous)

3. 1953: Iowa 14 Notre Dame 14 (an unheralded Iowa team tied #1 Notre Dame on their home field and cost them the national championship!)

4. 1981: Iowa 9 #6 Michigan 7 (an Iowa team that had suffered 20 consecutive years of losing seasons knocks off mighty Michigan on their home field!)

5. 2008: Iowa 24 #2 Penn State 23 (this shocker cost Penn State a possible national title)

6. 1981: Iowa 10 #6 Nebraska 7 (this one rocked the football world)

7. 1995: Iowa 38 Washington 18 (Sun Bowl: an unranked Iowa team blew out the Pac-10 co-champs)

8. 2009: Iowa 21 #5 Penn State 10 (this one led to the Orange Bowl)

9. 1990: Iowa 54 #4 Illinois 28 (incredible blowout led to Rose Bowl berth)

I'm sure I'm leaving a bunch out.
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Interesting list but #7 and #8 don't belong on there. Iowa-Washington was a bowl game...so it can't be THAT big an upset. Iowa-Penn St last fall? Penn St was very overrated.

I'm surprised you didn't include a different Iowa-Penn St game considering your screenname. ;-)
 
Hilarious.

Brain cramp again - I'm getting old.

Although it is possible that JoePa was coaching then.

I BELIEVE HE WAS BORN IN 1926 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT - THAT GUY IS OLDER THAN DIRT

JOE PATERNO - PENN STATE'S COACH SINCE 1876
 
As far as biggest victory or upset I would say the 81 Michigan game that is the game that put Iowa on the Big Ten map for football and we have been there ever since.
Go Hawks
 
ChosenChildren said:
Good point -

1974 Iowa 21 UCLA 10

1876 Iowa 7 Penn St 6

those were 2 big upsets

Brain cramp
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Yeah baby, I knew you'd remember that 1976 contest. Iowa was absolutely crappy...and Penn St a powerhouse. Huge upset.

For my money, the 10-7 Iowa win over Nebraska in the 1981 season-opener was huge. It announced to the world the things would never be the same again coming into Iowa City. And it was the launching pad to Iowa's first Rose Bowl in 20 years.

I'll never forget that incredible season...
 
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