VOTE: The Biggest Iowa FB Plays in Last 50 Years

What's the biggest Iowa Football Play?

  • Rob Houghtlin's field goal; #1 Iowa beats #2 Michigan

    Votes: 67 37.2%

  • Tate to Holloway; Hawks Win Cap One

    Votes: 50 27.8%

  • Stanzi to McNutt; Culminating 'The Drive'

    Votes: 54 30.0%

  • Hartlieb to Cook, at OSU in 1987

    Votes: 9 5.0%
  • Total voters
    180
i have to say the field goal cause that was 1 vs 2 and iowa went to the rose bowl that year. now ask me that question at the end of the year if iowa goes undefeated and i will change my answer cause of what it meant for the season.
 
I would vote those in the exact same order as the percentages here. You have to keep the Houghtlin kick #1 for now since that was #1 beating #2 and it put Iowa on the map. However...IF this season keeps it's magic and we look back at that play as the turning point?...then it will become #1.

Lots of football left...
 
Tate to Holloway is #1, for now. It was completely unexpected and out of nowhere, plus it was in a bowl game against defending National Champion LSU. Houghlin's kick was clutch, but only a chip shot FG, so there wasn't much drama with the actual kick. Same with the MSU pass - great under pressure of course, but only a 7 yd strike, which is obviously much more makeable than the 50 plus yard connection as time expires. I agree with other prior posts relative to McNutt's TD - we really need to wait for this season to play out to better judge the historical significance of this play.

For those interested in an entire book on the greatest plays in Iowa football, you should be sure to check out "The 50 Greatest Plays in Iowa Hawkeyes Football History" by yours truely. The book was published at the beginning of the 2008 season and has Tate to Holloway No. 1, Houghlin's kick #2, Cook's catch #3. Hopefully, I can convince the publisher to do an update soon! GO HAWKS!!!
 
It was a big play, but I don't even think it was the biggest of the year. Clayborn's blocked punt changed the momentum of the PSU game and won it for us. The blocked kicks at the end of the UNI game were equally as big.

In the past two seasons, I'd say that the Sash interception of Clark towards the end of the PSU game was way bigger because that is the play that set the current win streak in motion. We had lost to Illinois the week before, but we're still seeing the impact of the momentum shift that happened to the team after that Sash pick. After that pick, our team realized it had the ability to go out and play with anyone in the country.
 
okeefe4prez said:
It was a big play, but I don't even think it was the biggest of the year. Clayborn's blocked punt changed the momentum of the PSU game and won it for us. The blocked kicks at the end of the UNI game were equally as big.

In the past two seasons, I'd say that the Sash interception of Clark towards the end of the PSU game was way bigger because that is the play that set the current win streak in motion. We had lost to Illinois the week before, but we're still seeing the impact of the momentum shift that happened to the team after that Sash pick. After that pick, our team realized it had the ability to go out and play with anyone in the country.
Click to expand...
While I agree that the Clayborn block was big as well as the Stash interception, the Stanzi to McNutt pass and the 2 block FGs against UNI are bigger because we know if those plays were not made, we lose (no question). The other plays changed momentum, but other plays were made later to make those plays pay off. That's why I thought the play on Saturday was big because if it is incomplete, we lose and we are not 8-0 for the 1st time in school history. I did not include style points in my assessment, just importance.
 
Was born about a month after the kick, so I'll scratch that. I'm going with cap 1 bowl for now. If this season turns out to be something HUGE, then we can go back to stanzi to mcnutt as probably the biggest play. But knowing us, for this season to be something special, it's going to take something crazy like this as well.
 
dhow said:
Was born about a month after the kick, so I'll scratch that. I'm going with cap 1 bowl for now. If this season turns out to be something HUGE, then we can go back to stanzi to mcnutt as probably the biggest play. But knowing us, for this season to be something special, it's going to take something crazy like this as well.
Click to expand...

You're right that the CapOne play was huge - 3 top ten seasons in a row gave Kirk something to sell on the recruiting trail. How many kids on this year's team aren't here if we don't make that play?
 
I think right now its Stanzi-McNutt....my rationale is it got us to 8-0 for the 1st time ever and kept alive the hopes for a national championship/Rose Bowl. However if we end up going 10-2 and missing the Rose Bowl it isnt nearly as big

Tate to Holloway was great but what did it accomplish? A Cap One bowl win was nice but does it really matter? Bowl wins and top ten finishes are great but a play that kept us in the hunt for a NC was waaaaay bigger imo. Also, the Cap One play used up all of our good karma and the team went on to suck for 2.5 years. hopefully that doesnt happen with the latest miracle!
 
Stanzi to McNutt for me. This win makes me believe Iowa can beat anyone, at anytime, on any field. If Iowa beats Ohio State AT OSU, this could be the toughest mindset Iowa team ever in my lifetime. The road victories to me are so impressive, especially two tough weeks in a row.
 
bcl20 said:
My answer really has to do with the outcome of the season. Right now at 8-0, I'd pick Stanzi to McNutt, as it's kind of like throwing a winning TD in a playoff game if you think about it. I'd probably pick something else if we end up losing though.
Click to expand...
Agree. Wait until the season is over. If we win the B10 Championship, the Stanzi/McNutt will gain importance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top