Iowa: 2025 Reliaquest Bowl Champions

 

TAMPA — There’s nothing to lose, but something to gain. Open the playbook and see what the 2025 Hawkeyes can scheme up on the national stage.

Iowa: 2022 Music City Bowl Champions

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The University of Iowa football team defeated Kentucky, 21-0, at the TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Redshirt freshman Joe Labas was 14-for-24 for 139 yards and a touchdown in his first career start for the Hawkeyes.

Senior tight end Sam LaPorta had 5 receptions for 56 yards, and sophomore Luke Lachey had 3 catches for 36 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, senior linebacker Jack Campbell had 10 tackles (8 solo) and a sack. Freshman Xavier Nwankpa had 8 tackles (7 solo) and an interception returned for a touchdown. Sophomore Cooper DeJean also had an interception returned for a touchdown.

QUOTING COACH FERENTZ

“Just really happy for our guys. Especially our seniors. What a way to send them off. It’s been a great group, and I can’t thank them enough for all they’ve done.

Each and every one of these guys has really embodied what it means to be a Hawkeye. You talk about the guys that are seniors, the senior captains, or a kid like Tommy Hartlieb, Dallas Craddieth, you know, big tackle on special teams. Just a really special group.

Bowl games are a little bittersweet because of that. You have to say goodbye to those guys, but just couldn’t be more proud.

Then the other aspect obviously a chance for some younger players to step up and do some things. You know, one of the fun things with keep coaching about a goal game, you watch younger guys develop and grow. Saw a lot of that during the course of this past four weeks.

You know, coincidentally Jaz Patterson took it there at the end and had a couple of good runs. He is a young guy who just quietly has been grabbing opportunities and doing a great job.

You talk about Cooper. Obviously, he had a great game. Joe Labas might be as valuable as Cooper just in the fact that he didn’t make any critical mistakes out there, and that’s easier said than done. You know, just proud of the way he handled things and got thrown into it pretty suddenly.

So, you know, just happy about the younger guys’ development. Obviously, we have a big leadership void. I think as much as anything I think this group of seniors, the contributions they’ve made leadership-wise just invaluable. Just happy about everything on that front.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Hawkeyes opened the scoring with 12:08 remaining in the second quarter. Back-to-back completions from Joe Labas to Sam LaPorta and Luke Lachey was all it took for Iowa to find the endzone. The Hawkeyes went 42 yards on the two completions with Lachey scoring on a 15-yard reception.

On the first play of Kentucky’s next drive freshman Xavier Nwankpa recorded his first career interception and took it 52-yards for the Hawkeye score.

With Kentucky backed up on the seven-yard line Cooper DeJean intercepted a pass and returned it 14 yards for Iowa’s second pick six of the game with 1:36 remaining in the first half.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

DB Cooper DeJean was named the TransPerfect Music City Bowl MVP after tallying seven tackles, one TFL, one pass breakup and returning a 14-yard interception for a pick six. He also made numerous plays on special teams.

DeJean’s 14-yard pick six in the second quarter gave Iowa a 21-0 lead. It was his third pick six this season.

The three interception returns for touchdowns sets a single season program record.

The three pick 6s also tie a career school record along with Tom Knight, Desmond King and Riley Moss.

DB Xavier Nwankpa had a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter to give Iowa a 14-0 lead. It is his first career interception and first career touchdown.

Nwankpa also had a career-high eight tackles and one pass breakup.

They were Iowa’s third and fourth career pick six all-time in a bowl game along with Micah Hyde (72 yards vs. Missouri in 2010 Insight Bowl) and Nick Niemann (25 vs. USC in 2019 Holiday Bowl).

LB Jack Campbell finished with a game high 10 tackles, including one sack and two TFL. It is Campbell’s eighth game this season with 10 or more stops.

Campbell finished the season with 128 tackles, the 23rd-most in a single season in program history.

He closes out his career with 305 tackles to rank 19th all-time in the record books.

P Tory Taylor tied an Iowa bowl record with eight punts for 386 yards (48.3 avg.). Four of his punts pinned the Wildcats inside the 10 and two at the 15.

He tied Nick Gallery (1993 Alamo) and Jason Baker (1997 Sun).

Taylor finished the season with 82 punts for 3,766 yards – a school record yardage total. It is the second straight year Taylor has broken the school record.

QB Joe Labas made his first career start and saw his first collegiate action. He finished the game 14-of-24 for 139 yards and one touchdown – the first of his career.  He also rushed four times for 11 yards.

TE Luke Lachey had a 15-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter to give Iowa a 7-0 lead. It is his fourth touchdown reception of the season (and his career).

TE Sam LaPorta had a team-best five receptions for 56 yards. He finishes his career with 153 receptions for 1,786 yards, ranking first in school history in career receptions amongst tight ends and second in career receiving yards.

Nwankpa made his first career start at strong safety. He is the first true freshman to start on defense since Dane Belton and Jack Campbell in 2019.

MISCELLANEOUS 

Iowa posted the first shutout in TransPerfect Music City Bowl history in the 21-0 victory over Kentucky.

It is the team’s second shutout of the season (Nevada) – the most by the program since 2019.

It is the first shutout of the 2022 bowl season and the first by a Big Ten team in a bowl game since Penn State in 1999.

It is the program’s second shutout all-time in a bowl game (1996 Alamo Bowl vs. Texas Tech – 26-0).

Iowa allowed 10 or fewer points in nine games during the 2022 season, the most for the program since 1903.

The Hawkeye defense allowed 185 yards against Kentucky. It is the sixth game this season the defense has surrendered fewer than 200 yards.

Iowa’s defense forced its 22nd and 23rd turnovers in the game (8 fumbles, 15 interceptions). The defense turned them into 14 points in the game.  Iowa scored 66 defensive points this season.

Iowa won the toss and elected to defer; Kentucky will receive. The Hawkeyes have played 301 games under head coach Kirk Ferentz. Iowa has opened the game on offense 220 times (140-80). The Hawkeyes have opened the game on defense 81 times (46-35).

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes open the 2023 season, hosting Utah State on Sept. 2 at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa: 2021-22 Big Ten Men's Basketball Champions

 

INDIANAPOLIS -- — Keegan Murray had 19 points and 11 rebounds as No. 24 Iowa beat No. 9 Purdue 75-66 to win its first Big Ten Tournament championship since 2006 and earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

The sixth-seeded Hawkeyes (26-9) became the fourth team in conference history to claim the title by winning four games in four days. Iowa was also the first school to do it, in 2001, and Michigan repeated the feat in 2017 and 2018.

The Hawkeyes won their first title since 2006, one week after the Iowa women won the Big Ten tourney on the same court.

"We knew this team was destined for greatness," said Murray, who was selected the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. "And we changed the direction of the Iowa program today."

Iowa did it with a record-breaking scoring performance and by beating the Boilermakers about a one-hour drive from their campus in West Lafayette. Iowa's 351 points broke Ohio State's tournament record of 322, set last year.

Iowa heads into the NCAA Tournament with nine wins in its last 10 games.

Jaden Ivey scored 20 points and Trevion Williams had 11 points and 11 rebounds to lead Purdue (28-7), which failed to capture either the regular-season or tournament title despite spending most of the season as the highest-ranked team in the conference. Purdue hasn't won the Big Ten Tournament since 2009.

It's not as if the Boilermakers didn't have a chance.

But Purdue had nine turnovers, missed four free throws and never led in the first half as the energized Hawkeyes took a 35-32 halftime lead.

With the Purdue-friendly crowd roaring loudly early in the second half, it looked like the Boilermakers would respond when Eric Hunter Jr.'s 3-pointer with 3:13 to play capped a 7-0 run that trimmed the deficit to 63-62.

But Connor McCaffery responded with a three-point play on the ensuing possession. Iowa only allowed four points the rest of the way, closing it out at the line, silencing the crowd and setting off a wild post-game celebration near midcourt.

"It is hard to describe," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. "This game is really special, special to me because I get to coach my boys and to see them celebrate with their teammates and celebrate together, there's no better feeling."

Indianapolis native Tony Perkins had 11 points and four assists for the Hawkeyes while Payton Sandfort added 10 points.

"We had a lot of goals and sometimes you have to make changes," Fran McCaffery said. "But this team accepted its roles and we beat a really good team today."

Zach Edey had 12 points and 14 rebounds for Purdue.

BIG PICTURE

Iowa: A strong finish — and tourney title — could propel the Hawkeyes to a top-five seed, maybe even a No. 4 seed, and a possible trip to Milwaukee. Regardless of who they play or where they land, one of America's most prolific scoring teams will be a handful.

Purdue: A loss in the championship game could prove costly to the Boilermakers. They could slide from the No. 2 line to the No. 3 line. Will it cost them a second straight bus trip down I-65 to Indianapolis? Maybe. But Purdue needs fewer unforced errors on offense and more production from its 3-point shooters.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Iowa will continue ascending in Monday's rankings, perhaps even cracking the top 15. The bigger question is whether Purdue did enough to extend its record streak of consecutive weeks in the top 10 to 19.

ALL-TOURNEY

Murry and Iowa guard Jordan Bohannon, who banked in the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left to beat Indiana on Saturday, were both selected to the all-tournament team. They were joined by Ivey, Williams and Trayce Jackson-Davis of Indiana.

UP NEXT

The teams wait to see where they fit in the 68-team field.

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Iowa: 2019 Holiday Bowl Champions

SAN DIEGO —  At the end of a long month, in the final moments of a long season, Matt Fink, the backup quarterback who’d played hero once before, trotted onto the SDCCU Stadium field Friday night to a grateful roar from the cardinal-and-gold faithful who still held onto hopes of a strong finish.

But around Fink, everything cardinal and gold was coming undone. USC’s defense had yet to force a punt against Iowa — and wouldn’t until late in the third quarter. Its special teams had been anything but special, allowing yet another untouched return for a touchdown. And now, Kedon Slovis, the Pac-12 offensive freshman of the year, the only bright spot in a dark night that would end in a 49-24 drubbing, sat on the sideline, surrounded by trainers working on his injured right arm.

The Holiday Bowl was supposed to help begin the healing within a frustrated USC fanbase, which was still seething with the decision to keep coach Clay Helton. Here was a shot at a strong finish, a chance for partial vindication, an opportunity to prove their pride was still intact.

But as Fink took the field at the start of the fourth quarter, the Trojans were already well beyond saving. Instead of redemption, No. 22 USC (8-5) was confirming every doubt and frustration its fan had made known all season.

Then, as if on cue, a snap soared over Fink’s head. No. 16 Iowa (10-3) recovered on the doorstep of USC’s end zone. And a long offseason of discontent began in earnest.

Even before Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa slammed into Slovis’ right arm, ending his night late in the third quarter, the Trojans had already been tiptoeing around disaster.

Slovis threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns before being sidelined, capping an unforgettable freshman season with another impressive performance. As his defense and special teams threatened to derail them, the quarterback’s play had been just enough to keep the Trojans on track.

Without him, any hope of a strong finish soon imploded altogether.

Against an Iowa offense that’d failed to score four touchdowns in a Big Ten game all season, USC gave up four scores in the first half alone. After weeks of preaching third-down defense, the Trojans allowed the Hawkeyes to convert six of eight third downs over the first three quarters.

By game’s end, Iowa had put up 49 points, the most its bottom-tier Big Ten offense had scored all season. Only Oregon scored more against USC this season.

Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast’s job was already in jeopardy, with staff changes expected to come after the bowl game. But after a brutal performance in which Helton stood on the sideline, begging his defense for just one stop, a decision on Pendergast appeared to be made for him.

The same could be said for John Baxter, USC’s special teams coach, who’d spent all season answering questions about his questionable kick coverage. As the Trojans still clung to a tie, the kickoff team watched helplessly as Hawkeyes wideout Ihmir Smith-Marsette sprinted 98 yards, untouched, on his way into the end zone.

It was the last time the Trojans would come within a sniff of their Big Ten counterpart, as their own offense stalled and a plodding Iowa group pushed down the gas pedal.

In a clash of conflicting styles, it was a more dominant performance than the Hawkeyes could’ve hoped for.

Iowa wasted no time in exerting its will. The Hawkeyes’ first two drives lasted nearly a full quarter (14:44), tiring out a Trojans defense that couldn’t manage to get off the field.

In the three-plus minutes USC did manage to have the ball in the first quarter, though, the Trojans appeared poised for their own brand of fireworks. After nearly having a pass intercepted to start, Slovis completed his other six passes, capping the drive with a short touchdown to Drake London. It was London’s fifth straight game with a score.

USC scored again on its next possession, as Slovis watched Vavae Malepeai slide past Iowa’s secondary on a wheel route and delivered a perfect pass from 16 yards out.

But without the ball, a high-powered offense couldn’t make up issues in just about every other facet of the game.

Still, Fink tried to drive the offense one last time. With only pride on the line late, he flung one last pass into the Iowa secondary. It was picked and returned for a touchdown, adding even insult to an already insulting bowl finish.

Iowa: 2019 Outback Bowl Champions

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Iowa Hawkeyes lost a yard on the last play of the Outback Bowl, pushing their final rushing total to minus 15 yards, and didn't mind a bit.

They ran the play from victory formation.

Safety Jake Gervase's interception in the end zone helped preserve a late lead, and a ball-hawking defense compensated for a sputtering offense as Iowa beat No. 18 Mississippi State 27-22 on Tuesday.

Gervase also batted down an errant fourth-down pass to end the Bulldogs' final drive at the Iowa 32 with 25 seconds left. Two earlier Mississippi State threats in the fourth quarter led to only three points.

The Hawkeyes totaled just 199 yards, with 75 coming on a touchdown pass from Nathan Stanley to Nick Easley , but they converted three takeaways into 17 points.

The Hawkeyes won despite losing 27 inches per rush. Their three running backs totaled 4 yards in 15 carries.

"We had a hard time blocking their front," coach Kirk Ferentz said. "Defense really bailed us out."

Iowa (9-4) earned its biggest postseason victory since an Orange Bowl win over Georgia Tech to cap the 2009 season. Mississippi State (8-5) lost to a team outside the top 15 for the first time.

Trailing 24-19, the Bulldogs had a first down at the Iowa 1 early in the fourth quarter, but three quarterback draws lost 2 yards and they settled for a field goal.

They were again on the verge of taking the lead with nine minutes left, but receiver Stephen Guidry bobbled a tipped pass in the end zone, and Gervase snatched it away.

"Sometimes you get lucky," Gervase said.

The Hawkeyes then drove 50 yards for a field goal, the game's final score.

"Bowl games are a lot like early season games, where turnovers and penalties really factor in," Ferentz said. "If you aren't on top of that part of your game because you haven't played in a while, it can be a really tough thing. Obviously it helped us today being a little bit more opportunistic."

Iowa had no penalties, while Mississippi State was penalized 90 yards, including a holding call that negated a 51-yard completion.

"Too many missed opportunities, too many penalties," Bulldogs coach Joe Moorhead said. "Can't turn the ball, can't give up explosive plays, can't have penalties take scores off the board. We didn't do enough to earn the right to win."

Mississippi State receiver Osirus Mitchell put it another way.

"We definitely beat ourselves," he said. "They weren't better than us."

A takeaway helped Iowa score two touchdowns in 97 seconds for a 17-6 lead -- especially impressive against a team that allowed only 12 TDs during the regular season.

Mississippi State rallied with two touchdowns in 18 seconds to go up 19-17. Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald gave the Bulldogs the advantage on a nifty 33-yard touchdown run , his 100th career score rushing or passing.

But on their next possession, Fitzgerald's tipped pass was intercepted by defensive lineman Chauncey Golston. Stanley then scrambled to convert a fourth and 1, and on the next play he hit Easley with an 8-yard score to put Iowa ahead to stay, 24-19.

MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT

Easley had a career-high 104 yards receiving on eight catches and was chosen the most valuable player. He nearly ran out from under his helmet on his long touchdown.

"I had a little bit of a malfunction with my helmet strap -- a little piece broke the play before," he said. "As I was running, it started coming off a little bit. Thankfully I was able to pull it back on and continue to run."

Easley and Gervase played their final game as seniors who walked on.

"It's how we're built," Ferentz said.

INJURY REPORT

Running back Kylin Hill left the game when he took a hit to the helmet in the fourth quarter, but he was back in the lineup on the Bulldogs' final possession.

Moorhead said Hill cleared the concussion protocol.

"I'm good," Hill tweeted with a thumbs-up emoji after the game.

TAKEAWAYS

Iowa will likely finish in the Top 25 for only the second time in the past nine seasons. Ferentz concluded his 20th season at Iowa and improved to 152-101, including 8-8 in bowl games.

The down-to-the-wire finish was a rarity for the Bulldogs, who had only one other game decided by fewer than 14 points.

UP NEXT

Stanley will be a third-year starter returning to lead the 2019 Hawkeyes, who also will have their top three rushers back. They open the season Aug. 31 at home against Miami (Ohio).

With fifth-year senior Fitzgerald departing, the Bulldogs will have a new starting quarterback when they open the 2019 season on Aug. 31 in New Orleans against Louisiana.

Iowa: 2017 Pinstripe Bowl Champions

NEW YORK -- Akrum Wadley had never been to Yankee Stadium, even though he grew up about 20 miles across the river in New Jersey. On his first visit, he seemed to bring out all of Newark to cheer him on. His 40 tickets to give away weren't enough to satiate his hometown fans.

"I couldn't get more tickets," he said, laughing.

He had all his fans in New Jersey to the ones freezing inside Yankee Stadium to the black-and-gold faithful in Iowa that packed bars roaring in approval: Wadley's homecoming ended with an MVP trophy that helped put the Hawkeyes' bowl misery on ice.

Wadley rushed, received and returned in dazzling fashion on a frozen field and Iowa beat Boston College 27-20 in the frigid Pinstripe Bowl on Wednesday night to snap a five-game bowl losing streak.

"You can't pay for moments like that," Wadley said.

The only milestone that eluded him was the winning touchdown: Drake Kulick fought for a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter on his only carry of the game that clinched the win for the Hawkeyes.

The Hawkeyes (8-5) had been the only team in the nation to lose a bowl game in each of the last four seasons. Iowa had last won a bowl game in 2010 and started the losing streak the next season.

It ended in New York.

The Hawkeyes used their first sack of the game late in the fourth to spark the winning drive. Iowa defensive end Anthony Nelson hit Darius Wade, and Parker Hesse recovered a fumble at the BC 45.

Nate Stanley's pass to Nate Wieting on a rollout was ruled a touchdown until a review showed the tight end was down at the 1. No worries. Kulick got the call over Wadley, who had 283 total yards in his final game, and barged through for the go-ahead score. The smattering of Iowa fans went wild and Josh Jackson gave them reason to stay on their feet when he sealed the win with an interception.

"For our team to come out the way they did in the second half, it was a breakthrough moment for us," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said.

Boston College (7-6) had nothing on its final drive and that ended an otherwise miserable day at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees' postseason games in October seemed downright balmy compared to the kickoff temperature of 23 degrees and a wind chill that made it feel like 12 degrees. The stadium turf was akin to running on ice and the conditions forced players to change from cleats to sneakers to get some grip. The most common huddle was the one around the sideline heaters.

Boston College's AJ Dillon found the field just to his liking, and ripped off a 66-yard run in the second quarter and had 126 yards rushing overall in the first half. He had a 4-yard TD run in the first quarter. His monster half helped the Eagles hold a 281-56 edge in total yards, a staggering discrepancy that made little impact on the scoreboard.

"I thought we moved the ball well given what the conditions were," Boston College coach Steve Addazio said.

The Hawkeyes had two clutch plays that kept it close: Iowa safety Jake Gervase intercepted a pass on the third play of the game and returned it to the BC 6. The Hawkeyes got a field goal. And Wadley returned a kickoff 72 yards that led to a touchdown on Stanley's 8-yard TD pass to Noah Fant. With a short field, Iowa was stout and kept it at 17-10 at halftime.

Wadley, a two-time 1,000 yard rusher, scored on a 5-yard run in the third and Miguel Recinos and Colton Lichtenberg swapped field goals in the fourth to make it 20-all with 8:09 left in the game.

THE TAKEAWAY

Iowa: Ferentz tied Hayden Fry for first on Iowa's career wins list with 143.

Boston College: The Eagles are still trying for their first eight-win season since 2009.

THE WAVE

Iowa fans ended the first quarter with "The Wave." Iowa fans at Kinnick Stadium turn and wave to patients at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, a 12-story building that sits right across the street. On game days, patients and their families can watch the game and, after the first quarter, wave back. The Hawkeyes kept the tradition going at Yankee Stadium.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BOWL GAME

The Yankees remain committed to hosting the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. The wintry temps kept most of the 37,667 fans out of the seats and the stadium was sparsely populated in the second half.

UP NEXT


Iowa: Jackson faces a big decision. Jackson did not announce if he will come back for his senior season. Jackson's numbers, along with his 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame and his abundance of physical gifts, have left many NFL draft pundits pegging him as a possible first-round pick in 2018. Jackson redshirted his first season and is set to graduate in May. He finished with eight interceptions.

Boston College: The Eagles return a nice chunk of their starting offense and should again contend for another seven-win season. Under coach Steve Addazio, the Eagles have had four seven-win seasons in his five years at BC.