The 10 Best Games of the Kirk Ferentz Era

Let's get going with one of the first ones: a 19-16 win over Texas Tech. This bowl win came after a 6-5 (4-4) season. This battle was a kickers delight, with 21 of the 35 total points scored coming off the feet of Nate Kaeding and Clinton Greathouse.

Iowa also recorded its first bowl victory since beating Texas Tech, 27-0, in the 1996 Alamo Bowl. Iowa also finished with their first winning season since 1997.

Even though 2007 is a year I would rather think never happened. This win made me feel good, while allowing me to have faith with the program once again. Bret Greenwood's interception off Eddie Mcgee in the end zone to win the game still stands out as one of the top plays of the game.

Farewell Shonn, Mitch, Matt, Bryan and Bradley, you will be sorely missed. But thanks for the great parting gift. Iowa dominated in every phase of the game, except for punts and punt return yards. Shonn Greene delivered the usual, while the defense forced five turnovers.

And as much as I love watching Iowa play it got boring after the second quarter, when they started talking about the South Carolina chicken. Also, way to be the only Big Ten bowl win of the year guys.

This continues to haunt me to this day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzIoQOWKRag

Blame it on the poor defense and offensive play of Iowa in the first quarter or the refs (I choose the latter). But besides the phantom offside calls at the end of the game, this stands out as the "never say die" Iowa football spirit. While scoring 17 unanswered points to pull within a touchdown showed the true competitive spirit of the teams. Overall, the whole team played well, making this a good game, but an unbearable defeat from a Hawkeye fan's point of view.

Not a pretty game in any way. Iowa was a heavy favorite to win, but with Drew Tate out backup Jason Manson took over. What should have been an easy win turned into what could have been a potential nightmare. In the second overtime period, Iowa failed to convert on seven consecutive plays inside the two yard line. Regardless of how ugly it was, Iowa managed to hold on for a win.

This was a fun game. The win was the first against Ohio State inside Kinnick since 1983, and the most points scored against the Buckeyes. The win was just the 14th against the Buckeyes in school history. Drew Tate had a career-high 26 completions on 39 attempts for 331 yards, becoming just the third quarterback in Iowa history to throw back-to-back 300-yard games. The defense had a season-high eight tackles for losses.

Epic defensive struggles create bizarre scores, and this was one of those cases. Two field goals always beats two safeties, which would turn out to be the outcome. Drew Tate certainly looked like a sophomore, while Iowa still had no offense to speak of. I was at my great grandmother's 100th birthday at a casino and not being able to be out on the floor, I was in a small room with this game playing. I don't know what took a greater toll on my nerves, watching Iowa and Penn State slug it out or listening to my cousins all night.

I think the picture says it all. I wonder if the new stadium will allow for goalposts to go out the doors?

While I was not able to watch the entire game until last week, I listened to the fourth quarter on the way back from a class trip and nearly punched a window out when Iowa won. I will admit this, Penn State outmatched Iowa in just about every category, but give credit to the Iowa defense for only allowing 23 points when Penn State controlled the ball for most of the game. And thank you Daniel Murry, I've had faith in you since Pittsburgh.

It was a 56 yard hail mary touchdown pass from Drew Tate to Warren Holloway to end the 2004-2005 season with a 30-25 win over Louisiana State, in what was in my opinion the best Bowl game of the season. Both teams played each other so well, showcasing defensive play after defensive play. Iowa blocked 2 punts, forced LSU to play their third string QB, who led the Tigers to a a quick lead in the fourth. After all of the action and excitement of 2004-2005 season, what a thrilling finish. This definitely gets my vote as the greatest game of the Kirk Ferentz era.

Thanks for the great years of football Kirk. Here's to ten more, and GO HAWKS!