Iowa Defeats Penn State: A Fan's Eye View

Let me be among the many to applaud such splendid articles as Iowa Kicker’s Dream Realized in Win Over Penn State by Daniel Cox of B/R and our own Baby Tate’s The 11 Best of 11s of College Football, Week 12: Down Goes Penn State.  Kudos, gentlemen.  Good writing, good reporting on a real fairy-tale- of-an-ending story!

But you will forgive me for stating that this is my story and even though you beat me to the punch, so to speak…I deserve this one because I have suffered in the Iowa trenches all season long, waiting for this  moment of justification and glory! 

It is mine because I have been writing about Iowa and predicting great things from them since mid-season. In the process I have been ridiculed and scoffed at while you have enjoyed Iowa anonymity waiting for some bit of breaking news. I have been baited and denigrated for my assurances that Iowa was a winner. 

After the momentous game was over I was held responsible for the fall of the Big 10—actually Iowa was given that rather lofty distinction—but it was directed my way.  This, after I spent the afternoon pacing and swearing and screaming at my television until I was hoarse. 

As I collapsed into a heap once that kicked wobbled through the uprights, my phone began to ring and the emails began pouring in because, I am the voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes at this end of the universe. 

Hey, I know you weren’t aware because you hadn’t read my articles – most didn’t even though they were quite good, if I do say so myself.  They were pithy and poignant – filled with Cracker Jack analysis and spot on prognostication. 

Well, I did make one tiny error—Iowa lost to Illinois!  So right then, my Rose Bowl theory became suspect…probably Iowa will not be going to the Rose Bowl.  But it was a worthy dream.

Now Iowa fans are fantasizing about the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl – where we were nominated for National Team of the Week and dare we dream of the Outback Bowl? 

Roses are for sissies anyway!  If Iowa wins their last two against hapless Purdue and against a fading Minnesota team, a New Year’s Day Bowl is not out of the question.  That means champagne and something salty!

Iowa would be 8-4 if we won the next two games—Purdue at home and Minnesota at the Dome in downtown Minneapolis.  At most, we need another win to guarantee a bowl appearance anywhere.

We can say that finally Iowa has learned how to win—how to create and capitalize on turnovers and score in the red zone.  Remember the Northwestern game!

Shonn Green has continued his amazing run of compiling over 100 rushing yards each game and now ranks as the third leading rusher in the nation. 

That reporter from Cedar Rapids who felt Green should be considered in the Heisman balloting may not have been as far off the mark as originally thought.

It was a team effort all the way punctuated by a first rate fourth quarter and a game winning field goal in the last second of the game.  Iowa won 24-23 with the kick felt round the world.

It looked as though the entire state of Iowa stormed the field in the fading light and caught and embraced a team making their way out of mediocrity and into the lime light. 

Along the way Iowa upended a truly fine Penn State team and perhaps denied them a chance at a national championship.  One doubts that would have been the final result of this season in any case.

If Penn State were the national power—the number one ranked team, they certainly would have found a way to win against Iowa. 

Iowans walk out of their doors this week with an extra kick in their step.  They find time to scratch Max, the dog behind his ear.  They kiss the little woman with a little more feeling and they wave at the neighbor who cut them off at the gas station last Thursday.

Somehow they feel a little better.  The whole state is getting ready for the game on Saturday with Purdue, remembering that last year Iowa was bowl eligible but never won that seventh game and they were ultimately left home. 

Not so this time!  You read it here, folks!

So, Mr. Cox and Mr. Tate – I ask you to step aside and accord yours truly the honors in this victory…because I earned it the hard way…