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2015 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

2015 Iowa Hawkeyes football
Iowa Hawkeyes wordmark.svg
Big Ten West Division champion
Rose Bowl vs. #5 Stanford, L 16–45
Conference Big Ten Conference
Division West Division
Ranking
Coaches No. 10
AP No. 9
2015 record 12–2 (8–0 Big Ten)
Head coach Kirk Ferentz (17th year)
Offensive coordinator Greg Davis (4th year)
Offensive scheme Multiple
Defensive coordinator Phil Parker (4th year as DC; 17th overall year)
Base defense 4–3
Captain C.J. Beathard
Austin Blythe
Jordan Lomax
Drew Ott
Home stadium Kinnick Stadium
(Capacity: 70,585)
Seasons
← 2014
2016 →
2015 Big Ten football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
East Division
#6 Michigan State xy$^   7 – 1         12 – 2  
#4 Ohio State x   7 – 1         12 – 1  
#12 Michigan   6 – 2         10 – 3  
Penn State   4 – 4         7 – 6  
Indiana   2 – 6         6 – 7  
Rutgers   1 – 7         4 – 8  
Maryland   1 – 7         3 – 9  
West Division
#9 Iowa x   8 – 0         12 – 2  
#23 Northwestern   6 – 2         10 – 3  
#21 Wisconsin   6 – 2         10 – 3  
Nebraska   3 – 5         6 – 7  
Minnesota   2 – 6         6 – 7  
Illinois   2 – 6         5 – 7  
Purdue   1 – 7         2 – 10  
Championship: Michigan State 16, Iowa 13
  • ^ – College Football Playoff participant
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
As of January 2, 2016; Rankings from AP Poll
Illinois State at Iowa
1 2 3 4 Total
#2 (FCS) Redbirds 0 0 0 14 14
• Hawkeyes 7 10 7 7 31
Iowa at Iowa State
Cy-Hawk Trophy
1 2 3 4 Total
• Hawkeyes 3 7 7 14 31
Cyclones 3 14 0 0 17
Pittsburgh at Iowa
1 2 3 4 Total
Panthers 0 7 10 7 24
• Hawkeyes 3 14 0 10 27
North Texas at Iowa
1 2 3 4 Total
Mean Green 0 13 3 0 16
• Hawkeyes 14 21 13 14 62

The 2015 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Hawkeyes, led by 17th year head coach Kirk Ferentz, were members of the West Division of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Kinnick Stadium. Despite modest expectations entering the season, the team finished 12–2 overall and 8–0 in Big Ten play to win the West Division. After losing a classic to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game, the Hawkeyes were invited to the 2016 Rose Bowl where they were beaten by Stanford. The team established a new single-season school record for wins.

Sources:


It was an emotional week leading up to the game because former All-Big Ten Safety Tyler Sash and basketball legend Roy Marble died. The Hawkeyes honored Sash by wearing the number 9 (Sash's jersey number at Iowa) in place of the Tigerhawk on one side of their helmets.

C.J. Beathard threw three touchdown passes to lead the Hawkeyes to victory. He also added two long runs and was named co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.

The Hawkeyes never trailed in this physical matchup, and Marshall Koehn booted a 57-yard field goal as time expired to give Iowa the win. His effort was good enough to earn Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

Following a season opening loss to #3 Alabama, the Badgers entered this game ranked #19 after three straight convincing wins (outscoring those opponents 114-3). Wisconsin kicked a field goal on the game's opening possession to take an early 3-0 lead. The Hawkeyes capitalized on two second quarter miscues to take a 10-3 advantage into the locker room. Wisconsin tacked on a field goal in the 3rd quarter, making it 10-6. Midway through the 4th quarter, the Hawkeyes recovered a costly Wisconsin fumble on a 2nd and goal play from the Iowa 1-yard line. The Badgers reached the Iowa 16 on their final possession, but a 4th down pass fell incomplete with 36 seconds remaining and the Hawkeyes ran out the clock, ending a classic defensive battle. Cornerback Desmond King collected his second two-interception game of the season and was named co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and Jim Thorpe Defensive Player of the Week.


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