Iowa opened the 2000 season with five straight losses, adding to a losing streak that totaled 13 games when the Hawkeyes lost to Indiana on September 30, 2000. However, the streak came to an end a week later, when the Hawks defeated Michigan State, 21–16, giving Ferentz his first ever Big Ten win as head coach at Iowa.[1] Following a three-game losing streak, the Hawkeyes traveled to State College, Pennsylvania, for a game against Penn State. The Hawks won the game, 26–23, and followed it up the next week with another win, this time over Northwestern. The 27–17 victory gave Iowa a two-game winning streak, something that had not occurred for the Hawkeyes since the 1997 season.[2] Iowa finished the season with a 27–24 loss on November 18, 2000, against Minnesota.
2001 was marked as a potential turning point for the Hawkeyes, a year in which a bowl berth was entirely possible. The Hawks returned two potential starters at quarterback in Kyle McCann and Jon Beutjer,[3] and even received playing time from junior college transfer Brad Banks during the season.[4]Ladell Betts and Kahlil Hill came back for their senior seasons at the running back and wide receiver positions respectively.[3] Hill would go on win the Mosi Tatupu Award following the completion of the season.[5]
On defense, the Hawkeyes looked to improve on their rushing defense numbers from the previous season. In 2000, Iowa gave up 194.3 yards rushing, ninth in the Big Ten. Aaron Kampman returned for his senior season on the defensive line, while fellow senior Mike Dolezal looked to replace LeVar Woods and Derrick Davison at linebacker. Iowa's passing defense in 2000 allowed 247 yards passing a game, tenth in the Big Ten. It was thought that added experience in that area would help improve that aspect of Iowa's defense.[3]
Opening the season on September 1, 2001, the Hawkeyes defeated the Kent State Golden Flashes, 51–0, in front of 56,091 fans at Kinnick Stadium.[9][10] The win was Iowa's first in a season opener under Ferentz,[11] and it improved the Hawkeyes' record in season openers to 80–31–2.[9]
On offense, Betts ran for 99 yards, while fellow running back Aaron Greving scored three touchdowns. In total, Iowa ran for 331 yards, which compared favorably to the 113 yards for Kent State.[9] Jeremy Allen and Fred Russell also contributed, with 73 and 46 rushing yards respectively.[10] Allen also scored the first touchdown of his career during the game, on a 14-yard run during the first quarter.[11] Defensively, the Hawkeyes held Kent State to 13 first downs and 203 total offensive yards. Iowa held the Golden Flashes to 90 yards passing; Kent State quarterback Jeff Valentino completed 3 of his 13 passes for 35 yards before being taken out of the game. McCann and Banks threw for 165 and 71 yards respectively, while Dallas Clark led the Hawks in receiving, with five catches for 84 yards.[9][10] The loss was Kent State's sixth straight, dating back to the previous season.[9]
For Iowa, the win capped a week in which Beutjer, a possible starter at quarterback, left the team. Beutjer cited feeling "betrayed" by Iowa coaches, and Iowa player Bruce Nelson said that it would not "disrupt what we've got going." Following the game, Ferentz noted that practice on the Thursday before the game was the best in his tenure at Iowa, while Kent State head coach Dean Pees expressed disappointment in his team's performance.[11] The next week, Kent State ended their six-game losing streak with a 38–17 victory over Bucknell.
Behind a career-high 4 touchdown passes from Kyle McCann, Iowa built a 44–0 lead by the midway point of the third quarter. Miami quarterback Ben Roethlisberger stopped the shutout with an 80-yard TD run, then followed that with two TD passes.[13]
In what ended up being the Hawks' most lopsided loss of the season (9 points), Iowa was left to wonder what might have been after their opening drive. Iowa entered the red zone, but an 86-yard pick six opened the scoring for Purdue and had Iowa playing from behind for most of the day.[16]
The Hawkeyes closed out their home schedule at 5–1 by blasting Minnesota. Iowa led 21–0 after the first quarter, 28–3 at half, and 42–10 after three quarters before cruising to the 18 point win. Kyle McCann threw 3 TD passes and ran for a TD.
After losing three straight in the series, this was the first of five consecutive wins for the Hawks over the Gophers.
The annual battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy was scheduled originally for September 15, but due to the September 11 attacks, it was postponed or canceled like all sporting events planned for that weekend. The game was rescheduled for November 24, which turned out to be a natural fit since many other major rivalries were played that weekend.
The Cyclones scored a touchdown in each of the first two quarters to head into halftime with a 14–0 lead. Iowa finally responded in the third quarter with two touchdowns from Ladell Betts, who also rushed for 150 yards on the day.
The final scoring play of the game came early in the fourth quarter, with Tony Yelk kicking a 32-yard field goal to put the Cyclones up 17–14. An interception by Adam Runk with 1:37 remaining sealed the game for the Cyclones.
Backup RB Aaron Greving ran for 115 yards and a touchdown and Nate Kaeding kicked four field goals, including the game-winner from 47 yards with 44 seconds remaining. The Hawkeyes earned their first bowl win under Kirk Ferentz and first since shutting out Texas Tech in the 1996 Alamo Bowl. The victory served as a springboard for the memorable 2002 season.
"ESPN college football encyclopedia". ESPN College Football Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Game. New York City, New York, United States: ESPN Books. 2005. ISBN1-4013-3703-1.
