1984 Iowa Hawkeyes football
Freedom Bowl champion
Freedom Bowl, W 55–17 vs. Texas
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 15
APNo. 16
Record8–4–1 (5–3–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBill Snyder (6th season)
Defensive coordinatorBill Brashier (6th season)
MVPRonnie Harmon
CaptainOwen Gill
Jonathan Hayes
Paul Hufford
Keith Hunter
Kevin Spitzig
Home stadiumKinnick Stadium
Seasons
← 1983
1985 →
1984 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 13 Ohio State $ 7 – 2 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Illinois 6 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Purdue 6 – 3 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
No. 16 Iowa 5 – 3 – 1 8 – 4 – 1
Wisconsin 5 – 3 – 1 7 – 4 – 1
Michigan State 5 – 4 – 0 6 – 6 – 0
Michigan 5 – 4 – 0 6 – 6 – 0
Minnesota 3 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Northwestern 2 – 7 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Indiana 0 – 9 – 0 0 – 11 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1984 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the 1984 Big Ten Conference football season. The Hawkeyes, led by head coach Hayden Fry, were members of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Kinnick Stadium.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 8Iowa State*No. 10
IPTVW 59–2166,150
September 15No. 12 Penn State*No. 5
  • Kinnick Stadium
  • Iowa City, Iowa
L 17–2066,145
September 22at No. 5 Ohio StateNo. 14
SVL 26–4589,733
September 29Illinoisdagger
  • Kinnick Stadium
  • Iowa City, Iowa
CBSW 21–1666,322
October 6at Northwestern
W 31–336,598
October 13at No. 14 Purdue
W 40–366,359
October 20MichiganNo. 18
  • Kinnick Stadium
  • Iowa City, Iowa
CBSW 26–066,025
October 27at IndianaNo. 17
W 24–2037,747
November 3WisconsinNo. 17
  • Kinnick Stadium
  • Iowa City, Iowa
CBST 10–1066,255
November 10Michigan StateNo. 18
  • Kinnick Stadium
  • Iowa City, Iowa
L 16–1765,887
November 17at Minnesota
L 17–2363,479
December 1at Hawaii*
W 17–650,000
December 26vs. No. 19 Texas*
MizlouW 55–1724,093
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[1]

Roster

1984 Iowa Hawkeyes football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
OL 55 Dave Alexander So
OL 75 Kevin Angel Jr
RB 13 Rick Bayless Fr
OL 69 Mike Bennett Jr
FB 35 Fred Bush Jr
OL 78 Malcolm Christie Fr
OT 61 Dave Croston So
OL 58 Greg Divis Fr
WR 1 Quinn Early Fr
TE 86 Mike Flagg Fr
OL 74 Chris Gambol So
RB 33 Owen Gill (C) Sr
OT 79 Mike Haight Jr
WR 40 Bill Happel Jr
RB 7 Kevin Harmon Fr
RB 31 Ronnie Harmon Jr
TE 34 Jonathan Hayes (C) Jr
WR 87 Scott Helverson Jr
G 65 Tom Humphrey Jr
QB 16 Chuck Long Jr
RB 26 Eddie Polite
OL 56 Mark Sindlinger So
WR 2 Robert Smith So
OL 53 Mark Spranger So
QB 12 Mark Vlasic So
OL 73 Herb Wester Fr
WR 83 Jim McMachan Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DE 90 Doug Burrell So
CB 29 Nate Creer Jr
DB 18 Kyle Crowe Jr
LB 37 George Davis So
DL 76 Jeff Drost So
DL 64 Paul Hufford (C) Sr
DB 14 Keith Hunter (C) Sr
DT 77 George Little Sr
DE 98 George Millett Jr
DB 21 Devon Mitchell Jr
DB 45 Jay Norvell Jr
DL 50 Hap Peterson Jr
DE 99 Richard Pryor So
LB 38 Kevin Spitzig (C) Sr
LB 36 Larry Station Jr
DB 41 Mike Stoops Sr
DE Dave Strobel Sr
DL 51 Bill Weires Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
P/K 3 Tom Nichol Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
  • Bill Snyder – Offensive Coordinator/quarterbacks
  • Bill Brashier – Defensive Coordinator
  • Kirk Ferentz – Offensive line
  • Carl Jackson – Running backs
  • Del Miller – Offensive assistant
  • Dan McCarney – Defensive line
  • Barry Alvarez – Linebackers
  • Don Patterson – Defensive Backs
  • Bernie Wyatt – Defensive Ends/Recruiting Coordinator
  • Bill Dervich – Strength and Conditioning
  • Bob Stoops – Graduate Assistant
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Rankings

Further information: 1984 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
— = Not ranked. ( ) = First place votes.
Week
PollPre1234567891011121314Final
AP12 (1)10 (1)5 (2)14———18171718————16
Coaches141451520201917171317————15

[2]

Game summaries

Iowa State

Iowa State at #10 Iowa
1 234Total
Cyclones 0 7014 21
• Hawkeyes 14 28107 59
  • Date: September 8
  • Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
  • Game start: 12:05 p.m. EDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:30
  • Game attendance: 66,150
  • Game weather: 78 °F (26 °C), Showers possible, Wind SW 10–20 mph (16–32 km/h)
  • Referee: Tom Quinn
  • Television network: IPTV
Scoring summary
Q1IOWAStrobel 38-yard interception return (Nichol kick)IOWA 7–0
Q1IOWAHappel 15-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 14–0
Q2IOWASmith 63-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 21–0
Q2IOWAHayes 3-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 28–0
Q2IOWAO. Gill 3-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 35–0
Q2ISUDavis 1-yard pass from Espinoza (Bochrodt kick)IOWA 35–7
Q2IOWAR. Harmon 86-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 42–7
Q3IOWAR. Harmon 68-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 49–7
Q3IOWAT. Nichol 37-yard field goalIOWA 52–7
Q4ISUHenderson 45-yard pass from Espinoza (Bochrodt kick)IOWA 52–14
Q46:55IOWACotton 18-yard pass from K. Hatinon (Nichol kick)IOWA 59–14
Q4ISUHanson 12-yard pass from Espinoza (Bochrodt kick)IOWA 59–21

See also: 1984 Iowa State Cyclones football team and Iowa–Iowa State football rivalry

[3][4]

Penn State

#12 Penn State at #5 Iowa
1 234Total
• No. 12 Nittany Lions 0 1307 20
No. 5 Hawkeyes 3 707 17
Scoring summary
Q1IOWANichol 24-yard field goalIOWA 3–0
Q2PSUGancitano 21-yard field goalTied 3–3
Q2PSUGancitano 35-yard field goalPSU 6–3
Q2PSUBellamy 24-yard pass from Strang (Gancitano kick)PSU 13–3
Q2IOWAR. Harmon 15-yard run (Nichol kick)PSU 13–10
Q4PSUStrang 1-yard run (Gancitano kick)PSU 20–10
Q4IOWALong 1-yard run (Nichol kick)PSU 20–17

See also: 1984 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

[5]

At Ohio State

#14 Iowa at #5 Ohio State
1 234Total
No. 14 Hawkeyes 3 1760 26
• No. 5 Buckeyes 10 2177 45
  • Date: September 22
  • Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
  • Game attendance: 89,733
  • Game weather: 85 °F (29 °C), Clear and sunny, Wind S 10–15 mph (16–24 km/h)
  • Referee: Jim Kemerling
  • Television network: SV
Scoring summary
Q16:10OSUSpangler 23-yard field goalOSU 3–0
Q12:33IOWATom Nichol 30-yard field goalTied 3–3
Q12:13OSUK. Byars 50-yard run (Spangler kick)OSU 10–3
Q213:43IOWAJordan 27-yard pass from Chuck Long (Nichol kick)Tied 10–10
Q29:07OSUK. Byars 14-yard pass from M. Tomczak (Spangler kick)OSU 17–10
Q28:20OSUKolic 25-yard interception return (Spangler kick)OSU 24–10
Q27:41OSULanese 35-yard pass from K. Byars (Spangler kick)OSU 31–10
Q22:49IOWAFlagg 30-yard pass from Chuck Long (Nichol kick)OSU 31–17
Q20:08IOWATom Nichol 41-yard field goalOSU 31–20
Q34:56IOWAChuck Long 2-yard run (two-point conversion failed)OSU 31–26
Q31:23OSUK. Byars 7-yard run (Spangler kick)OSU 38–26
Q41:39OSULanese 6-yard run (Spangler kick)OSU 45–26

See also: 1984 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

The Hawkeyes outgained the Buckeyes 458–335, but four turnovers (one returned for a touchdown) were too much to overcome on this trip to Columbus. Keith Byars ran, caught, and threw touchdowns for Ohio State. [6]

Illinois

Illinois at Iowa
1 234Total
Fighting Illini 3 0013 16
• Hawkeyes 7 077 21
Scoring summary
Q1IOWAR. Harmon 2-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 7–0
Q1ILLC. White 36-yard field goalIOWA 7–3
Q3IOWAR. Harmon 8-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 14–3
Q4ILLNAME 8-yard pass from Trudeau (two-point conversion failed)IOWA 14–9
Q4IOWAR. Harmon 12-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 21–9
Q4ILLGrant 4-yard pass from Trudeau (White kick)IOWA 21–16

See also: 1984 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

The Hawkeyes exacted some revenge for the whipping laid on them in Champaign the previous season. The win over the defending Big Ten champions snapped the Illini's 12-game conference winning streak. Ronnie Harmon had 3 touchdown runs for Iowa. [7]

At Northwestern

Iowa at Northwestern
1 234Total
• Hawkeyes 14 1007 31
Wildcats 0 300 3
Scoring summary
1IOWAR. Harmon 2-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 7-0
1IOWAR. Harmon 9-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 14-0
2IOWAR. Harmon 17-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 21-0
2NWJ. Duvic 49-yard field goalIOWA 21-3
2IOWAT. Nichol 28-yard field goalIOWA 24-3
4IOWAS. Helverson 6-yard pass from Chuck Long (NIchol kick)IOWA 31-3

See also: 1984 Northwestern Wildcats football team

The Hawkeyes held Northwestern to only 49 yards of total offense, a mark that still stands as a single-game school record. Ronnie Harmon recorded 3 touchdown runs for the second straight game.[8]

At Purdue

Iowa at #14 Purdue
1 234Total
• Hawkeyes 6 13210 40
No. 14 Boilermakers 3 000 3
  • Date: October 13
  • Location: Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
  • Game attendance: 66,359
  • Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C), Cloudy with scattered showers, Wind SSW 12 mph (19 km/h)
  • Referee: Jim Kemerling
Scoring summary
Q13:52IOWASmith 51-yard pass from Long (kick failed)IOWA 6–0
Q10:48PURRendina 32-yard field goalIOWA 6–3
Q29:00IOWANichol 22-yard field goalIOWA 9–3
Q23:03IOWAHelverson 56-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 16–3
Q20:03IOWANichol 38-yard field goalIOWA 19–3
Q37:49IOWASmith 31-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 26–3
Q34:20IOWASmith 38-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 33–3
Q33:31IOWAHarmon 3-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 40–3

See also: 1984 Purdue Boilermakers football team

[9]

Chuck Long went 17-21 for 369 yards and 4 TD as Iowa won in West Lafayette for the first time since 1956, snapping a 12-game losing skid at Ross–Ade Stadium.[10]

Michigan

Michigan at #18 Iowa
1 234Total
Wolverines 0 000 0
• No. 18 Hawkeyes 6 3314 26
Scoring summary
Q10:24IOWAR. Harmon 3-yard run (Nichol kick failed)IOWA 6–0
Q26:24IOWATom Nichol 29-yard field goalIOWA 9–0
Q311:02IOWATom Nichol 46-yard field goalIOWA 12–0
Q413:47IOWAO. Gill 10-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 19–0
Q43:47IOWAChuck Long 2-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 26–0

See also: 1984 Michigan Wolverines football team

The Hawkeyes' 26–0 shutout of the Wolverines would end up being Bo Schembechler's worst loss in 21 years as head coach at Michigan. [11] [12]

At Indiana

#17 Iowa at Indiana
1 234Total
• No. 17 Hawkeyes 7 7100 24
Hoosiers 7 706 20
Scoring summary
Q1IOWAR. Harmon 35-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 7–0
Q1INDLilja 2-yard pass from Bradley (Rogers kick)Tied 7–7
Q2IOWAHayes 5-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 14–7
Q2INDKenebrew 10-yard pass from Bradley (Rogers kick)Tied 14–14
Q3IOWAHappel 16-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 21–14
Q3IOWANichol 36-yard field goalIOWA 24–14
Q4INDCook 7-yard pass from Bradley (pass failed)IOWA 24–20

See also: 1984 Indiana Hoosiers football team

Chuck Long set an NCAA record by completing 22 consecutive passes[13] (record stood until 1998[14]) and tossed two touchdowns, and Ronnie Harmon ran for 160 yards and a touchdown in the victory over Indiana. Iowa sat atop the Big Ten standings after beating the Hoosiers, but would not win another conference game in 1984.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin at #17 Iowa
1 234Total
Badgers 10 000 10
No. 17 Hawkeyes 0 037 10
  • Date: November 3
  • Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
  • Game start: 11:10 a.m. EST
  • Elapsed time: 3:10
  • Game attendance: 66,255
  • Game weather: ~55 °F (13 °C), Clear and sunny, Wind SSW 15–20 mph (24–32 km/h)
  • Referee: Jim Kemerling
Scoring summary
Q18:59WISGregoire 25-yard field goalWIS 3–0
Q16:41WISHarrison 1-yard run (Gregoire kick)WIS 10–0
Q38:00IOWANichol 26-yard field goalWIS 10–3
Q411:54IOWALong 1-yard run (Nichol kick)TIE 10–10

See also: 1984 Wisconsin Badgers football team and Iowa–Wisconsin football rivalry

[15]

Michigan State

Michigan State at #18 Iowa
1 234Total
• Spartans 7 730 17
No. 18 Hawkeyes 3 0013 16
  • Date: November 10
  • Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
  • Game start: 1:10 p.m. CST
  • Elapsed time: 3:00
  • Game attendance: 65,887
  • Game weather: ~42 °F (6 °C), Cloudy, possible rain and snow, Wind N 10–20 mph (16–32 km/h)
  • Referee: Otho Kortz
Scoring summary
Q17:29IOWANichol 24-yard field goalIOWA 3–0
Q11:55MSUL. White 2-yard run (Mojsiejenko kick)MSU 7–3
Q25:20MSURolle 7-yard pass from Yarema (Mojsiejenko kick)MSU 14–3
Q32:23MSUMojsiejenko 24-yard field goalMSU 17–3
Q49:18IOWAO. Gill 2-yard run (Nichol kick)MSU 17-10
Q40:44IOWAHayes 3-yard pass from Long (Long run failed)MSU 17–16

See also: 1984 Michigan State Spartans football team

[16]

At Minnesota

Iowa at Minnesota
1 234Total
Hawkeyes 0 773 17
• Golden Gophers 0 7313 23
Scoring summary
Q214:55IOWAO. Gill 11-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 7–0
Q25:00MINNStarks 1-yard pass from Foggie (Lohmiller kick)Tied 7–7
Q313:00IOWABill Happel 95-yard punt return (Nichol kick)IOWA 14–7
Q30:57MINNLohmiller 40-yard field goalIOWA 14–10
Q412:59MINNLohmiller 36-yard field goalIOWA 14–13
Q46:25IOWATom Nichol 25-yard field goalIOWA 17–13
Q44:17MINNGary Couch 14-yard run (Lohmiller kick)MINN 20–17
Q40:56MINNLohmiller 34-yard field goalMINN 23–17

See also: 1984 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team and Iowa–Minnesota football rivalry

[17]

At Hawaii

Iowa at Hawaii
1 234Total
• Hawkeyes 3 0014 17
Rainbow Warriors 0 600 6
Scoring summary
Q1IOWANichol 41-yard field goalIOWA 3–0
Q2HAWSpelman 24-yard field goalTied 3-3
Q2HAWSpelman 42-yard field goalHAWAII 6-3
Q4IOWAHayes 3-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 10–6
Q42:31IOWAHelverson 8-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 17–6

See also: Hawaii Rainbows football

[18]

Vs. Texas (Freedom Bowl)

#19 Texas vs. Iowa
1 234Total
No. 19 Longhorns 0 1700 17
• Hawkeyes 14 10310 55
         
Scoring summary
19:15IOWAHayes 6-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 7–0
3:27IowaFlagg 11-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 14–0
213:35TexasBryant 11-yard pass from Dodge (Ward kick)IOWA 14–7
10:14IOWABush 1-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 21–7
5:34TexasHarris 1-yard pass from Dodge (Ward kick)IOWA 21–14
2:23TexasWard 46-yard FGIOWA 21–17
0:00IOWANichol 27-yard FGIOWA 24–17
313:03IOWANichol 35-yard FGIOWA 27–17
12:05IOWAHappel 33-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 34–17
7:09IOWASmith 49-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 41–17
4:53IOWAHelverson 4-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 48–17
2:19IOWAHayes 15-yard pass from Long (Nichol kick)IOWA 55–17

Main article: 1984 Freedom Bowl

See also: 1984 Texas Longhorns football team

Chuck Long 29–39, 461 yards, 6 TD [19]

[20]

Postseason awards

See also: 1984 College Football All-America Team and 1984 All-Big Ten Conference football team

Team players in the 1985 NFL Draft

Main article: 1985 NFL Draft
Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Jonathan Hayes Tight end 2 41 Kansas City Chiefs
Owen Gill Running back 2 53 Seattle Seahawks
George Little Defensive tackle 3 65 Miami Dolphins
Dave Strobel Linebacker 8 211 Cincinnati Bengals

[21]

References

  1. ^ "1984 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results". sports-reference.com. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  2. ^ "Iowa 1984 AP Football Rankings". collegepollarchive.com. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
  3. ^ McCallum, Jack (September 8, 1984). "6. Iowa". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  4. ^ "Long bombards Iowa State". The Pantagraph. September 9, 1984. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  5. ^ "Penn State takes air out of Iowa". Chicago Tribune. September 16, 1984. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  6. ^ "IOWA IS DEFEATED BY OHIO STATE, 45-26". The New York Times. September 23, 1984. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  7. ^ "Iowa halts Illini's Big Ten streak". The Pantagraph. September 30, 1984. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  8. ^ "Iowa crushes Northwestern". The Pantagraph. October 7, 1984. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  9. ^ "AT IOWA, HARMON MAKES OFFENSE GO". The New York Times. October 10, 1984. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  10. ^ "Iowa, Long destroy Purdue jinx". Chicago Tribune. October 14, 1984. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  11. ^ "IOWA DEALS SCHEMBECHLER WORST DEFEAT". The New York Times. October 20, 1984. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  12. ^ "No. 18 Iowa Gives Michigan Worst Loss in 16 Years, 26-0". Washington Post. October 20, 1984. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  13. ^ "Long powers Iowa". Chicago Tribune. October 28, 1984. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  14. ^ "Martin Turns Tennessee Rout Into Tee Party". Los Angeles Times. November 1, 1998. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  15. ^ "HARMON INJURED AS IOWA TIES". The New York Times. November 4, 1984. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  16. ^ "OHIO ST. GRABS BIG TEN LEAD". The New York Times. November 11, 1984. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  17. ^ "Minnesota Shocks Iowa". Chicago Tribune. November 18, 1984. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  18. ^ "Long, Iowa rally to down Hawaii". The Pantagraph. December 2, 1984. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  19. ^ Iowa Hawkeyes Official Athletic Site
  20. ^ "Long Sets Records As Iowa Triumphs". The New York Times. December 27, 1984. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  21. ^ "1985 NFL Draft". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
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