Pop quiz; 20 questions to test your knowledge about Iowa’s bowl history
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa football team will make its 34th bowl appearance when it faces Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Day in Orlando, Florida.
Iowa made its first appearance in a bowl game in the 1957 Rose Bowl where it crushed Oregon State 35-19, and made its most recent appearance in the 2019 Holiday Bowl where it pounded the University of Southern California 49-22 in San Diego.
Iowa was scheduled to play Missouri in the 2020 Music City Bowl, but the game was cancelled due to Covid-19 health concerns within the Missouri program.
As a way to help prepare for Iowa’s matchup with Kentucky, here is a pop quiz with 20 questions about Iowa’s bowl history.
Of course, it would be easy to cheat by using the Internet to help answer the questions.
But what fun would that be?
Instead, challenge yourself to see just how much you know about Iowa’s bowl history. Have fun with it because it’s not like you’re being graded.
- Who scored the only points for Iowa in its 37-3 loss to California in the 1993 Alamo Bowl?
2. Who scored Iowa’s first and last touchdowns in a bowl game?
3. Which one of these four players scored Iowa’s only touchdown in the 17-7 loss to Arizona State in the 1997 Sun Bowl?
A. Kyle Trippeer
b. Damon Gibson
C. Ricchard Carter
D. Rob Thein
4. Which one of these four Iowa players set an Alamo Bowl record for most receiving yards in the game?
A. C.J. Jones
B. Dallas Clark
C. Kahlil Hill
D. Andy Brodell
5. Iowa finished with 200 yards in its 27-20 victory over Boston College in the 2017 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. What is significant about that total?
6. How many touchdowns did Tim Dwight score in the three bowl games in which he participated as a Hawkeye?
7. Which former Hawkeye intercepted Ty Detmer’s pass in the final seconds to secure a 13-13 tie against Brigham Young in the 1991 Holiday Bowl?
A. Jason Olejniczak
B. Teddy Jo Faley
C. Carlos James
D. Eddie Polly
8. True or false; Iowa combined to rush for more than 750 yards in its first two Rose Bowl appearances?
9. Jacque Robinson rushed for 142 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead Washington to a 28-0 victory over Iowa in the 1982 Rose Bowl. He is also known for being the…
A. Cousin of Smokey Robinson
B. Younger brother of baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson
C. Nephew of Jackie Robinson
D. Father of former NBA player and slam dunk champion Nate Robinson.
10. Six different players scored at least one touchdown for Iowa in its 55-17 victory over Texas in the 1984 Freedom Bowl. Name those six players.
11. Who scored Iowa’s first touchdown in the 20-19 victory over Wyoming in the 1987 Holiday Bowl?
12. True or false; Iowa lost a bowl game in which the opponent committed seven turnovers.
13. Which one of these four players scored more than one touchdown for Iowa in its 38-18 victory over Washington in the 1995 Sun Bowl?
A. Michael Burger
B. Sedrick Shaw
C. Tavian Banks
D. Matt Sherman
14. All-America running back Shonn Greene scored three of Iowa’s four touchdowns in the 31-10 victory over South Carolina in 2009 Outback Bowl. Who scored the other touchdown for Iowa?
15. The Norm Parker-led Iowa defense held Georgia Tech to how many passing yards in Iowa’s 24-14 victory in the 2010 Orang Bowl?
A. 17
B. 9
C. 12
D. 21
16. Iowa defeated San Diego State 39-38 in the 1986 Holiday Bowl on a last-second 41-yard field goal by Rob Houghtlin. Who made the key play to help set up the field goal?
17. True or false; The 23-degree temperate at kickoff for the 2017 Pinstripe Bowl is the coldest bowl game in which Iowa has played.
18. Who scored Iowa’s first touchdown in a non-Rose Bowl postseason game in school history?
19. Which Iowa players holds the record for most tackles for a loss in a bowl game?
A. Matt Roth
B. Sean Ridley
C. Howard Hodges
D. Alex Karras
20. Iowa has played bowl games in six different states. Name the six states.
Answers
- Iowa City native Brion Hurley made a 42-yard field goal in the third quarter to help Iowa avoid being shutout in a bowl game for just the second time.
2. Quarterback Kenny Ploen scored Iowa’s first touchdown in a bowl game on a 49-yard run in the first quarter of the 1957 Rose Bowl against Oregon State, while linebacker Nick Niemann scored the most recent touchdown in a bowl game on a 25-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter against the University of Southern California in the 2019 Holiday Bowl.
3. C – Ricchard Carter scored on a 26-yard pass from Randy Reiners late in the fourth quarter.
4. D – Andy Brodell set the record in 2006 with 159 receiving yards and two touchdowns on six receptions.
5. It is Iowa’s lowest offensive total in a bowl game win in program history.
6. Zero
7. Detmer’s final pass was intercepted by cornerback Carlos James at the goal line.
8. False. But just barely as Iowa combined to rush for 731 yards in the 1957 and 1959 Rose Bowls, including a Rose Bowl record 429 yards in 1957.
9. D
10. Jonathan Hayes, Mike Flagg, Pete Bush, Bill Happel, Robert Smith and Scott Helverson.
11. Iowa was trailing 12-0 in the second quarter when Jay Hess returned a blocked punt 10 yards for a touchdown.
12. True – North Carolina State overcame seven turnovers, including five fumbles, to defeat Iowa 28-23 in the 1988 Peach Bowl. Iowa also committed seven turnovers in the game, including four interceptions.
13. A – Fullback Michael Burger scored on touchdown runs of 8 and 1 yard in the 1995 Sun Bowl.
14. Receiver Trey Stross scored Iowa’s first touchdown in the 2009 Outback Bowl on a 6-yard pass from Ricky Stanzi in the first quarter.
15. C-12
16. With Iowa trailing 38-36, and with less than one minute to play, Kevin Harmon returned a kick to the San Diego State 37-yard line. Rob Houghtlin made the game-winning field goal four plays later.
17. False – The wind chill in Jacksonville, Florida at game time for the 1983 Gator Bowl between Iowa and Florida was a minus-13 degrees.
18. Receiver Dave Moritz scored the first of Iowa’s four touchdowns in a 28-22 victory over Tennessee in the 1982 Peach Bowl on a 57-yard pass from Chuck Long.
19. B – Defensive end Sean Ridley set the record with seven tackles for loss in the 1987 Holiday Bowl against Wyoming.
20. California, Georgia, Florida, Texas, Arizona and New York.