1979 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

1979 Iowa Hawkeyes football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	5–6 (4–4 Big Ten)
Head coach	Hayden Fry (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Bill Snyder (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Bill Brashier (1st season)
MVP	Dennis Mosley
Captain	5 Jim Molini Mario Pace Sam Palladino Cedric Shaw Jim Swift
Home stadium	Kinnick Stadium
Seasons ← 1978 1980 →

1979 Big Ten Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 4 Ohio State $	8	–	0	–	0			11	–	1	–	0
No. 10 Purdue	7	–	1	–	0			10	–	2	–	0
No. 18 Michigan	6	–	2	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
No. 19 Indiana	5	–	3	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
Iowa	4	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Minnesota	3	–	5	–	1			4	–	6	–	1
Michigan State	3	–	5	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Wisconsin	3	–	5	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Illinois	1	–	6	–	1			2	–	8	–	1
Northwestern	0	–	9	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1979 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the 1979 Big Ten Conference football season. It was the first season for new head coach Hayden Fry, who arrived in Iowa City after spending the previous six years at North Texas State.^[1]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance
September 8	Indiana	Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa	L 26–30	59,700
September 15	at No. 3 Oklahoma*	Memorial Stadium Norman, Oklahoma	L 6–21	72,531
September 22	No. 7 Nebraska*	Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa	L 21–24	60,055
September 29	Iowa State*	Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa (Cy-Hawk Trophy)	W 30–14	60,100
October 6	at Illinois	Memorial Stadium Champaign, Illinois	W 13–7	51,044
October 13	at Northwestern	Dyche Stadium Evanston, Illinois	W 58–6	27,224
October 20	Minnesota	Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa (Floyd of Rosedale)	L 7–24	60,050
October 27	at Wisconsin	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, Wisconsin	W 24–13	79,026
November 3	Purdue	Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa	L 14–20	59,940
November 10	at No. 3 Ohio State	Ohio Stadium Columbus, Ohio	L 7–34	87,835
November 17	Michigan State	Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa	W 33–23	58,320
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[2]

Roster

1979 Iowa Hawkeyes football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class RB 28 Phil Blatcher So QB 11 Gordy Bohannan Jr WR 88 Mike Brady Sr WR Keith Chappelle Jr QB 12 Pete Gales So G 76 Ron Hallstrom So C 54 Jay Hilgenberg Jr FB Dean McKillip RB   Rod Morton Sr RB 18 Dennis Mosley Sr WR 83 Lon Olejniczak Fr WR 87 Brad Reid Sr QB 16 Phil Suess Jr TE   Jim Swift Sr	Defense Pos. # Name Class DL 63 Mark Bortz Fr     Kent Ellis DB 10 Jim Frazier So DB 43 Lou King So CB Mario Pace DB 20 Cedric Shaw DB 41 Bob Stoops Fr DE 99 Andre Tippett So LB 42 Leven Weiss	Special teams Pos. # Name Class P   Dave Holsclaw P/K 7 Reggie Roby Fr K   Scott Schilling	Head coach Hayden Fry Coordinators/assistant coaches Bill Snyder – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Bill Brashier – Defensive Coordinator 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 Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

Game summaries

Indiana

Indiana at Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total • Hoosiers 0 3 7 20 30 Hawkeyes 13 13 0 0 26 Date: September 8 Location: Kinnick Stadium Game attendance: 59,780 Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary Q1 IOWA Mosley 23-yard run (kick failed) IOWA 6–0 Q1 IOWA Mosley 5-yard run (Schilling kick) IOWA 13–0 Q2 Indiana Straub 29-yard field goal IOWA 13–3 Q2 IOWA Mosley 5-yard pass from Suess (Schilling kick) IOWA 20–3 Q2 3:06 IOWA Mosley 1-yard run (pass failed) IOWA 26–3 Q3 Indiana Johnson 51-yard pass from Clifford (Straub kick) IOWA 26–10 Q4 Indiana Johnson 1-yard run (pass failed) IOWA 26–16 Q4 Indiana Clifford 1-yard run (Straub kick) IOWA 26–23 Q4 0:58 Indiana Johnson 66-yard pass from Clifford (Straub kick) Indiana 30–26

On October 22, 2016, former Indiana University coach and current ESPN College Football analyst Lee Corso described the game on College Gameday. He said at halftime he told the Hoosiers (who were losing the game 26-3) to not bother coming out for the 2nd half unless they were prepared to win the game. Indiana would then go on to win the game, 30-26, spoiling the debut of head coach Hayden Fry. ^[3]

Game statistics[3]	INDIANA	IOWA
First downs	25	22
Total yards	479	389
Passing yards	316	227
Rushing yards	143	162
Penalties	6–53	8–87
Turnovers	3	3

At Oklahoma

Iowa at #3 Oklahoma

1 2 3 4 Total Hawkeyes 6 0 0 0 6 • #3 Sooners 0 7 0 14 21 Date: September 15 Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma Game attendance: 71,187 Source: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary 1 3:30 IOWA Dennis Mosley 10-yard pass from Phil Seuss (kick failed) IOWA 6-0 2 4:00 OU Billy Sims 1-yard run (John Hoge kick) OU 7-6 4 13:08 OU Billy Sims 3-yard run (John Hoge kick) OU 14-6 4 3:36 OU J.C. Watts 1-yard run (John Hoge kick) OU 21-6

^[4]

Game statistics[4]	OKLAHOMA	IOWA
First downs	23	12
Total yards	452	202
Passing yards	183	139
Rushing yards	269	63
Penalties	4–40	5–36
Turnovers	5	2

Nebraska

#7 Nebraska at Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total • #7 Cornhuskers 0 7 7 10 24 Hawkeyes 7 0 14 0 21 Date: September 22 Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa Game start: 1:05 p.m. CDT Elapsed time: 2:35 Game attendance: 60,055 Referee: Richard McVay Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary 1 11:51 IOWA McKillip 2-yard run (Reggie Roby kick) IOWA 7-0 2 2:12 NEB Quinn 1-yard run (Sukup kick) Tied 7-7 3 6:53 IOWA McKillip 2-yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 14-7 3 5:21 IOWA Chappelle 29-yard pass from Gales (Roby kick) IOWA 21-7 3 2:02 NEB Hager 4-yard run (Sukup kick) IOWA 21-14 4 11:02 NEB Johnson 5-yard run (Sukup kick) Tied 21-21 4 5:52 NEB Sukup 30-yard field goal NEB 24-21

For the second week in a row, the Hawkeyes faced a Big 8 opponent ranked in the top 10. Iowa led 21-14 at the end of the 3rd quarter, but Nebraska tied the game then recovered a fumble before kicking the winning field goal late.^[5]

Iowa State

Battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy

1 2 3 4 Total Cyclones 7 0 7 0 14 • Hawkeyes 7 7 7 9 30 Date: September 29 Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa Game start: 1:05 p.m. CDT Elapsed time: 2:55 Game attendance: 60,100 Referee: Gene Calhoun Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary 1 9:38 IOWA Mosley 1-yard run (Reggie Roby kick) IOWA 7-0 1 0:07 ISU Mack 1-yard run (Giffords kick) Tied 7-7 2 4:38 IOWA Mosley 9-yard pass from Gales (Roby kick) IOWA 14-7 3 11:12 IOWA Mosley 18-yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 21-7 3 8:48 ISU Less 26-yard interception return (Giffords kick) IOWA 21-14 4 6:46 IOWA McKillip 27-yard run (kick failed) IOWA 27-14 4 4:33 IOWA Roby 44-yard field goal IOWA 30-14

This game marked Hayden Fry's first win as head coach of the Hawkeyes.^[6]

Game statistics[6]	ISU	IOWA
First downs	14	30
Total yards	162	429
Passing yards	56	51
Rushing yards	106	378
Penalties	4–35	7–63
Turnovers	3	3

At Illinois

Iowa at Illinois

1 2 3 4 Total • Hawkeyes 0 6 7 0 13 Fighting Illini 0 7 0 0 7 Date: October 6 Location: Memorial Stadium Game attendance: 51,044

Scoring summary Q2 IOWA Roby 25 yard field goal IOWA 3–0 Q2 IOWA Roby 33 yard field goal IOWA 6–0 Q2 ILL Strader 4 yard pass from McCullough (Bostrom kick) ILL 7–6 Q3 IOWA McKillip 1 yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 13–7

^[7]

At Northwestern

Iowa at Northwestern

1 2 3 4 Total • Hawkeyes 7 28 0 23 58 Wildcats 0 0 0 6 6 Date: October 13 Location: Dyche Stadium Game attendance: 27,224 Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary Q1 IOWA Mosley 1-yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 7–0 Q2 IOWA Bohannon 5-yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 14–0 Q2 IOWA Chappelle 44-yard pass from Bohannon (Roby kick) IOWA 21–0 Q2 IOWA Burke 12-yard pass from Bohannon (Roby kick) IOWA 28–0 Q2 IOWA Bohannon 6-yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 35–0 Q4 IOWA McKillip 7-yard pass from Suess (Roby kick) IOWA 42–0 Q4 IOWA Mosley 1-yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 49–0 Q4 NW Bogan 69-yard pass from Kerrigan (pass failed) IOWA 49–6 Q4 IOWA Roby 27-yard field goal IOWA 52–6 Q4 IOWA Dunham 2-yard pass from Gales (kick failed) IOWA 58–6

• Gordy Bohannan, a junior college transfer, made his first career start

^[8]

Game statistics[8]	IOWA	NW
First downs	25	16
Total yards	509	320
Passing yards	145	202
Rushing yards	364	118
Penalties	3–35	4–52
Turnovers	0	8

Minnesota

Minnesota at Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total • Golden Gophers 10 0 14 0 24 Hawkeyes 0 7 0 0 7 Date: October 20 Location: Kinnick Stadium Game attendance: 60,050 Sources: Box Score and Game Story

^[9]

At Wisconsin

1 2 3 4 Total • Hawkeyes 0 14 0 10 24 Badgers 0 10 0 3 13 Date: October 27 Location: Camp Randall Stadium Game attendance: 79,026 Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary Q2 12:13 WIS Veith 27-yard field goal WIS 3–0 Q2 WIS Mohapp 15-yard run (Veith kick) WIS 10–0 Q2 IOWA Swift 6-yard pass from Suess (Roby kick) WIS 10–7 Q2 IOWA Brady 27-yard pass from Suess (Roby kick) IOWA 14–10 Q4 14:14 IOWA Roby 22-yard field goal IOWA 17–10 Q4 WIS Veith 37-yard field goal IOWA 17–13 Q4 IOWA Mosley 75-yard pass from Suess (Roby kick) IOWA 24–13

Dennis Mosley broke Ed Podolak's single-season rushing record and caught a 75-yard touchdown pass in the win over the Badgers.^[10]

Purdue

Purdue at Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total • Boilermakers 7 7 6 0 20 Hawkeyes 6 8 0 0 14 Date: November 3 Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa Game attendance: 59,940

Scoring summary 1 Purdue D. Young 3-yard pass from Herrmann (Seibel kick) Purdue 7-0 1 Iowa Mosley 1-yard run (kick failed) Purdue 7-6 2 Iowa McKillip 16-yard run (Reid pass from Mosley) Iowa 14-7 2 Purdue McCall 17-yard pass from Herrmann (Seibel kick) Tie 14-14 3 Purdue McCall 6-yard run (kick failed) Purdue 20-14

^[11]

At Ohio State

Iowa at Ohio State

1 2 3 4 Total Hawkeyes 0 0 0 7 7 • Buckeyes 13 14 0 7 34 Date: November 10 Location: Ohio Stadium Game start: 1:30 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 2:51 Game attendance: 87,835 Game weather: Cloudy; 41 °F (5 °C); wind 10–20 mph (16–32 km/h) NW

Scoring summary Q1 5:55 OHST Schlichter 1-yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 7–0 Q1 3:18 OHST Janakievski 35-yard field goal OHST 10–0 Q1 1:38 OHST Janakievski 29-yard field goal OHST 13–0 Q2 8:56 OHST Volley 1-yard run (Jankievski kick) OHST 20–0 Q2 6:40 OHST Donley 33-yard pass from Schlichter (Janakievski kick) OHST 27–0 Q4 12:16 OHST Spencer 1-yard run (Janakievski kick) OHST 34–0 Q4 4:07 IOWA Chappelle 40-yard pass from Gales (Roby kick) OHST 34–7

^[12]

Michigan State

Michigan State at Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total Spartans 6 10 0 7 23 • Hawkeyes 7 6 14 6 33 Date: November 17 Location: Kinnick Stadium Game attendance: 58,320 Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary Q1 IOWA Mosley 1-yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 7–0 Q1 MSU Morten Andersen 54-yard field goal IOWA 7–3 Q1 MSU Andersen 25-yard field goal IOWA 7–6 Q2 IOWA Mosley 1-yard run (run failed) IOWA 13–6 Q2 MSU Clark 1-yard run (Andersen kick) Tied 13–13 Q2 MSU Andersen 45-yard field goal MSU 16–13 Q3 IOWA Suess 7-yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 20–16 Q3 IOWA McKillip 18-yard run (Roby kick) IOWA 27–16 Q4 IOWA Mosley 5-yard run (pass failed) IOWA 33–16 Q4 MSU Hughes 1-yard run (Andersen kick) IOWA 33–23

^[13]

Game statistics[13]	MSU	IOWA
First downs	17	23
Total yards	395	444
Passing yards	244	204
Rushing yards	151	238
Penalties	3–28	1–20
Turnovers	2	3

Awards and honors

Team players in the 1980 NFL Draft

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL club
Dennis Mosley	RB	9	232	Minnesota Vikings
Jim Swift	OT	9	238	Seattle Seahawks

^[14]

References