2003 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa
during the 2003 college football season
. Following a 2002 season
that saw the Hawkeyes finish 11-2 with a Big Ten championship, expectations for a third straight post-season game
were well warranted. With four offensive
starters and seven defensive
starters returning from the 2002 season, the Hawkeyes looked to be a primarily defensive team going into the season.
The Hawkeyes opened the season strong, winning games over Miami
, , and en route to a 4-0 record. Undefeated and ranked ninth in the country, the Hawkeyes headed into East Lansing
, Michigan
for their Big Ten
opener. Playing a Michigan State Spartans
team that had just beaten Notre Dame
a week earlier, the Hawkeyes turned the ball over four times and committed ten penalties in a 20–10 loss. However, with Michigan
next up on the schedule, things would get no easier for the Hawkeyes. Before the game, Michigan held a 37-9-4 lead in the series between the two teams.
Down by 14 in the first quarter for the second straight game, the Hawkeyes came back to take a 30–20 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Michigan threatened the Iowa lead late, but the Hawkeyes held on for the 30–27 victory. After the victory, Iowa lost on the road to Ohio State
, but followed with home wins over and Penn State
. With a loss to Purdue
, Iowa's record was 7-3 with two regular season games remaining. Playing against Minnesota and the Big Ten
's top-ranked offense, the Hawkeyes scored 33 points before the Gophers scored a touchdown
.
Following the 40–22 victory, the Hawkeyes fell behind unranked Wisconsin
21–7 during the second quarter. Needing a pass deflection in the end zone
by Sean Considine
with no time remaining, the Hawkeyes scored 20 straight points and escaped with a 27–21 win and a 9-3 regular season record. Playing in the 2004 Outback Bowl
on January 1, 2004, the Hawkeyes won their first game in the state of Florida
with a 37–17 victory over the Florida Gators
. The win was also Iowa's first in the month of January since 1959.
Brad Banks
, who finished second in the Heisman
voting, and the Hawkeye rushing defense, which finished fifth-best in the country, Iowa finished 11-2 and shared the Big Ten championship with undefeated Ohio State
. Despite losses to Iowa State and Southern California, the Hawkeyes finished with an 8-0 conference record that included wins over Michigan and Penn State. Iowa's lopsided 34–9 victory over Michigan in Ann Arbor
was Michigan's worst home loss since 1967. The eleven wins are, to date, an Iowa record for wins in a single season.
, February 5, 2003, the Hawkeyes signed 22 players on football scholarships
.
as the 25th-ranked team before their first game against Miami University
.
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
during the 2003 college football season
2003 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with an abundance of controversy, resulting in a split national championship. This was the first split title since the inception of the BCS, something the BCS intended to eliminate....
. Following a 2002 season
2002 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2002 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa during the 2002 college football season. The Hawkeyes played their home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa and were coached by Kirk Ferentz....
that saw the Hawkeyes finish 11-2 with a Big Ten championship, expectations for a third straight post-season game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
were well warranted. With four offensive
Offense (sports)
In sports, offense or offence , also known as attack, is the action of attacking or engaging an opposing team with the objective of scoring points or goals...
starters and seven defensive
Defense (sport)
In many team sports, defense or defence is the action of preventing an opponent from scoring. The term may also refer to the tactics involved in defense, or a sub-team whose primary responsibility is defense...
starters returning from the 2002 season, the Hawkeyes looked to be a primarily defensive team going into the season.
The Hawkeyes opened the season strong, winning games over Miami
2003 Miami RedHawks football team
The 2003 Miami RedHawks football team represented Miami University in the college football season of 2003. They competed in the Mid-American Conference East Division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season...
, , and en route to a 4-0 record. Undefeated and ranked ninth in the country, the Hawkeyes headed into East Lansing
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
for their Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
opener. Playing a Michigan State Spartans
2003 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2003 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 2003-2004 college football season.The Spartans play their home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. This was the first year for head coach John L...
team that had just beaten Notre Dame
2003 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2003 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was the college football team that represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tyrone Willingham and played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Irish...
a week earlier, the Hawkeyes turned the ball over four times and committed ten penalties in a 20–10 loss. However, with Michigan
2003 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2003 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2003 college football season. The team's head coach was Lloyd Carr. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium. The team won the first of its back to back Big Ten Championships...
next up on the schedule, things would get no easier for the Hawkeyes. Before the game, Michigan held a 37-9-4 lead in the series between the two teams.
Down by 14 in the first quarter for the second straight game, the Hawkeyes came back to take a 30–20 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Michigan threatened the Iowa lead late, but the Hawkeyes held on for the 30–27 victory. After the victory, Iowa lost on the road to Ohio State
2003 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2003 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2003-2004. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium. Ohio State finished the season with a record of 11-2 and placed second in the...
, but followed with home wins over and Penn State
2003 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2003 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2003 college football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno...
. With a loss to Purdue
2003 Purdue Boilermakers football team
The 2003 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 2003 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Tiller and played its home games at Ross-Ade Stadium...
, Iowa's record was 7-3 with two regular season games remaining. Playing against Minnesota and the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
's top-ranked offense, the Hawkeyes scored 33 points before the Gophers scored a touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
.
Following the 40–22 victory, the Hawkeyes fell behind unranked Wisconsin
2003 Wisconsin Badgers football team
The 2003 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison during the 2003 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Barry Alvarez, the Badgers completed the season with a 7–6 record, including a 4–4 mark in the Big Ten Conference, finishing in a tie for 7th in the...
21–7 during the second quarter. Needing a pass deflection in the end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
by Sean Considine
Sean Considine
Sean Considine is an American football safety for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football at Iowa, starting as a walk-on before earning a scholarship in his sophomore year....
with no time remaining, the Hawkeyes scored 20 straight points and escaped with a 27–21 win and a 9-3 regular season record. Playing in the 2004 Outback Bowl
2004 Outback Bowl
The 2004 Outback Bowl featured the Florida Gators, and the Iowa Hawkeyes.Florida appeared to come out of the gates swinging, with quarterback Chris Leak throwing a 70-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kelvin Kight to take an early 7-0 lead. Iowa got on the board following a 3 yard touchdown pass...
on January 1, 2004, the Hawkeyes won their first game in the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
with a 37–17 victory over the Florida Gators
2003 Florida Gators football team
The 2003 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2003 college football season...
. The win was also Iowa's first in the month of January since 1959.
Previous season
Behind strong performances by quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Brad Banks
Brad Banks
Brad Banks is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was originally signed by the Washington Redskins...
, who finished second in the Heisman
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
voting, and the Hawkeye rushing defense, which finished fifth-best in the country, Iowa finished 11-2 and shared the Big Ten championship with undefeated Ohio State
2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was the national champion of the 2002 college football season. The team was the first in Division I-A history to finish its season at 14–0, and the second to win 14 games, following BYU's 14–1 season in 1996...
. Despite losses to Iowa State and Southern California, the Hawkeyes finished with an 8-0 conference record that included wins over Michigan and Penn State. Iowa's lopsided 34–9 victory over Michigan in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
was Michigan's worst home loss since 1967. The eleven wins are, to date, an Iowa record for wins in a single season.
Recruiting class
On National Signing DayNational Signing Day
National Signing Day most commonly refers to a day in February, usually on the first Wednesday of that month, which is the first day that a high school senior can sign a binding National Letter of Intent for college football with a school that is a member of the NCAA, the main governing body for...
, February 5, 2003, the Hawkeyes signed 22 players on football scholarships
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
.
Rankings
Entering the season, Iowa was unranked by both major polls. However, the Hawkeyes would debut in the Coaches PollCoaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
as the 25th-ranked team before their first game against Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
.
Schedule
Team players in the NFL
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL Club |
| Robert Gallery Robert Gallery -Oakland Raiders:In 2004, he started 15 games at right tackle and gave up 3 sacks. In 2005, he started all 16 games at right tackle and gave up 3.5 sacks. The Raiders moved him to left tackle at the beginning of the 2006 preseason... |
Tackle | 1 | 2 | Oakland Raiders 2004 Oakland Raiders season The 2004 Oakland Raiders season was their 45th in the league. They improved upon their previous season's output of 4–12, instead winning five games. The team had a five game losing streak in the middle of the season and only won one game by a touchdown or more, a rematch with their Super Bowl... |
| Chad Greenway Chad Greenway Chad Greenway is an American football player who plays linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes from 2002 to 2005.... |
Linebacker | 1 | 17 | Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... |
| Bob Sanders Bob Sanders Demond "Bob" Sanders is a professional American football safety who is currently on the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League. Sanders was drafted in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts... |
Free Safety | 2 | 44 | Indianapolis Colts 2004 Indianapolis Colts season The 2004 Indianapolis Colts season was the 52nd season for the team in the National Football League and 21st in Indianapolis. The 2004 Colts season began with the team trying to maintain or improve on their 12–4 record from 2003, and advance farther into the playoffs... |
| Matt Roth Matt Roth Matthew M. Roth is an American football defensive end and outside linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft... |
Defensive End | 2 | 46 | Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Jonathan Babineaux Jonathan Babineaux Jonathan Joel Babineaux is an NFL defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted with the 59th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.-High school career:... |
Defensive Tackle | 2 | 59 | Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Nate Kaeding Nate Kaeding Nathaniel James Kaeding is an American football placekicker who plays for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft in the 3rd round with a pick acquired from the Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade. He played college football at Iowa... |
Kicker | 3 | 65 | San Diego Chargers 2004 San Diego Chargers season The 2004 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 4–12 record in 2003. They finished the campaign 1st in their division and made the playoffs for the first time in nine years. In the playoffs they lost in overtime to the New York Jets... |
| Abdul Hodge Abdul Hodge Abdul Raheeda Hodge is an American football linebacker and a member of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft... |
Linebacker | 3 | 67 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
| Sean Considine Sean Considine Sean Considine is an American football safety for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football at Iowa, starting as a walk-on before earning a scholarship in his sophomore year.... |
Strong Safety | 4 | 102 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Scott Chandler | Tight End | 4 | 129 | San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
| Jared Clauss Jared Clauss Jared Clauss is an American football defensive tackle for Team Michigan of the All American Football League. He was originally drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He played college football at Iowa.Clauss attended Valley High School in West Des Moines,... |
Defensive Tackle | 7 | 230 | Tennessee Titans 2004 Tennessee Titans season The 2004 Tennessee Titans season was the 45th season the team was with the league. The team attempted to improve upon their previous output of 12–4, but was only able to win five games in 2004 and missed the playoffs.-Staff:-Schedule:-References:... |
| Erik Jensen | Tight End | 7 | 237 | St. Louis Rams 2004 St. Louis Rams season The 2004 St. Louis Rams season was the team's 67th year with the National Football League and the 10th season in St. Louis.-Schedule:-Playoffs:... |