The 1997 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

as a member of the

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference, among others) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Fa ...

during the

1997 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in ...

. Led by 19th-year head coach Hayden Fry, the Hawkeyes compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, tying for sixth place in the Big Ten. Iowa was invited to the

Sun Bowl The Sun Bowl is a college football bowl game that has been played since 1935 in the southwestern United States at El Paso, Texas. Along with the Sugar Bowl and Orange Bowl, it is the second-oldest bowl game in the country, behind the Rose Bowl. ...

, where the Hawkeyes lost to Arizona State. The team played home games at

Kinnick Stadium Kinnick Stadium is a stadium located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Iowa Hawkeyes football, Hawkeyes football team. Opened in 1929 as Iowa Stadium to replace Iowa Field, it currently holds u ...

Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City is the largest city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. At the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population was 74,828, making it the state's List of cities in Iowa, fifth-most populous c ...

Schedule

Rankings

Game summaries

Northern Iowa

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Box score and Game recap
The Hawkeyes dominated on both sides of the ball as they gave the crowd an opening-game victory.

Tulsa

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Avenging an upset loss from the previous season, the Hawkeyes rolled up over 600 yards of total offense for the second time in as many games. Senior running back Tavian Banks rushed for a school record 314 yards and a school record-tying 4 touchdowns.

Iowa State

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Box score
The Hawkeyes won against the rival Cyclones for the 15th consecutive year.

Tavian Banks Tavian Remond Banks (born February 17, 1974) is an American former professional football player who played as a running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes, ...

had four rushing touchdowns for the second week in a row and Tim Dwight hauled in three touchdown receptions as the Hawkeyes rolled up 575 yards of total offense.

Illinois

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Box score and Game recap
Tavian Banks ran for two more touchdowns to push his total to 12 rushing touchdowns after 4 games. Tony Collins also scored twice, the first on a 61-yard punt return and the other on a 16-yard pass from Matt Sherman.

Ohio State

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College GameDay was in Columbus for this matchup.

Michigan

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Box score and Game recap
Playing their second straight game against a Top 10 team on the road, the Hawkeyes put together a very strong first half. On the final play before the break, Michigan punted to All-American Tim Dwight who took it 61 yards to the house for a 21-7 halftime lead. The Wolverines clamped down in the second half, outscoring Iowa 21–3. Michigan would go on to finish 12-0 and claim the AP National Championship.

Indiana

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The Hawkeyes scored 60+ points for the third time of the 1997 season. The win was highlighted by an electrifying 92-yard punt return for a TD by Tim Dwight. Dwight also caught a 29-yard touchdown from Randy Reiners, who was making his first start at QB, and threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Damon Gibson. The defense did plenty as well. In addition to pitching a shutout, Matt Bowen and J.P. Lange each added long interception returns for touchdowns.

Purdue

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Box score

Wisconsin

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Box score
The Badgers defeated the Hawkeyes for the first time since the 1976 season.

Northwestern

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Box score

-> Four missed field goals plagued the Hawkeyes in a road loss to Northwestern.

Minnesota

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Box score
After consecutive disappointing road losses, the Hawkeyes returned to Kinnick Stadium and closed the regular season with a decisive win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Senior Day. Late in the 3rd Quarter, Tim Dwight returned a punt 44 yards for a touchdown, giving him the Big Ten record for punt return touchdowns in a career (the record stood until 2006). The Iowa defense posted its third shutout in six home games during the 1997 season.

Vs. No. 17 Arizona State (Sun Bowl)

Roster

Postseason awards

* Tim Dwight: consensus first-team All-American (All-purpose / kick returners) and 7th in Heisman Trophy voting. * Jared DeVries: Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year

Team players in the 1998 NFL draft

References

{{Iowa Hawkeyes football navbox

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

Iowa Hawkeyes football seasons

Iowa Hawkeyes football The Iowa Hawkeyes football program represents the University of Iowa in college football. The Hawkeyes compete in the Big Ten Conference. Iowa joined the Conference (then known as the Western Conference or Big Nine) in 1899 and played their first ...