[NU Sports] FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL: Day 34

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

I can hear the ESPN college football theme music already ... my vocal chords are warming up for a fresh round of "SHUT UP, CORSO!" chants.

FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL
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> DAYS 1-10: The top coaches of the decade

10) Glen Mason, Minnesota
09) Bret Bielema, Wisconsin
08) Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
07) Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
06) Randy Walker, Northwestern
05) Lloyd Carr, Michigan
04) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
03) Joe Tiller, Purdue
02) Joe Paterno, Penn State
01) Jim Tressel, Ohio State

> DAYS 11-20: The top games of the decade

10) 2000: Purdue 32, Michigan 31
09) 2001: Michigan State 26, Michigan 24
08) 2005: Michigan 27, Penn State 25
07) 2003: Minnesota 37, Wisconsin 34
06) 2004: Northwestern 33, Ohio State 27 (OT)
05) 2008: Penn State 13, Ohio State 6
04) 2009: Ohio State 27, Iowa 24 (OT)
03) 2002: Ohio State 10, Purdue 6
02) 2000: Northwestern 54, Michigan 51
01) 2006: Ohio State 42, Michigan 39

> DAYS 21-30: The top players of the decade

10) Laurence Maroney/Marion Barber, Minnesota
09) Antwaan Randle El, Indiana
08) Jamar Fletcher, Wisconsin
07) Dallas Clark, Iowa
06) Troy Smith, Ohio State
05) Damien Anderson, Northwestern
04) Braylon Edwards, Michigan
03) Chris Gamble, Ohio State
02) Larry Johnson, Penn State
01) Drew Brees, Purdue

> DAYS 31-40: The top teams of the decade

10) 2003 Michigan Wolverines
09) 2002 Iowa Hawkeyes
08) 2006 Wisconsin Badgers

Just one rule for this list: No more than three teams from one school (so it wouldn't just be a list of Buckeye teams :) ).

TOP TEAMS
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07) 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes

- Record: 11-2
- Quality Wins: vs. Arizona, @ #4 Penn State, @ Wisconsin, vs. #9 GaTech
- Bad Losses: vs. Northwestern
- Average margin of victory: 10.1 points
- Bowl result: Beat #9 Georgia 24-14 in the Orange Bowl

Kirk Ferentz' best team of the decade was his most recent one - which is probably bad news for others in the conference as we prepare for 2010. Last year's Hawkeyes combined the regular season run of the 2002 team with the bowl triumph of the 2004 squad for one of the more satisfying season for bumblebee fans everywhere.

Iowa began the season barely in the top 25, mostly thanks to being the lone Big Ten bowl victor the prior season. But an opening day scare - where the special teams had to block not one but TWO field goals as time expired - dropped the Hawkeyes off the national radar for a couple weeks.

After trouncing rival Iowa State and getting a solid win over Arizona, Iowa traveled to Penn State for a showdown with the #4 Nittany Lions. PSU had lost their perfect season the prior year at Iowa City and Kirk Ferentz had been a thorn in JoePa's side for years, so the Lions had this game circled in red and a white-out was in full effect. The Nits jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead, but then Iowa would show why its defense and special teams were true stars for the entire team during the 2009 season. A blocked punt was all the opening they needed as Adrian Clayborn ran it back 50 yards for a touchdown that would give the Hawks a lead they would never relinquish. When the final gun sounded, Beaver Stadium was stunned at how dominated they had just been by Iowa.

The win helped Iowa surge into the top 20, but they almost gave it back with a narrow win over Arkasas State. However, they then faced Michigan in a prime time game in Kinnick Stadium. The Wolverines certainly weren't what they used to be in the league, but a win over Big Blue still makes a year memorable and gets you some publicity. The Hawkeyes won a wild shootout when their defense intercepted their fifth turnover of the day and Iowa squeaked by, 30-28.

A sound 20-10 win in Madison over the rival Badgers put the Hawkeyes in the top 10 nationally as they prepared for yet another game under the lights in East Lansing. The Spartans and Hawks engaged in a nail-biting defensive struggle for three and a half quarters as the score was just 9-6 in the final minutes when MSU scored the go-ahead touchdown with just over 90 seconds remaining. But Ricky Stanzi led a magnificent late drive that saw Iowa score with two seconds remaining on fourth down to go to a school-bst 8-0 record. It was starting to feel like Iowa was a team of destiny, and they kept the thrilling finishes coming with four scores in the final quarter to rally against Indiana and win 42-28 the next week.

Iowa was now #4 in the nation and set up for a showdown with Ohio State in two weeks, but first they had to take care of pesky Northwestern in Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but when Stanzi was sacked in the end zone and injured the game changed. The Cats dominated the rest of the game and came away with their third straight win over Iowa (and fourth in the past five games), 17-10.

The dream season and shot at the national title may have been gone, but there were still Roses on the line in Columbus when Iowa and OSU finally met. In one of his more impressive coaching jobs, Ferentz rallied his team around a freshman quarterback to overcome the NU heartbreak and tie the Buckeyes time and again in the fourth quarter. Iowa eventually fell in overtime, but it was one of those cases where they earned respect in defeat.

Following an ugly season-ending win for the pig against Minnesota, Iowa headed to the place where their 2002 dream season ended, the Orange Bowl. They were underdogs to #9 Georgia Tech, but this was no Carson Palmer-led juggernaut and the Hawkeyes came out and dominated en route to a 24-14 win to cap about as good of a season you can have without playing in Pasadena.

Coming Sunday: Finally, coming up Roses

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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