1985 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1985 Iowa Hawkeyes football Big Ten Conference Big Ten 9 10 10–2 7–1 Hayden Fry 7th Bill Snyder 7th Bill Brashier 7th 13 playershttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/iowa/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/Factbook11.pdf University of Iowa Football 2011 Media Fact Book: IOWA MVPs The University of Iowa Athletic Communications 145 The University of Iowa Athletic Communications November 9, 2015 July 30, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160730233017/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/iowa/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/Factbook11.pdf dead Nate Creer Mike Haight Bill Happel Ronnie Harmon Scott Helverson Tom Humphrey Chuck Long George Millett Devon Mitchell Jay Norvell Kelly O'Brien Hap Peterson Larry Station Mike Haight Ronnie Harmon Chuck Long Hap Peterson Larry Stationhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/iowa/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/Factbook11.pdf University of Iowa Football 2011 Media Fact Book: IOWA Captains The University of Iowa Athletic Communications 146 The University of Iowa Athletic Communications November 9, 2015 July 30, 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160730233017/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/iowa/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/Factbook11.pdf dead Kinnick Stadium Big Ten champion Rose Bowl L 28–45 vs. UCLA The 1985 Iowa Hawkeyes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Iowa as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1985 Big Ten football season. In their seventh year under head coach Hayden Fry, the Hawkeyes compiled a 10–2 record (7–1 in conference games), won the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 304 to 184. They won the first seven games, including a 12–10 victory over No. 2 Michigan, and were ranked No. 1 in the AP poll until losing to No. 8 Ohio State. They finished the regular season as Big Ten champion, but lost to No. 13 UCLA in the 1986 Rose Bowl and were ranked No. 10 in the final AP poll and No. 9 in the final UPI poll.1985 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football May 22, 2025 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/iowa/1985-schedule.html2022 Iowa Football Media Guide 196, 242 University of Iowa https://storage.googleapis.com/hawkeyesports-prod/2022/07/b99ff33b-2022_ia_fb_media-guide-online-version.pdf May 22, 2025 Quarterback Chuck Long won the Davey O'Brien Award, Maxwell Award, and Chicago Tribune Silver Football, and finished second to Bo Jackson in the Heisman Trophy voting. Long and linebacker Larry Station were consensus first-team All-Americans. Eight Hawkeyes, including Long, Station, and running back Ronnie Harmon received first-team honors on the 1985 All-Big Ten Conference football team. The team played its home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Schedule 1985 AP Central September 14 w y 5 Drake Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA 58–0 66,135 September 15, 1985 Iowa bites 'Dogs, 58–0: 37-point quarter ruins Drake effort https://www.thegazette.com/2008/04/08/iowa-bites-dogs-58-0-37-point-quarter-ruins-drake-effort Cedar Rapids Gazette August 22, 2022 September 21 w y 4 Northern Illinois Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA 48–20 66,014 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sioux-city-journal-hawks-limit-foe-t/170622169/ The Sioux City Journal Hawks limit foe to 85 net yards September 22, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com September 28 w y y 3 Iowa State Cyclone Stadium Ames, IA rivalry ABC 57–3 53,202 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-hawks-humiliate-isu/170582980/ The Gazette Hawks humiliate ISU September 29, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com October 5 w y 1 Michigan State Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA CBS 35–31 66,044 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ann-arbor-news-spartans-scare-hawkey/170620795/ The Ann Arbor News Spartans scare Hawkeyes October 6, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com October 12 w y 1 Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI rivalry 23–13 79,023 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-dispatch-hawks-survive-late-badger-b/170601918/ The Dispatch Hawks survive late Badger bid October 13, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com October 19 w 1 Michigan 2 Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA CBS 12–10 66,350 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-houghtlins-dramat/170622279/ The Indianapolis Star Houghtlin's dramatic boot lifts Hawkeyes, 12–10 October 20, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com October 26 w y 1 Northwestern Dyche Stadium Evanston, IL 49–10 47,269 https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-long-rips-wildcat-defens/170600425/ Quad-City Times Long rips Wildcat defense October 27, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com November 2 l y 1 Ohio State 8 Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH CBS 13–22 90,467 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-nonpareil-no-1-hawkeyes-stunn/170621411/ The Daily Nonpareil No. 1 Hawkeyes stunned by inspired OSU, 22–13 November 3, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com November 9 w 6 Illinois Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA 59–0 66,120 https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-long-hawkeyes-m/170621938/ St. Louis Post-Dispatch Long, Hawkeyes make short work of Illini 59–0 November 10, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com November 16 w y 5 Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN CBS 27–24 57,762 https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-buckeyes-loss-puts-i/170619834/ Omaha World-Herald Buckeyes' loss puts Iowa in driver's seat November 17, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com November 23 w 3 Minnesota Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, IA rivalry TBS 31–9 66,020 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-gophers-cant-spoil-iowas/170620459/ Minneapolis Star & Tribune Gophers can't spoil Iowa's day November 24, 1985 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com January 1 l y y 4 UCLA 13 Rose Bowl Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA NBC 28–45 103,292 https://www.newspapers.com/article/spokane-chronicle-ucla-has-too-much-for/170553482/ Spokane Chronicle UCLA has too much for Iowa January 2, 1986 April 18, 2025 Newspapers.com November 9, 2015 sports-reference.com 1985 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/iowa/1985-schedule.html Rankings November 2025 1985 NCAA Division I-A football rankings AP 0 16 4 (7) 4 (5) 5 (5) 4 (5) 3 (5) 1 (35) 1 (34) 1 (27) 1 (60) 1 (58) 6 5 3 2 (3) 3 (3) 4 (2) 10 Coaches 0 16 8 (1) 7 4 3 1 (19) 1 (16) 1 (16) 1 (42) 1 (42) 6 5 4 3 3 3 9 Game summaries Drake Drake at #5 Iowa Bulldogs 0 0 0 0 No. 5 Hawkeyes 0 14 37 7 September 14 Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa 1:05 p.m. EDT 2:55 66,135 65 F, Partly cloudy, Wind SW 10-12 mph Jim Kemerling Source: Box score and Game story yes 2 2 10:37 IOWA Clark 6-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 7–0 0:02 IOWA Helverson 4-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 14–0 3 6 11:28 IOWA R. Harmon 2-yard run (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 21–0 9:16 IOWA R. Harmon 6-yard run (kick failed) Iowa 27–0 5:50 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 46-yard field goal Iowa 30–0 4:37 IOWA K. Harmon 2-yard run (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 37–0 3:40 IOWA Hudson 10-yard run (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 44–0 1:50 IOWA Helverson 31-yard pass from Vlasic (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 51–0 4 8:41 IOWA Bayless 1-yard run (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 58–0 yes 1985 Drake Bulldogs football team September 15, 1985 Iowa bites 'Dogs, 58-0: 37-point quarter ruins Drake effort https://www.thegazette.com/2008/04/08/iowa-bites-dogs-58-0-37-point-quarter-ruins-drake-effort Cedar Rapids Gazette July 22, 2018 Drake Iowa First Downs 9 25 Rushing yards –36 167 Passing 19–37–1 25–37–0 Passing yards 184 324 Total Offense 148 491 Fumbles Lost 2–2 0–0 Punts-Average 9–35.5 4–36.5 Penalties 6–59 6–37 Team Category Player StatisticsDrake Passing Ed Cheatham 12–17, 121 yards, INT Rushing Lawrence 3 carries, 10 yards Receiving Peterson 6 receptions, 85 yardsIowa Passing Chuck Long 21–31, 248 yards, 2 TD Rushing Ronnie Harmon 14 carries, 58 yards, 2 TD Receiving Scott Helverson 7 receptions, 88 yards, 2 TD Northern Illinois Northern Illinois at #4 Iowa Huskies 0 7 6 7 Hawkeyes 14 10 14 10 September 21 Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa 1:05 p.m. EDT 3:00 66,014 ~65 F, Cloudy Tom Quinn Source: Box score and Game story yes 1 2 4:52 Iowa Smith 8-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 7–0 3:08 Iowa Happel 36-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 14–0 2 3 11:57 Iowa Rob Houghtlin 50-yard field goal Iowa 17–0 9:08 Iowa Happel 39-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 24–0 5:06 NIU Wooldridge 21-yard pass from Taylor (Forester kick) Iowa 24–7 3 3 6:31 Iowa Early 15-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 31–7 5:32 NIU Taylor 1-yard run (run failed) Iowa 31–13 3:32 Iowa Happel 12-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 38–13 4 3 11:43 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 41-yard field goal Iowa 41–13 5:46 Iowa Mauro 16-yard pass from Vlasic (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 48–13 1:34 NIU Gerin 22-yard pass from Genatempo (Forester kick) Iowa 48–20 yes 1985 Northern Illinois Huskies football team Senior WR Bill Happel had a big day with 207 yards receiving and 3 touchdowns. The yardage total marked the first time a Hawkeye had more than 200 yards receiving in a single game and stood as the school record for two years. September 22, 1985 Iowa rain falls only on NIU http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1985/09/22/page/67/article/college-football Chicago Tribune November 6, 2015 NIU Iowa First Downs 8 25 Rushing yards 16 187 Passing 5–14–2 20–32–3 Passing yards 69 347 Total Offense 85 534 Fumbles Lost 4–3 3–3 Punts-Average 10–43.8 3–48.0 Penalties 2–10 7–55 Time of Possession 30:35 29:25 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Illinois Passing Marshall Taylor 3–9, 41 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Antonio Davis 6 carries, 27 yards Receiving Andy Wooldridge 2 receptions, 37 yards, TDIowa Passing Chuck Long 18–28, 270 yards, 5 TD, 3 INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 17 carries, 92 yards Receiving Bill Happel 9 receptions, 207 yards, 3 TD at Iowa State #3 Iowa at Iowa State No. 3 Hawkeyes 7 34 16 0 Cyclones 0 0 0 3 September 28 Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, Iowa 2:30 p.m. EDT 3:25 53,202 54 F, Wind NE 15 mph on Vance Carlson Al Michaels, Lee Grosscup, and Al Trautwig ABC Source: Box score and Game story yes 1 4:11 Iowa Fred Bush 4-yard run (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 7–0 2 6 14:05 Iowa Rob Houghtlin 47-yard field goal Iowa 10–0 8:55 Iowa R. Harmon 2-yard run (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 17–0 6:59 Iowa R. Harmon 23-yard run (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 24–0 2:48 Iowa Rob Houghtlin 41-yard field goal Iowa 27–0 1:47 Iowa Mike Flagg 3-yard pass from Chuck Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 34–0 0:47 Iowa Smith 9-yard pass from Chuck Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 41–0 3 3 13:19 Iowa Scott Helverson 46-yard pass from Chuck Long (kick failed) Iowa 47–0 9:37 Iowa Rob Houghtlin 27-yard field goal Iowa 50–0 2:33 Iowa Scott Helverson 26-yard pass from Vlassic (Cook kick) Iowa 57–0 4 5:21 ISU Frank 52-yard field goal Iowa 57–3 yes 1985 Iowa State Cyclones football team Iowa–Iowa State football rivalry The Hawkeyes earned the third of 15 consecutive wins over their in-state rivals. To date, this remains the largest margin of victory in the series. The convincing win vaulted Iowa to the #1 ranking in the country, a spot they would occupy for five consecutive weeks. September 29, 1985 Big Ten Roundup : Iowa Routs Iowa State, 57-3, to Stay Unbeaten https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-09-29-sp-18859-story.html Los Angeles Times November 6, 2015 The Salina Journal September 29, 1985 Third-ranked Iowa crushes Iowa State https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/739999/ November 10, 2015 Iowa ISU First Downs 23 13 Rushing yards 138 73 Passing 24–40–0 16–33–1 Passing yards 357 157 Total Offense 495 230 Fumbles Lost 3–2 6–3 Punts-Average 3–38.7 8–35.1 Penalties 6–55 4–26 Time of Possession 28:33 31:27 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa Passing Chuck Long 19–32, 223 yards, 3 TD Rushing Ronnie Harmon 19 carries, 103 yards, 2 TD Receiving Scott Helverson 8 receptions, 154 yards, 2 TDIowa State Passing Alex Espinoza 16–33, 157 yards, INT Rushing Marques Rodgers 12 carries, 55 yards Receiving Danny Gantt 4 receptions, 43 yards Michigan State Michigan State at #1 Iowa Spartans 0 10 14 7 No. 1 Hawkeyes 7 6 15 7 October 5 Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa 1:40 p.m. CDT 3:50 66,044 52 F, Cloudy, Wind NW 20-25 mph on Tom Quinn Brent Musburger and Ara Parseghian CBS Sports Source: Box score and Game story yes 1 10:23 Iowa Robert Smith 60-yard pass from Chuck Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 7–0 2 3 13:12 Iowa Mike Flagg 17-yard pass from Chuck Long (kick failed) Iowa 13–0 11:34 MSU Chris Caudell 32-yard field goal Iowa 13–3 9:15 MSU Andre Rison 50-yard pass from Bobby McAllister (Caudell kick) Iowa 13–10 3 4 12:30 MSU Lorenzo White 23-yard run (Caudell kick) MSU 17–13 7:01 MSU Lorenzo White 1-yard run (Caudell kick) MSU 24–13 6:16 Iowa Robert Smith 4-yard pass from Chuck Long (Flagg pass from Long for two-point conversion) MSU 24–21 3:21 Iowa Mike Flagg 12-yard pass from Chuck Long (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 28–24 4 2 4:06 MSU Craig Johnson 25-yard run (Caudell kick) MSU 31–28 0:27 Iowa Chuck Long 2-yard run (Houghtlin kick) Iowa 35–31 yes 1985 Michigan State Spartans football team In their first game since ascending to the #1 ranking, the Hawkeyes survived a wild, back and forth thriller. The teams combined for well over 1,000 yards of total offense. Chuck Long (30–39, 380 yards, 4 TD) scored the winning touchdown on a 2-yard bootleg with 27 seconds remaining. October 5, 1985 Last-Minute Score Gives Iowa Victory https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/06/sports/last-minute-score-gives-iowa-victory.html New York Times November 6, 2015 MSU Iowa First Downs 28 25 Rushing yards 305 108 Passing 18–28–0 30–39–2 Passing yards 275 380 Total Offense 580 488 Fumbles Lost 1–0 0–0 Punts-Average 6–37.0 5–45.2 Penalties 9–50 4–40 Time of Possession 36:15 23:45 Team Category Player StatisticsMichigan State Passing Bobby McAllister 18–27, 275 yards, TD Rushing Lorenzo White 39 carries, 226 yards, 2 TD Receiving Mark Ingram 7 receptions, 148 yardsIowa Passing Chuck Long 30–39, 380 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 20 carries, 84 yards Receiving Scott Helverson 9 receptions, 102 yards at Wisconsin #1 Iowa at Wisconsin No. 1 Hawkeyes 3 7 3 10 Badgers 0 0 10 3 October 12 Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin 1:08 p.m. CDT 2:51 79,023 65 F, Cloudy, Wind SSW 10-20 mph on John Nealon Source: Box score and Game story yes 1 3:55 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 30-yard field goal Iowa 3–0 2 11:42 IOWA Bill Happel 8-yard pass from Chuck Long (Rob Houghtlin kick) Iowa 10–0 3 5:52 WIS Joe Armentrout 3-yard pass from Bud Keyes (Todd Gregoire kick) Iowa 10–7 3 3:53 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 40-yard field goal Iowa 13–7 3 0:07 WIS Todd Gregoire 27-yard field goal Iowa 13–10 4 10:52 IOWA Ronnie Harmon 12-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 20-10 4 6:01 WIS Todd Gregoire 24-yard field goal Iowa 20–13 4 3:14 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 35-yard field goal Iowa 23–13 yes 1985 Wisconsin Badgers football team Iowa–Wisconsin football rivalry October 13, 1985 Top-ranked Iowa eases past Wisconsin https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19851013&id=0CURAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zukDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6867,4270808&hl=en Gainesville Sun November 6, 2015 Iowa Wis First Downs 15 17 Rushing yards 174 172 Passing 18–30–1 13–31–3 Passing yards 167 134 Total Offense 341 306 Fumbles Lost 2–2 0–0 Punts-Average 5–43.4 8–36.8 Penalties 7–49 5–35 Time of Possession 26:58 33:02 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa Passing Chuck Long 18–28, 167 yards, TD, INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 20 carries, 175 yards, TD Receiving Ronnie Harmon 8 receptions, 62 yardsWisconsin Passing Bud Keyes 7–19, 88 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Larry Emery 19 carries, 104 yards Receiving Scott Sharron 5 receptions, 47 yards No. 2 Michigan #2 Michigan at #1 Iowa No. 2 Wolverines 0 7 0 3 No. 1 Hawkeyes 0 6 0 6 October 19 Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa 2:50 p.m. CDT 3:00 66,350 60 F, Chance of showers, Wind SW 10-15 mph on Jerry Hendrickson Brent Musburger and Ara Parseghian CBS Sports Source: Box score and Game story yes 2 3 9:05 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 35-yard field goal Iowa 3–0 6:06 MICH White 6-yard pass from Jim Harbaugh (Mike Gillette kick) Mich 7–3 0:04 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 27-yard field goal Mich 7–6 4 3 14:20 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 36-yard field goal Iowa 9–7 10:55 MICH Mike Gillette 40-yard field goal Mich 10–9 0:00 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 29-yard field goal Iowa 12–10 yes 1985 Michigan Wolverines football team The #1 Hawkeyes dominated the game statistically — holding major advantages in total yards (422–182), offensive plays (84–41), and time of possession (38:05-21:55) — but could not find the end zone. Rob Houghtlin kicked a 29-yard field goal as time expired to lift the top-ranked Hawkeyes to victory over the #2 Wolverines.Big Ten Elite, Season 2, Episode 3 October 20, 1985 Iowa Saves Biggest Noise For Finish https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/10/20/iowa-saves-biggest-noise-for-finish/ Chicago Tribune November 6, 2015 October 20, 1985 Iowa Beats Michigan On Last Play, 12-10 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1985/10/20/iowa-beats-michigan-on-last-play-12-10/c50985cd-8c17-44c4-bf86-27d112bde902/ Washington Post November 6, 2015 October 20, 1985 Iowa's Last-second Kick Defeats Michigan, 12-10 https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1985/10/20/iowas-last-second-kick-defeats-michigan-12-10/ Orlando Sentinel November 6, 2015 October 20, 1985 Hawkeyes win No. 1 thriller, 12-10 http://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/iowa/football/2015/10/19/vault-hawkeyes-win-no-1-thriller-12-10/74215154/ Des Moines Register December 9, 2016 October 20, 1985 Kick by Iowa Stops Michigan https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/20/sports/kick-by-iowa-stops-michigan.html The New York Times July 23, 2019 Mich Iowa First Downs 9 26 Rushing yards 127 125 Passing 8–13–0 26–39–1 Passing yards 55 297 Total Offense 182 422 Fumbles Lost 0–0 1–0 Punts-Average 6–39.8 3–31.7 Penalties 4–35 3–26 Time of Possession 21:55 38:05 Team Category Player StatisticsMichigan Passing Jim Harbaugh 8–13, 55 yards, TD Rushing Jamie Morris 14 carries, 70 yards Receiving Paul Jokisch 2 receptions, 23 yardsIowa Passing Chuck Long 26–39, 297 yards, INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 32 carries, 120 yards Receiving Bill Happel 9 receptions, 107 yards at Northwestern #1 Iowa at Northwestern No. 1 Hawkeyes 7 21 7 14 Wildcats 0 3 0 7 October 26 Dyche Stadium, Evanston, Illinois 1:37 p.m. CDT 2:44 47,276 67 F, Sunny, Wind SW 14 mph on Source: Box score and Game story yes 1 8:48 IOWA Bill Happel 28-yard pass from Chuck Long (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 7–0 2 9:16 NW John Duvic 21-yard field goal IOWA 7–3 2 7:14 IOWA Ronnie Harmon 44-yard pass from Chuck Long (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 14–3 2 3:44 IOWA Robert Smith 89-yard pass from Chuck Long (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 21–3 2 2:37 IOWA Bill Happel 35-yard pass from Chuck Long (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 28–3 3 11:22 IOWA Bill Happel 25-yard pass from Chuck Long (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 35–3 4 14:52 IOWA Craig Clark 4-yard pass from Chuck Long (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 42–3 4 12:51 IOWA Kevin Harmon 2-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 49–3 4 2:02 NW Marc Bumgarner 4-yard pass from Mike Greenfield (John Duvic kick) IOWA 49–10 yes 1985 Northwestern Wildcats football team On a windy day in Evanston, Chuck Long went 19-26 for 399 yards and a Big Ten record-tying 6 TDs. Bill Happel hauled in three touchdowns, finishing with 117 yards on 5 receptions. October 27, 1985 Iowa Rolls, 49-10; Long Ties Record https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/27/sports/iowa-rolls-49-10-long-ties-record.html New York Times November 6, 2015 October 27, 1985 Iowa's Long Ball Rips NU https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/10/27/iowas-long-ball-rips-nu/ Chicago Tribune November 8, 2015 October 27, 1985 Long Throws for Six Scores as Iowa Routs Northwestern, 49-10 https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-27-sp-12852-story.html Los Angeles Times November 8, 2015 Iowa NW First Downs 20 18 Rushing yards 124 46 Passing 19–26–1 21–40–3 Passing yards 399 242 Total Offense 523 288 Fumbles Lost 1–0 1–0 Punts-Average 4–36.3 7–42.6 Penalties 4–34 3–15 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa Passing Chuck Long 19–26, 399 yards, 6 TD, INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 14 carries, 74 yards Receiving Bill Happel 5 receptions, 117 yards, 3 TDNorthwestern Passing Mike Greenfield 21–40, 242 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Mike Greenfield 29 carries, 18 yards Receiving George Jones 4 receptions, 84 yards at No. 8 Ohio State #1 Iowa at #8 Ohio State No. 1 Hawkeyes 0 7 0 6 No. 8 Buckeyes 5 10 0 7 November 2 Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio 2:44 p.m. CST 3:19 90,467 59 F, Rain, Wind S 10 mph on Gil Marchman Brent Musburger and Ara Parseghian CBS Sports Source: Box score https://web.archive.org/web/20151125040614/http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/osu/graphics/pdf/m-footbl/1985/1985-8-Iowa.pdf 2015-11-25 yes 1 11:03 OSU Rich Spangler 28-yard field goal OSU 3–0 1 0:02 OSU Safety, Sonny Gordan blocked punt out of end zone OSU 5–0 2 9:06 OSU John Woolridge 57-yard run (Spangler kick) OSU 12–0 2 5:00 OSU Rich Spangler 26-yard field goal OSU 15–0 2 0:28 Iowa Ronnie Harmon 3-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick) OSU 15–7 4 11:39 OSU Vince Workman 4-yard run (Spangler kick) OSU 22–7 4 8:19 Iowa David Hudson 2-yard run (run failed) OSU 22–13 yes 1985 Ohio State Buckeyes football team November 3, 1985 Ohio State Upsets Top-Ranked Iowa https://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/03/sports/ohio-state-upsets-top-ranked-iowa.html New York Times November 6, 2015 Iowa Ohio St First Downs 21 16 Rushing yards 186 233 Passing 17–34–4 10–17–2 Passing yards 169 151 Total Offense 345 370 Fumbles Lost 2–1 1–0 Punts-Average 4–32.5 4–45.3 Penalties 3–16 7–57 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa Passing Chuck Long 19–26, 169 yards, 4 INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 26 carries, 120 yards, TD Receiving Ronnie Harmon 5 receptions, 19 yardsOhio State Passing Jim Karsatos 10–17, 151 yards, 2 INT Rushing George Cooper 17 carries, 104 yards Receiving Cris Carter 3 receptions, 65 yards Illinois Illinois at #6 Iowa Fighting Illini 0 0 0 0 No. 6 Hawkeyes 35 14 0 10 November 9 Kinnick Stadium,Iowa City, Iowa 1:05 p.m. CST 3:20 66,120 ~45 F, Cloudy, rain, Wind NE 10-15 mph on Otho Kortz Source: Box score yes 1 11:54 IOWA R. Smith 49-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 7–0 1 10:16 IOWA Hudson 1-yard run (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 14–0 1 7:28 IOWA R. Smith 43-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 21–0 1 4:36 IOWA R. Harmon 46-yard run (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 28–0 1 0:59 IOWA Hudson 10-yard run (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 35–0 2 5:16 IOWA Flagg 1-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 42–0 2 2:31 IOWA Helverson 9-yard pass from Long (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 49–0 4 13:12 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 37-yard field goal IOWA 52–0 4 8:21 IOWA Goodman 16-yard run (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 59–0 yes 1985 Illinois Fighting Illini football team November 9, 1985 Like Father, Like Son? Iowa End Hopes So https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-11-09-8503170544-story.html Chicago Tribune August 13, 2019 November 10, 1985 Iowa Hits Illini Early, Often https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/11/10/iowa-hits-illini-early-often/ Chicago Tribune November 6, 2015 November 10, 1985 A Long Day For Illinois, 59-0 : Quarterback Throws 4 Touchdown Passes in Iowa Rout https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-11-10-sp-3480-story.html Los Angeles Times November 6, 2015 September 3, 2010 1985: The Unexpected blowout http://www.hawkeyesports.com/news/2010/9/3/1985_The_Unexpected_Blowout.aspx University of Iowa Athletic Department September 30, 2017 Illinois Iowa First Downs 14 27 Rushing yards 5 232 Passing 30–58–5 27–41–1 Passing yards 227 316 Total Offense 232 548 Fumbles Lost 5–4 1–0 Punts-Average 9–34.8 6–42.2 Penalties 10–82 5–62 Time of Possession 27:09 32:51 Team Category Player StatisticsIllinois Passing Jack Trudeau 26–47, 208 yards, 4 INT Rushing Thomas Rooks 7 carries, 26 yards Receiving David Williams 10 receptions, 70 yardsIowa Passing Chuck Long 22–30, 289 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 32 carries, 120 yards Receiving Robert Smith 3 receptions, 98 yards, 2 TD at Purdue #5 Iowa at Purdue No. 5 Hawkeyes 7 17 0 3 Boilermakers 7 10 0 7 November 16 Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana 3:42 p.m. EST 3:17 57,762 46 F, Cloudy, Wind WSW 23 mph on Tom Quinn Brent Musburger, Ara Parseghian, and Pat O'Brien CBS Sports Source: Box score and Game story yes 1 9:21 Purdue Griffin 49-yard pass from Jim Everett (Briggs kick) Purdue 7–0 1 0:08 Iowa Ronnie Harmon 2-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick) Tied 7–7 2 14:02 Iowa Hudson 1-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 14–7 2 9:53 Purdue Medlock 1-yard run (Briggs kick) Tied 14–14 2 5:55 Iowa Hudson 1-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 21–14 2 1:30 Purdue Briggs 37-yard field goal IOWA 21–17 2 0:02 Iowa Rob Houghtlin 33-yard field goal IOWA 24–17 4 6:35 Purdue Medlock 2-yard run (Briggs kick) Tied 24–24 4 1:08 Iowa Rob Houghtlin 25-yard field goal IOWA 27–24 yes 1985 Purdue Boilermakers football team November 17, 1985 Hawkeyes survive Purdue scare, 27-24 https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/128451922/ 28 Des Moines Register via newspapers.com November 14, 2017 November 17, 1985 Iowa Wins, 27-24 on Late Field Goal https://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/17/sports/iowa-wins-27-24-on-late-field-goal.html New York Times November 6, 2015 November 17, 1985 Purdue Is Beaten By Iowa And Clock https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/11/17/purdue-is-beaten-by-iowa-and-clock/ Chicago Tribune November 14, 2017 Iowa Purdue First Downs 28 16 Rushing yards 206 36 Passing 20–33–1 23–32–1 Passing yards 268 315 Total Offense 474 351 Fumbles Lost 1–0 2–1 Punts-Average 5–31.8 4–29.8 Penalties 4–19 2–10 Time of Possession 34:30 25:30 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa Passing Chuck Long 20–33, 268 yards, INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 25 carries, 122 yards, TD Receiving Ronnie Harmon 9 receptions, 118 yardsPurdue Passing Jim Everett 23–32, 315 yards, TD, INT Rushing Ray Wallace 10 carries, 21 yards Receiving Steve Griffin 4 receptions, 110 yards, TD Minnesota Minnesota at #3 Iowa Golden Gophers 3 0 0 6 No. 3 Hawkeyes 7 10 7 7 November 23 Kinnick Stadium,Iowa City, Iowa 11:40 a.m. CST 3:00 66,020 ~25 F, Cloudy, Wind NNW 10-15 mph on John Nealon Pete van Wieren (play-by-play) and Ron Kramer (analyst) TBS Sports Source: Box score and Game story yes 1 9:48 Iowa Ronnie Harmon 5-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 7–0 1 1:54 Minn Chip Lohmiller 35-yard field goal IOWA 7–3 2 5:15 Iowa Rob Houghtlin 26-yard field goal IOWA 10–3 2 1:40 Iowa Mike Flagg 4-yard pass from Chuck Long (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 17–3 3 9:39 Iowa Kevin Harmon 10-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 24–3 4 14:11 Iowa Rick Bayless 5-yard run (Rob Houghtlin kick) IOWA 31–3 4 2:01 Minn Gailord 16-yard pass from Holt (conversion failed) IOWA 31–9 yes 1985 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team Iowa–Minnesota football rivalry In the battle for the Floyd of Rosedale, Iowa beat the Golden Gophers in Lou Holtz's last game as Minnesota's head coach. Chuck Long, in his final game at Kinnick Stadium, became the first player in Big Ten history to eclipse 10,000 career passing yards. November 24, 1985 Believe It--Iowa Rules Big 10 https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/11/24/believe-it-iowa-rules-big-10/ Chicago Tribune November 6, 2015 November 24, 1985 Long Achieves Dream of Leading Hawkeyes Back to the Rose Bowl https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-11-24-sp-1788-story.html Los Angeles Times November 8, 2015 Minn Iowa First Downs 18 24 Rushing yards 154 177 Passing 9–18–0 21–31–1 Passing yards 118 268 Total Offense 272 445 Fumbles Lost 4–2 2–1 Punts-Average 6–32.8 2–39.5 Penalties 1–5 6–30 Time of Possession 30:10 29:50 Team Category Player StatisticsMinnesota Passing Rickey Foggie 6–13, 69 yards Rushing David Puk 13 carries, 61 yards Receiving Eugene Gailord 3 receptions, 57 yards, TDIowa Passing Chuck Long 21–31, 268 yards, TD, INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 13 carries, 75 yards, TD Receiving Scott Helverson 7 receptions, 86 yards vs. No. 13 UCLA (Rose Bowl) #13 UCLA vs. #4 Iowa No. 13 Bruins 10 14 7 14 No. 4 Hawkeyes 7 3 7 11 January 1, 1986 Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California 2:12 p.m. PST 3:18 103,292 71 F, Overcast, Wind S 5 mph on Tom Quinn Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen NBC yes 1 7:02 IOWA David Hudson 1-yard run (Houghtlin kick) IOWA 7–0 1 3:23 UCLA Eric Ball 30-yard run (Lee kick) Tied 7–7 1 1:11 UCLA John Lee 42-yard field goal UCLA 10–7 2 7:43 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 24-yard field goal Tied 10–10 2 6:19 UCLA Eric Ball 40-yard run (Lee kick) UCLA 17–10 2 1:36 UCLA Eric Ball 6-yard run (Lee kick) UCLA 24–10 3 12:19 IOWA Chuck Long 4-yard run (Houghtlin kick) UCLA 24–17 3 6:25 UCLA Mike Sherrard 6-yard pass from Matt Stevens (J. Lee kick) UCLA 31–17 4 13:25 UCLA Eric Ball 32-yard run (Lee kick) UCLA 38–17 4 10:51 IOWA Rob Houghtlin 52-yard field goal UCLA 38–20 4 6:38 UCLA Matt Stevens 1-yard run (Lee kick) UCLA 45–20 4 3:11 IOWA Bill Happel 11-yard pass from Chuck Long (Harmon run) UCLA 45–28 yes 1986 Rose Bowl 1985 UCLA Bruins football team January 2, 1986 ROSE BOWL; U.C.L.A. WALLOPS IOWA https://www.nytimes.com/1986/01/02/sports/rose-bowl-ucla-wallops-iowa.html New York Times November 6, 2015 UCLA Iowa First Downs 29 25 Rushing yards 55–299 34–82 Passing 16–26–1 29–38–1 Passing yards 189 319 Total Offense 488 401 Fumbles Lost 3–2 4–4 Punts-Average 2–38.5 2–32.5 Penalties 6–36 5–40 Team Category Player StatisticsUCLA Passing Matt Stevens 16–26, 189 yards, TD, INT Rushing Eric Ball 12 carries, 67 yards Receiving Mike Sherrard 4 receptions, 48 yardsIowa Passing Chuck Long 29–37, 319 yards, TD, INT Rushing Ronnie Harmon 14 carries, 55 yards Receiving Ronnie Harmon 11 receptions, 102 yards Roster 1985 Iowa Hawkeyes y 55 Jr Dave Alexander OL 75 Sr Kevin Angel OL 23 Fr Richard Bass FB 13 So Rick Bayless RB y Rick Bayless (American football) 69 Sr Mike Bennett OL 35 Sr Fred Bush FB 78 So Malcolm Christie OL 49 So Craig Clark TE 84 Fr Marv Cook TE y 82 Jr Pat Coppinger WR 25 So Marshall Cotton FB 61 Jr Dave Croston OT y 63 Fr Jeff Croston OL 58 So Greg Divis OL 1 So Quinn Early WR y 86 So Mike Flagg TE 74 Jr Chris Gambol OL y 22 Fr Grant Goodman RB 80 So Steve Green WR 79 Sr Mike Haight OT y C 40 Sr Bill Happel WR 28 So Kevin Harmon RB 31 Sr Ronnie Harmon RB y C 8 Fr Chuck Hartlieb QB y y 87 Sr Scott Helverson WR 15 Jr Jay Hess QB 20 Fr David Hudson FB 65 Sr Tom Humphrey OG 70 Fr Bob Kratch OG y 16 Sr Chuck Long QB y C 81 So Derrius Loveless WR Sr John Marchese RB 26 Fr Peter Marciano WR 47 So Jim Mauro WR 89 Jr Dave Murphy TE 66 Sr Kelly O'Brien OL 85 Fr John Palmer TE 14 Fr Tom Poholsky QB 67 Fr Jim Poynton OL 33 Fr Kevin Ringer RB 30 Jr John Rudolph FB 60 So Bob Schmitt OL 17 Sr Tim Sennott FB 56 Jr Mark Sindlinger C 2 Jr Robert Smith WR 53 Jr Mark Spranger OL 12 Jr Mark Vlasic QB y 71 Fr Chuck Waggoner OL 88 So Tom Ward TE 73 So Herb Wester OL 68 So Tim Anderson DL 93 So Tim Batterson LB 92 So Jeff Beard DE 48 Fr Tyrone Berrie DE 43 So Jeff Blake LB 19 Jr Mike Bolan DB 5 So Mike Burke DE 90 Sr Doug Burrell DE 3 So Kerry Burt DB y 29 Sr Nate Creer CB 18 Sr Kyle Crowe DB 37 Jr George Davis LB 76 Jr Jeff Drost DL y 83 Fr Mike Ertz DE 94 Jr Bruce Gear DE 96 Jr Robert Grafton DE 64 Fr Dave Haight DL y 54 Fr Eric Higgins DL 42 Fr Tork Hook DB 19 So Carl Jackson DB 77 Jr Myron Keppy DL 4 Jr Lloyd Kimber DB 34 Fr Vernon Little LB 98 Sr George Millett DE 21 Sr Devon Mitchell DB y 97 Fr Joe Mott DE y 45 Sr Jay Norvell DB y 50 Sr Hap Peterson DL C 71 Fr Chris Pigott DE 99 Jr Richard Pryor DE 32 Jr J.J. Puk LB 95 Fr Jim Reilly LB 38 Fr Shawon Respress LB 91 Fr Sean Ridley DE 11 Jr Rick Schmidt DB 72 Jr Joe Schuster DL y 44 So Keaton Smiley DB 9 Jr Ken Sims DB 36 Sr Larry Station LB y C 41 Fr Mark Stoops DB y 39 So Tyrone Taylor LB 95 Jr Eric Underberg DL 57 Jr Jon Vrieze DL 51 Sr Bill Weires DL 46 So Dan Wirth LB 10 Fr Anthony Wright DB 84 Fr Marv Cook K 6 Fr George Murphy K 7 So Rob Houghtlin K y 27 Jr Gary Kostrubala P *Hayden Fry Bill Snyder – Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Bill Brashier – Defensive coordinator Kirk Ferentz – Offensive line 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 Bill Dervich – Strength and conditioning Bob Stoops – Volunteer assistant Statistics Team statistics. On offense, the Hawkeyes gained an average of 299.3 passing yards and 164.9 rushing yards per games. They led the Big Ten with an average of 36.7 points per game.1985 Big Ten Conference Year Summary Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football May 30, 2026 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/big-ten/1985.html On defense, they gave up 175.2 passing yards and 101.5 rushing yards per game.1985 Iowa Hawkeyes Stats Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football May 30, 2026 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/iowa/1985.html They ranked second in the conference in scoring defense, giving up 15.6 points per game. Passing. Quarterback Chuck Long set Iowa single-season records with 351 pass attempts, 231 pass completions, and 2,978 passing yards.Hawks clinch spot in Rose Bowl The Nonpareil November 24, 1985 B1 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-nonpareil-iowa-hawkeyes/198623619/ Newspapers.com He had a 65.8% completion rate, 26 passing touchdowns,and a 153.0 passer rating. Long also became the first Big Ten player to tally over 10,000 passing yards in his career.Long not set on being top QB pick The Nonpareil December 21, 1985 25 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-nonpareil-chuck-long/198623180/ Newspapers.com Rushing. Running back Ronnie Harmon led the team with 1,111 rushing yards on 209 carries for an average of 5.3 yards per carry. Harmon also tallied 49 receptions for 597 yards. He also led the team with 10 touchdowns (nine rushing and one receiving) Receiving. Wide receiver Bill Happel led the team with 812 receiving yards on 50 receptions with seven receiving touchdowns. Happel also returned 19 punts for 925 yards, an average of 5.9 yards per return. Scott Helverson led with 53 receptions, good for 686 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Scoring. Kicker Rob Houghtlin set a new Iowa scoring record with 97 points, converting 46 of 49 extra points and 17 of 25 field goal attempts. Awards and honors Senior quarterback Chuck Long won the Maxwell Award (best player in college football) by a two-to-one margin over runner-up Bo Jackson,Long wins Maxwell Springfield News-Sun December 20, 1985 13 https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-news-sun-long-wins-maxwell/198622761/ Davey O'Brien Award (best quarterback),espn.com "College Football Awards - 1985" https://www.espn.com/college-football/awards/_/year/1985 November 10, 2015 and Chicago Tribune Silver Football (Big Ten most valuable player). He also finished second in close voting behind Jackson in the 1985 Heisman Trophy voting.Jackson edges Long: Iowa QB 2nd in closest vote The Gazette Mark Dukes December 8, 1985 1C https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-long-heisman-2nd/198621983/ Newspapers.com Long also received first-team honors from, among others, the Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), and Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) on the 1985 All-America college football team.sports-reference.com Consensus All-America Teams (1980-1989); 1985 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/all-america-1980-1989.html#1985 November 10, 2015 Linebacker Larry Station was a consensus first-team All-American, receiving first-team honors from the AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, and NEA. Both Long and Station were later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Eight Hawkeyes received first-team honors on the 1985 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Long at quarterback (AP-1, UPI-1); Station at linebacker (AP-1, UPI-1); Ronnie Harmon at running back (AP-1, UPI-1); offensive tackle Mike Haight (AP-1, UPI-1); defensive linemen Jeff Drost (AP-1, UPI-1) and Hap Peterson (AP-1, UPI-1); defensive back Jay Norvell (AP-1); and kicker Rob Houghtlin (AP-1).Soph White, Station, Unanimous Choices Toledo Blade (AP story) December 3, 1985 33 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19851203&id=og1PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0wIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6768,3394959Long nips Everett for UPI first team The Indianapolis Star November 26, 1985 22 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9509578/long_nips_everett_for_upi_first_team/ 1986 NFL draft 1986 NFL draft 2 Iowa Hawkeyes Player Position Round Pick NFL club Chuck Long Quarterback1 12 Detroit Lions Ronnie Harmon Running back 1 16 Buffalo Bills Mike Haight Tackle 1 22 New York Jets Devon Mitchell Defensive back 4 92 Detroit Lions Larry Station Linebacker 11 287 Pittsburgh Steelerspro-football-reference.com 1986 NFL Draft https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1986.htm November 10, 2015 December 21, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071221172950/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1986.htm dead Future head coaches 2 Iowa Hawkeyes Name 1985 Position School Tenure Bill Snyder Offensive coordinator/QB Coach Kansas State 1989–2005, 2009–2018 Barry Alvarez Linebackers Coach Wisconsin 1990–2005 Dan McCarney Defensive line coach Iowa StateNorth Texas 1995–20062011–2015 Bob Stoops Volunteer Coach Oklahoma 1999–2016 Kirk Ferentz Offensive line coach Iowa 1999–present Don Patterson Tight ends coach Western Illinois 1999–2009 Chuck Long Quarterback San Diego State 2006–2008 Mark Stoops Defensive back Kentucky 2013–present Jay Norvell Defensive backs NevadaColorado State 2017–20212022–present References Iowa Category:Iowa Hawkeyes football seasons Category:Big Ten Conference football champion seasons Iowa Hawkeyes football