1958 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
Encyclopedia
The 1958 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa
in the 1958 college football season
. The team was coached by Forest Evashevski
and captained by fullback John Nocera. The Football Writers Association of America
awarded the team the Grantland Rice Award
, which is presented annually to the college football team adjudged by the FWAA to be national champion.
. His most successful years were the previous two, 1956 and 1957, in which Iowa went 16-2-1. The 1956 team became the first to win the Big Ten Conference
championship in thirty-four years, and their Rose Bowl
victory over Oregon State
was the first postseason trip and win in school history. Both teams finished in the top ten in the final Associated Press Poll
.
Expectations for the 1958 season were high, despite the graduation of two star players. Tackle Alex Karras
, who won the 1957 Outland Trophy
and was twice selected as an All-American
, and end Jim Gibbons
, an All-American in 1957, were both drafted by the Detroit Lions
in the 1958 NFL Draft
. Senior quarterback Randy Duncan
, who also started in 1957, would be relied on heavily to replace the lost talent.
was played under the shadow of a new press box, which would watch over nearly five decades of Hawkeye football. Iowa beat the No. 6 Horned Frogs
easily, 17-0. The win shot the Hawkeyes up to No. 8 in the September 29 poll. TCU, the eventual Southwest Conference
champions, would finish in the top ten of the final poll with an 8-2-1 record.
had only played two seasons of varsity football when they came to Iowa City
on October 4. The Falcons
surprised the Hawkeyes with a 13-13 tie. The draw dropped Iowa to No. 17 in the October 6 poll, but Evashevski later said, "If we had beaten the Air Force we never in the world would have won the Big Ten championship." Air Force won their next nine games and tied TCU in the Cotton Bowl Classic to finish in the top ten of the final poll with a 9-0-2 record.
in both teams' Big Ten opener, 34-13. The victory was the Hawkeyes' sixth straight over the Hoosiers
and Iowa rose to No. 13 in the October 13 poll.
was Iowa's first test in the Big Ten. The No. 4 Badgers
hosted the Hawkeyes on October 18. Iowa had not won in Madison
since 1946. It was the second game in four weeks the Hawkeyes had played against a top ten team. Iowa had little trouble with Wisconsin, winning by a score of 20-9, the Badgers' only Big Ten loss of the season. The game would end up deciding the Big Ten championship, as Iowa finished 5-1 in the Big Ten and Wisconsin finished 5-1-1. Having now defeated two top ten teams, Iowa jumped to No. 7 in the October 20 poll.
on October 25, the third game in five weeks the Hawkeyes had played against a top ten team. It was the first game between two top ten Big Ten teams of the season. Iowa's homecoming game against the Wildcats
was tighter than the Wisconsin game, but the Hawkeyes prevailed 26-20. The highlight of the game was All-American end Curt Merz
's one-handed touchdown catch. The Hawkeyes' second victory over a top ten team in as many weeks earned them the No. 2 spot in the October 27 poll. The next day, Iowa was ranked No. 1 by United Press International
. It was the first time the Hawkeyes had ever topped a national football poll.
was in the midst of its worst season in twenty-two years when undefeated Iowa came to town on November 1. Michigan Stadium
was only two-thirds full that day, and the Hawkeyes blew out the uninspired Wolverines
. All-Big Ten halfback Willie Fleming
opened the scoring, running 72 yards for a touchdown on a punt return on the final play of the first quarter. Halfback Ray Jauch, who led the nation in yards per carry in 1958, ran 74 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter to put Iowa up 14-0. Michigan also scored a touchdown in the second quarter, but Iowa led by eight points at halftime. Michigan scored another touchdown and completed a two-point conversion to tie the game early in the third quarter. Iowa responded with twenty-three unanswered points to win the game 37-14. Bob Jeter
had touchdown runs of 3 yards in the third quarter and 27 yards in the fourth quarter, the latter of which was followed by a two-point conversion pass from John Nocera to Curt Merz. Fleming also ran 61 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, which was followed by a two-point conversion pass from Randy Duncan to Merz. The victory was Iowa's first over Michigan in thirty-four years, and Michigan alumnus Evashevski's first in six attempts. Iowa remained No. 2 in the November 3 AP Poll and No. 1 in the November 4 UPI Poll.
on November 8. Minnesota
did not figure to be much of a challenge. The Golden Gophers
were 0-6 and had not won a football game in over a year. The Hawkeyes did not disappoint, winning 28-6. The victory clinched the Big Ten championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl
for Iowa, whose Big Ten record remained perfect. Iowa remained No. 2 in the November 10 AP Poll, but dropped to No. 2 in the November 11 UPI Poll.
was the only team to beat Iowa in 1957, so the Hawkeyes had a chip on their shoulder when they hosted the No. 16 Buckeyes
on November 15. Despite their efforts, Iowa fell to Ohio State, 38-28. It was again the Hawkeyes' only loss of the season, but this year they had already clinched the Big Ten championship. Iowa sank to No. 6 in the November 17 and 18 polls.
on November 22 in the Hawkeyes' final game of the regular season and the seniors' final game in Iowa Stadium
. Iowa defeated the Fighting Irish
by a score of 31-21. The Hawkeyes finished the season with a 7-1-1 record, as in 1957, but this year they would travel to Pasadena
to play the Pacific Coast Conference
champion California
in the Rose Bowl. Iowa rose to No. 4 and No. 2 in the penultimate AP and UPI Polls on November 24 and 25, respectively.
(7-3, 6-1 Pacific Coast) met in the forty-fifth Rose Bowl Game
on January 1, 1959, in the Rose Bowl
in Pasadena, California. The Hawkeyes were favored by 18½ points. Randy Duncan helped Iowa take a 14-0 lead with a touchdown run in the first quarter and a touchdown pass to Jeff Langston in the second quarter. The Hawkeye backfield carried Iowa the rest of the way, as Willie Fleming ran for two touchdowns and Bob Jeter, the Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player, and Don Horn each ran for one touchdown. Iowa attempted a Rose Bowl record three two-point conversions and failed on all three, while Bob Prescott made one of two extra points. End Jack Hart scored all of California's twelve points, running for a touchdown in the third quarter and catching a touchdown in the fourth quarter, both of which were followed by failed two-point conversion attempts. Iowa broke four Rose Bowl records: longest run (Jeter 81), team rushing yards (429), team total yards (516) and individual rushing yards (Jeter 194); and tied another Rose Bowl record set by Georgia
in 1943: first downs (24). The attendance was 98,297.
* Rose Bowl record
. The undefeated Tigers won their bowl game also but not so impressively as Iowa. The final AP Poll ranking is the highest in school history. Iowa also finished No. 2 in the final UPI Poll in 1960. The Hawkeyes led the nation in total offense (405.9 yards per game), were ranked second in passing offense (170.0 yards per game), ninth in rushing offense (235.9 yards per game) and ninth in scoring offense (26.0 points per game).
Quarterback Randy Duncan was named the 1958 Big Ten Most Valuable Player
and was selected to the 1958 All-Big Ten first team and the 1958 All-America first team. He finished second in the 1958 Heisman Trophy
voting behind Pete Dawkins
of Army
. In 1997 Duncan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
. End Curt Merz was selected to the 1958 All-America first team. Halfback Willie Fleming was selected to the 1958 All-Big Ten first team. Thirty-four Iowa Hawkeyes, including Duncan, Merz and Fleming, won letters in 1958.
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...
in the 1958 college football season
1958 college football season
The 1958 college football season was the first to feature the two point conversion. On January 13, 1958, the 11-man NCAA Rules Committee unanimously approved a resolution to allow teams to choose between kicking an extra point after a touchdown, or running or passing from the 3 yard line for 2...
. The team was coached by Forest Evashevski
Forest Evashevski
Forest "Evy" Evashevski was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1938 to 1940 and with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks in 1942...
and captained by fullback John Nocera. The Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
awarded the team the Grantland Rice Award
Grantland Rice Award
The Grantland Rice Trophy is an annual award presented in the United States since 1954 to the college football team adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America to be "national champion". Named for the legendary sportswriter, Grantland Rice, the trophy was the first national...
, which is presented annually to the college football team adjudged by the FWAA to be national champion.
Preseason
Prior to 1958, coach Forest Evashevski had compiled a 31-21-3 record in six seasons with the HawkeyesIowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. His most successful years were the previous two, 1956 and 1957, in which Iowa went 16-2-1. The 1956 team became the first to win the Big Ten Conference
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...
championship in thirty-four years, and their Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
victory over Oregon State
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
was the first postseason trip and win in school history. Both teams finished in the top ten in the final Associated Press Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
.
Expectations for the 1958 season were high, despite the graduation of two star players. Tackle Alex Karras
Alex Karras
Alexander George "Alex" Karras , nicknamed "The Mad Duck", is a former football player, professional wrestler, and actor, best known for his stint with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from 1958–1962 and 1964-1970 and for his role as Mongo in the film Blazing Saddles...
, who won the 1957 Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
and was twice selected as an All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
, and end Jim Gibbons
Jim Gibbons (football player)
Jim Gibbons is a former American football tight end for the NFL Detroit Lions .-Early life:Gibbons was born in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the University of Iowa, where he played football with 'Mad Duck' Alex Karras....
, an All-American in 1957, were both drafted by the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in the 1958 NFL Draft
1958 NFL Draft
The 1958 National Football League Draft was held on December 2, 1957 and January 28, 1958 .This was the last year in which the Lottery Bonus pick was used.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:...
. Senior quarterback Randy Duncan
Randy Duncan
Hearst Randolph "Randy" Duncan, Jr. is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback. He played college football at the University of Iowa. He played in two Rose Bowls and has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame...
, who also started in 1957, would be relied on heavily to replace the lost talent.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | City | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 27, 1958 | Texas Christian | Iowa City | Win | 17-0 |
| October 4, 1958 | Air Force | Iowa City | Tie | 13-13 |
| October 11, 1958 | Indiana | Iowa City | Win | 34-13 |
| October 18, 1958 | Wisconsin | Madison | Win | 20-9 |
| October 25, 1958 | Northwestern | Iowa City | Win | 26-20 |
| November 1, 1958 | Michigan | Ann Arbor | Win | 37-14 |
| November 8, 1958 | Minnesota | Minneapolis | Win | 28-6 |
| November 15, 1958 | Ohio State | Iowa City | Loss | 28-38 |
| November 22, 1958 | Notre Dame | Iowa City | Win | 31-21 |
| January 1, 1959 | California | Pasadena | Win | 38-12 |
Texas Christian
Iowa's season opener against TCUTexas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
was played under the shadow of a new press box, which would watch over nearly five decades of Hawkeye football. Iowa beat the No. 6 Horned Frogs
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
easily, 17-0. The win shot the Hawkeyes up to No. 8 in the September 29 poll. TCU, the eventual Southwest Conference
Southwest Athletic Conference
The Southwest Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States from 1914 to 1996. It consisted of schools mostly in the state of Texas and one in Arkansas, with historical members in Oklahoma....
champions, would finish in the top ten of the final poll with an 8-2-1 record.
Air Force
The Air Force AcademyUnited States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
had only played two seasons of varsity football when they came to Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
on October 4. The Falcons
Air Force Falcons football
The Air Force Falcons are a college football team from the United States Air Force Academy, located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the NCAA Division I and the Mountain West Conference.-Style:...
surprised the Hawkeyes with a 13-13 tie. The draw dropped Iowa to No. 17 in the October 6 poll, but Evashevski later said, "If we had beaten the Air Force we never in the world would have won the Big Ten championship." Air Force won their next nine games and tied TCU in the Cotton Bowl Classic to finish in the top ten of the final poll with a 9-0-2 record.
Indiana
Iowa recovered from the tie with Air Force by crushing usually weak IndianaIndiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in both teams' Big Ten opener, 34-13. The victory was the Hawkeyes' sixth straight over the Hoosiers
Indiana Hoosiers football
The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents Indiana University Bloomington in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and in the Big Ten Conference.-Bowl games:...
and Iowa rose to No. 13 in the October 13 poll.
Wisconsin
WisconsinUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
was Iowa's first test in the Big Ten. The No. 4 Badgers
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
hosted the Hawkeyes on October 18. Iowa had not won in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
since 1946. It was the second game in four weeks the Hawkeyes had played against a top ten team. Iowa had little trouble with Wisconsin, winning by a score of 20-9, the Badgers' only Big Ten loss of the season. The game would end up deciding the Big Ten championship, as Iowa finished 5-1 in the Big Ten and Wisconsin finished 5-1-1. Having now defeated two top ten teams, Iowa jumped to No. 7 in the October 20 poll.
Northwestern
Iowa hosted No. 8 NorthwesternNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
on October 25, the third game in five weeks the Hawkeyes had played against a top ten team. It was the first game between two top ten Big Ten teams of the season. Iowa's homecoming game against the Wildcats
Northwestern Wildcats football
The Northwestern Wildcats football team, representing Northwestern University, is a NCAA Division I team and member of the Big Ten Conference, with evidence of organization in 1876...
was tighter than the Wisconsin game, but the Hawkeyes prevailed 26-20. The highlight of the game was All-American end Curt Merz
Curt Merz
Curtis Carl Merz is a former college and professional American football guard who played seven seasons in the American Football League from 1962–1968...
's one-handed touchdown catch. The Hawkeyes' second victory over a top ten team in as many weeks earned them the No. 2 spot in the October 27 poll. The next day, Iowa was ranked No. 1 by United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
. It was the first time the Hawkeyes had ever topped a national football poll.
Michigan
MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
was in the midst of its worst season in twenty-two years when undefeated Iowa came to town on November 1. Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
was only two-thirds full that day, and the Hawkeyes blew out the uninspired Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
. All-Big Ten halfback Willie Fleming
Willie Fleming
Willie Fleming is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League BC Lions. Fleming played collegiately as a halfback at the University of Iowa, where he was a member of the Hawkeye's 1959 Rose Bowl championship team. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall...
opened the scoring, running 72 yards for a touchdown on a punt return on the final play of the first quarter. Halfback Ray Jauch, who led the nation in yards per carry in 1958, ran 74 yards for a touchdown early in the second quarter to put Iowa up 14-0. Michigan also scored a touchdown in the second quarter, but Iowa led by eight points at halftime. Michigan scored another touchdown and completed a two-point conversion to tie the game early in the third quarter. Iowa responded with twenty-three unanswered points to win the game 37-14. Bob Jeter
Bob Jeter
Robert DeLafayette Jeter, Jr. was a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. He was raised in Weirton, WV where he attended Weir High School...
had touchdown runs of 3 yards in the third quarter and 27 yards in the fourth quarter, the latter of which was followed by a two-point conversion pass from John Nocera to Curt Merz. Fleming also ran 61 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, which was followed by a two-point conversion pass from Randy Duncan to Merz. The victory was Iowa's first over Michigan in thirty-four years, and Michigan alumnus Evashevski's first in six attempts. Iowa remained No. 2 in the November 3 AP Poll and No. 1 in the November 4 UPI Poll.
Minnesota
Iowa played their final road game of the season in MinneapolisMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
on November 8. Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
did not figure to be much of a challenge. The Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
were 0-6 and had not won a football game in over a year. The Hawkeyes did not disappoint, winning 28-6. The victory clinched the Big Ten championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
for Iowa, whose Big Ten record remained perfect. Iowa remained No. 2 in the November 10 AP Poll, but dropped to No. 2 in the November 11 UPI Poll.
Ohio State
Ohio StateOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
was the only team to beat Iowa in 1957, so the Hawkeyes had a chip on their shoulder when they hosted the No. 16 Buckeyes
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
on November 15. Despite their efforts, Iowa fell to Ohio State, 38-28. It was again the Hawkeyes' only loss of the season, but this year they had already clinched the Big Ten championship. Iowa sank to No. 6 in the November 17 and 18 polls.
Notre Dame
Iowa hosted No. 15 Notre DameUniversity of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
on November 22 in the Hawkeyes' final game of the regular season and the seniors' final game in Iowa Stadium
Kinnick Stadium
Kinnick Stadium, formerly known as Iowa Stadium, and known in the area simply as Kinnick, is a stadium located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes, in the sport of college football...
. Iowa defeated the Fighting Irish
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
by a score of 31-21. The Hawkeyes finished the season with a 7-1-1 record, as in 1957, but this year they would travel to Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
to play the Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
champion California
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in the Rose Bowl. Iowa rose to No. 4 and No. 2 in the penultimate AP and UPI Polls on November 24 and 25, respectively.
Rose Bowl
The No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes (7-1-1, 5-1 Big Ten) and the No. 16 California Golden BearsCalifornia Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
(7-3, 6-1 Pacific Coast) met in the forty-fifth Rose Bowl Game
1959 Rose Bowl
The 1959 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1959. It was the 45th Rose Bowl Game. The Iowa Hawkeyes defeated the , 38–12. Bob Jeter, Iowa's star halfback, was named the Rose Bowl Player Of The Game...
on January 1, 1959, in the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
in Pasadena, California. The Hawkeyes were favored by 18½ points. Randy Duncan helped Iowa take a 14-0 lead with a touchdown run in the first quarter and a touchdown pass to Jeff Langston in the second quarter. The Hawkeye backfield carried Iowa the rest of the way, as Willie Fleming ran for two touchdowns and Bob Jeter, the Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player, and Don Horn each ran for one touchdown. Iowa attempted a Rose Bowl record three two-point conversions and failed on all three, while Bob Prescott made one of two extra points. End Jack Hart scored all of California's twelve points, running for a touchdown in the third quarter and catching a touchdown in the fourth quarter, both of which were followed by failed two-point conversion attempts. Iowa broke four Rose Bowl records: longest run (Jeter 81), team rushing yards (429), team total yards (516) and individual rushing yards (Jeter 194); and tied another Rose Bowl record set by Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
in 1943: first downs (24). The attendance was 98,297.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | Duncan 2 run (Prescott kick) | 7-0 |
| Iowa | Langston 7 pass from Duncan (Prescott kick) | 14-0 |
| Iowa | Horn 4 run (kick failed) | 20-0 |
| California | Hart 1 run (pass failed) | 20-6 |
| Iowa | Fleming 37 run (pass failed) | 26-6 |
| Iowa | Jeter 81 run* (pass failed) | 32-6 |
| Iowa | Fleming 7 run (pass failed) | 38-6 |
| California | Hart 17 pass from Kapp (run failed) | 38-12 |
| Team | Iowa | California |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 24* | 20 |
| Rushing Yards | 429* | 214 |
| Passing | 9-14-0 | 9-20-2 |
| Passing Yards | 87 | 130 |
| Total Yards | 516* | 344 |
| Punts-Average | 3-41 | 5-37 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 3-1 | 2-2 |
| Penalties-Yards | 5-55 | 5-35 |
| Individual | Iowa | California |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing | Jeter 9-194*, 1 touchdown; Fleming 9-85, 2 touchdowns | Olguin 9-62; Patton 9-45 |
| Passing | Ogiego 4-5-0, 37 yards | Kapp 8–17-1, 126 yards, 1 touchdown |
| Receiving | Prescott 3-31 | Hart 4-61, 1 touchdown; Garvin 1-31 |
Awards
Iowa finished 8-1-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten Conference in 1958. The Hawkeyes won the 1958 Big Ten football championship and the 1959 Rose Bowl Game. The Football Writers Association of America named Iowa the 1958 college football national champion by awarding the team the 1958 Grantland Rice Award. It is the only national championship in Iowa football history. The Hawkeyes finished No. 2 in the final AP and UPI polls, which were released before the bowl games, behind LSULouisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
. The undefeated Tigers won their bowl game also but not so impressively as Iowa. The final AP Poll ranking is the highest in school history. Iowa also finished No. 2 in the final UPI Poll in 1960. The Hawkeyes led the nation in total offense (405.9 yards per game), were ranked second in passing offense (170.0 yards per game), ninth in rushing offense (235.9 yards per game) and ninth in scoring offense (26.0 points per game).
Quarterback Randy Duncan was named the 1958 Big Ten Most Valuable Player
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
and was selected to the 1958 All-Big Ten first team and the 1958 All-America first team. He finished second in the 1958 Heisman Trophy
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 behind Pete Dawkins
Pete Dawkins
Peter Miller Dawkins is a Heisman Trophy winner, Rhodes Scholar, U.S. Army Brigadier General, and Republican candidate for Senate. He is the former vice chairman of Citigroup Private Bank.-Early life, education and athletic career:...
of Army
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
. In 1997 Duncan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. End Curt Merz was selected to the 1958 All-America first team. Halfback Willie Fleming was selected to the 1958 All-Big Ten first team. Thirty-four Iowa Hawkeyes, including Duncan, Merz and Fleming, won letters in 1958.