SUMMARY VIDEO

Summary: Iowa was picked at the bottom of the Big Ten. Before the season, Iowa's best player appeared to be Nile Kinnick. Kinnick was an all-Big Ten selection as a sophomore, when he led the nation in punting average, but he struggled through an injury-riddled junior season. As a result, end Erwin Prasse, an all-Big Ten selection in 1938, was elected as the team captain of the 1939 Hawkeyes. However, Kinnick had recovered from his injuries and was ready for a standout senior season.

The "Ironmen" went 6-1-1 and finished with a No. 9 national ranking. Victories included an upsets of #3 Minnesota and #3 Notre Dame in back-to-back games. Kinnick was injured in the final game against Northwestern (7-7 tie), keeping the Hawks from tying with Ohio State at the top of the Big Ten.

What really resonated with an adoring fan base was the grit and work ethic of the team. During the course of the 1939 season, there were 39 instances in which an Iowa player played the full 60 minutes in a game. Even in that era of one-platoon football, it was a highly unusual occurrence, thus the "Ironmen" nickname.

Kinnick received the Heisman Trophy as the best player in college football.

Conference: Big Ten

Head Coach: Eddie Anderson

Wikipedia Season Summary Page

Full Team Roster