1969 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

1969 Iowa Hawkeyes football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record5–5 (3–4 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPLarry Ely
Captains
  • Jon Meskimen
  • Larry Ely
Home stadiumIowa Stadium
1969 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Ohio State + 6 1 0 8 1 0
No. 9 Michigan + 6 1 0 8 3 0
No. 18 Purdue 5 2 0 8 2 0
Minnesota 4 3 0 4 5 1
Iowa 3 4 0 5 5 0
Indiana 3 4 0 4 6 0
Northwestern 3 4 0 3 7 0
Wisconsin 3 4 0 3 7 0
Michigan State 2 5 0 4 6 0
Illinois 0 7 0 0 10 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1969 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 1969 Big Ten football season. In their fourth year under head coach Ray Nagel, the Hawkeyes compiled a 5–5 record (3–4 in conference game), finished in a four-way tie for fifth place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 275 to 255.[1][2]

The 1969 Hawkeyes gained 2,155 rushing yards and 2,088 passing yards. On defense, they gave up 2,205 rushing yards and 1,614 passing yards.[3]

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Larry Lawrence (113-of-239 passing, 1,680 yards), Steve Penney (484 rushing yards), Kerry Reardon (43 receptions for 738 yards), and Alan Schuette (45 points scored).[4] Guard Jon Meskimen was a first-team All-Big Ten player. Meskimen and linebacker Larry Ely were the team captains.[5] Ely was selected as the team's most valuable player.[6]

The team played its home games at Iowa Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Home attendance totaled 301,287, an average of 50,218 per game.[7]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 20Oregon State*L 14–4251,800[8]
September 27Washington State*
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA
W 61–3543,241[9]
October 4Arizona*
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA
W 31–1947,391[10]
October 11at WisconsinL 17–2353,714[11]
October 18at No. 17 PurdueL 31–3565,971[12]
October 25Michigan State
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA
ABCW 19–1856,471[13]
November 1Minnesota
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA (rivalry)
L 8–3556,413[14]
November 8at IndianaABCW 28–1752,854[15]
November 15No. 14 Michigan
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA
L 6–5145,981[16]
November 22at IllinoisW 40–030,257[17]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[18]

Roster

1969 Iowa Hawkeyes football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 10 Larry Lawrence Sr
RB 44 Dennis Green Jr
WR 22 Kerry Reardon Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB 43 Craig Clemons So
LB   Larry Ely Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

References

  1. ^ "1969 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  2. ^ "2022 Iowa Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Iowa. p. 242. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  3. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 161.
  4. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, pp. 278-280.
  5. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 220.
  6. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 222.
  7. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 260.
  8. ^ "Beavers rebound for 42–14 romp". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. September 21, 1969. p. 1B.
  9. ^ "Iowa romps against Cougars in fiasco". The Daily Nonpareil. September 28, 1969. Retrieved October 21, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Iowa's long TD runs tame Arizona, 31–19". The Flint Journal. October 5, 1969. Retrieved September 16, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Badgers snap losing string 23–17". The La Crosse Tribune. October 12, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Purdue scores late TD, then holds off Iowa, 35–31". The Montana Standard. October 19, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "1:25 to go: Cilek passes Iowa to 19–18 triumph". Chicago Tribune. October 26, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Gophers tally biggest edge over Iowa in 20 years, 35–8". Chicago Tribune. November 2, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Iowa wilts Indiana's Rose hopes with 28–17 upset". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 9, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Curt Sylvester (November 16, 1969). "Wolverines clobber helpless Iowa, 51–6". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1C, 5C – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "It's Iowa by 40 to 0 to keep Illini winless". The Sioux City Journal. November 23, 1969. Retrieved October 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Schedule/Results (1969 Iowa)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved October 22, 2025.