Iowa Hawkeyes
· 2026-07-13
Iowa Hawkeyes needed not one but two blocked field goals to escape Northern Iowa in 2009.
The Hawkeyes opened the 2009 season as 15-point favorites against Northern Iowa. Shonn Greene’s departure for the NFL left big shoes to fill, but Ricky Stanzi returned at quarterback. Iowa managed just a field goal on its first drive. Turnovers stifled the offense and UNI built a 13-3 lead by the third quarter.
Iowa rallied to 17-16, then watched UNI drive 46 yards in 12 plays. Pat Grace’s drive set up Billy Halgren’s first field goal try. The kick was blocked. The ball didn’t cross the line of scrimmage, so UNI kept the ball and earned another attempt. Halgren’s second kick was blocked again. Iowa recovered to preserve a 23-17 win.
The 2009 opener set the tone for a 11-2 season that ended with Iowa’s first major bowl victory since 1959. The Orange Bowl win remains the program’s only major-bowl triumph. That double block against UNI became a cautionary tale about underestimating FCS foes.
UNI had won five Missouri Valley Conference titles in eight years. The Panthers entered Kinnick Stadium with a chip on their shoulder. Iowa’s 2009 opener proved anything but a tune-up.
The Hawkeyes open 2026 on September 5 against Northern Illinois. The Huskies visit Kinnick Stadium for the first time since 2019. Iowa last beat NIU 42-3 in that meeting.
Iowa’s nonconference slate also includes a September 19 tilt at Iowa State. The Cyclones beat Iowa 29-23 on November 14, 2020. The Hawkeyes aim to avenge that loss and start 2026 with momentum.
Iowa lost its top-25 ranking after the UNI game. The Hawkeyes regrouped and ran the table in Big Ten play. A 10-2 regular season earned Iowa a New Year’s Six bid. The Orange Bowl victory capped a magical run under Kirk Ferentz.
The double field goal block against UNI became a rallying point. Iowa rode that energy to its best finish since 2002. The win over UNI remains a reminder: no opponent is ever too small to respect.