Clinging To Recent History: Spoiler Time

It's no secret this year has been a complete disappointment for Northwestern fans. The 'Cats have started 20 different players on defense and only four have started every game. If there is a team that can relate it is Iowa, our beloved opponent and top-of-the Big Ten world "friends" to the west. It's also no secret Iowa completely owned Northwestern for a generation winning every single contest from 1974-1994, an incredible 21-0 record. However, since the amazing year where nearly every ball bounced our way we've gone 7-5 against the Hawkeyes. This is the go-to "what have you done against us lately?" piece of Wildcataganda that is so fun to use against Hawkeye Nation who has been on a multi-year propoganda play of referring to the 'Cats as jNWU or "just Northwestern".



As fans who have zero control over the outcomes we tend to put a lot of stock in to the recent history of games (see: NU-Indiana - "it will be close" or NU-PSU "we always play them tight") and it is to this irrelevant trend, I'm thinking how fun it would be to play spoiler and ruin the Hawkeyes national championship hopes. I was actually rooting FOR Iowa last week against Indiana as I didn't want the Hoosiers to be the team to bring down the Big Ten team of destiny.



Again, clinging to the "who cares if Mike Kafka is out - we win games against Iowa we have no business winning" and they've returned the favor a few times as well when early in the Ferentz years they were god awful (see: Iowa vs NU 2000). The 'Cats are 4-4 against Ferentz which is quite remarkable considering Iowa's track record this decade. We all know Gary Barnett's motivational tactics to target Iowa as the team we need to beat consistently to elevate to the next level. Obviously, we're not quite there in the upper tier yet, but neither team can refute the fact the team usually favored to win this game does not.



If there was one game in the archives I wish I had access to it is the 1996. Coming off what would be our only Big Ten loss in two seasons (to Penn State) we ventured to Kinnick where we hadn't won since 1971. Darnell Autry had what I consider his best day as a 'Cat as he ran roughshod over Iowa, scoring 4 TDs in a 40-13 laugher. We are fortunate to have some highlights from the 2005, 2006 and 2008 games - all wins - as NU has won three of four against the Hawks. It is indeed an oddity for NU to play back-to-back seasons on the road against the same team an that is the case this season as we head back to Kinnick. Enjoy some Iowa feel-goodness we could all use.

2005 - Northwestern 28 Iowa 27



2006 - Northwestern 21 Iowa 7


2008 - Northwestern 22 Iowa 17