Kaeding Lifts Hawkeyes: Iowa Time Machine December 29, 2001

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 29, 2001, Nate Kaeding hit a 47-yard game-winning field goal with 44 seconds to play in the Alamo Bowl to lift the Iowa Hawkeyes to a bowl victory. The first bowl win of the Ferentz era, Kaeding’s four-for-four field-goal performance helped the Hawks secure a 19-16 victory over Texas Tech.

Entering the third season of the Ferentz era, Iowa looked like a program on the rise. The previous season, Iowa opened with five consecutive losses before Frenetz earned his first conference win, a 21-16 victory over Michigan State. The team entered the 2001 season at a turning point, with a confused quarterback depth chart featuring returners Kyle McCann and Jon Beutjer, as well as junior college transfer Brad Banks. Running back Ladell Betts and receiver Kahlil Hill rounded out the key offensive returners. At the same time, Aaron Kampman and Mike Dolezal headlined a defense that saw the emergence of the hard-hitting Bob Sanders. Sophomore Nate Kaeding of Iowa City West High School looked to build on a successful freshman season.

The Hawkeyes started strong with wins over Kent State, Miami University, and Penn State before dropping back-to-back games on the road to Purdue and Michigan State. Through the middle part of the schedule, the Hawks secured bowl eligibility with wins over Indiana, Northwestern, and Minnesota, before falling in a regular-season finale road game at Iowa State by a score of 17-14. Selected to square off with Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl, the Hawks headed south for a late December date at San Antonio’s Alamodome.

A defensive slugfest ensued. Kaeding nudged the Hawks ahead with a 36-yard first-quarter field goal before Aaron Greving capped a 12-play, 75-yard second-quarter drive to put the Hawkeyes up 10-0, but Texas Tech managed a field goal going into the half to cut the score to 10-3. The Red Raiders tied the game on a 20-yard Kliff Kingsbury pass to Wes Welker with 11:36 to play in the third quarter. A Derrick Pickins interception set the Hawks up at the Tech 11-yard line before Kaeding nudged Iowa back out ahead 13-10 with a 31-yard field goal. Kaeding traded fourth-quarter field goals with Tech Kicker Robert Treece to set up a final Iowa drive with the score tied 16-16. Eight plays and 53 yards later, Kaeding lined up and drilled the game-winner with 44 seconds to play before doing “one of the worst backflips/somersaults/cartwheels in the history of mankind,” according to the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Kingsbury tried to lead the Red Raiders down the Red Raiders on a victory drive, only to have his final passing attempt reeled in by Bob Sanders to seal the Iowa victory. #Iowa #OTD #History #Hawkeyes #Football