1939 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
| 1939 Iowa Hawkeyes football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| AP | No. 9 |
| Record | 6–1–1 (4–1–1 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| MVP | Nile Kinnick |
| Home stadium | Iowa Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Ohio State $ | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Iowa | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 20 Michigan | 3 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 2 | – | 1 | – | 2 | 3 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 3 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 4 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 0 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 1 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1939 Iowa Hawkeyes football team, known as the "Ironmen" team, was an American football team that represented the University of Iowa as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1939 Big Ten football season. In their first season under head coach Eddie Anderson, the Hawkeyes compiled a 6–1–1 record (4–1–1 in conference games), finished in second place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 130 to 91. They were ranked No. 9 in the final 1939 AP poll and No. 26 in the final Litkenhous Ratings.
The 1939 Hawkeyes gained 1,014 rushing yards and 749 passing yards. On defense, they gave up 1,074 rushing yards and 605 passing yards.
Halfback Nile Kinnick waa a consensus first-team All-American who won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and the Chicago Tribune Silver Football. Kinnick starred on offense, defense, and special teams. He led the 1939 team in passing (638 yards), rushing (374 yards) and scoring (41 points) and set a school record with 23 points scored against South Dakota (9/30/39). He still shares Iowa's single-season record with his eight interceptions in 1939. He also contributed as the team's punter and punt returner. He set Iowa single-game records that still stand with 731 yards on 16 punts against Notre Dame (11/11/39) and 201 yards on nine punt returns (including a 73-yard punt) against Indiana (19/7/39).
Anderson won the AFCA Coach of the Year award. Kinnick, end Erv Prasse, and tackle Mike Enich received first-team All-Big Ten honors. Prasse was the team captain.
The team played its home games at Iowa Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Home attendance was 129,500, an average of 32,375 per game.