1959 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
| 1959 Iowa Hawkeyes football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Record | 5–4 (3–3 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| MVP | Don Norton |
| Captains |
|
| Home stadium | Iowa Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Wisconsin $ | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 4 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 2 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 Illinois | 4 | – | 2 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 2 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio State | 2 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 1 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 1959 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 1959 Big Ten football season. In their eighth season under head coach Forest Evashevski, the Hawkeyes compiled a 5–4 record (3–3 in conference games), finished sixth in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 233 to 100. They were ranked in the AP poll for most of the season (peaking at No. 5), dominating against defending PCC champion California (42–12), Michigan State (37–8), Kansas State (53–0), and Minnesota (33–0), defeating Ohio State (16–7), but losing close games to No. 2 Northwestern (10–14), No. 14 Purdue (7–14), and Notre Dame (19–20). They were dropped from the final AP poll. The victory over Minnesota was Iowa's 43rd under Evashevski, surpassing Howard Jones to become the winningest coach in Iowa history.
The 1959 Hawkeyes gained 2,151 rushing yards and 1,248 passing yards. On defense, they gave up 1,037 rushing yards and 1,098 passing yards. Iowa's average of 239 rushing yards per game ranks fourth in school history. The scoring defense also ranks fourth in Iowa history, having allowed an average of only 11.1 points per game. They also rank fifth in school history for total defense, having given up only 237.2 yards per game.
The team's statistical leaders included halfback Bob Jeter (609 rushing yards), quarterback Olen Treadway (86-of-147 passing for 1,014 yards), end Don Norton (30 receptions for 428 yards), and fullback Don Horn (42 points on seven touchdowns). Norton was selected by the Football Writers Association of America for Look magazine as a first-team All-American. Norton and Jeter received first-team All-Big Ten honors from both the AP and UPI. Norton and halfback Ray Jauch were the team captains. Norton was also selected as the team's most valuable player.
The team played its home games at Iowa Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Home attendance totaled 279,400 an average of 55,880 per game.