The 1979 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 1979 Big Ten football season. In their first year under head coach Hayden Fry, the Hawkeyes compiled a 5âÂÂ6 record (4âÂÂ4 in conference games), finished in fifth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 239 to 216. Fry was hired as the head coach in December 1978 after spending the previous six years at North Texas State. Fry in 1979 hired Bill Snyder as his offensive coordinator and Barry Alvarez as his linebackers coach and recruited 18-year-old Bob Stoops to play defensive back at Iowa; all four are now in the College Football Hall of Fame and rank among the greatest coaches in modern college football history.
Tailback Dennis Mosley won the Big Ten rushing title and set Iowa single-season records with 1,267 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 96 points scored. He was selected as the team's most valuable player and received second-team All-America honors. Mosley, linebacker Leven Weiss and center Jay Hilgenberg also received first-team All-Big Ten honors. The team had a strong recruiting class that included linebacker Andre Tippett, defensive tackle Mark Bortz, punter Reggie Roby, and Bob Stoops.
The team played its home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
On October 22, 2016, former Indiana University coach and current ESPN College Football analyst Lee Corso described the game on College Gameday. He said at halftime he told the Hoosiers (who were losing the game 26-3) to not bother coming out for the 2nd half unless they were prepared to win the game. Indiana would then go on to win the game, 30-26, spoiling the debut of head coach Hayden Fry.
For the second week in a row, the Hawkeyes faced a Big 8 opponent ranked in the top 10. Iowa led, 21-14, at the end of the third quarter, but Nebraska tied the game then recovered a fumble before kicking the winning field goal late.
This game marked Hayden Fry's first win as head coach of the Hawkeyes.
Dennis Mosley broke Ed Podolak's Iowa single-season rushing record and caught a 75-yard touchdown pass in the win over the Badgers.
The 1975 Hawkeyes gained 2,130 rushing yards and 1,669 passing yards. On defense, they gave up 1,881 rushing yards and 1,843 passing yards.
Tailback Dennis Mosley won the Big Ten rushing title, became Iowa's first 1,000-yard rusher, and set Iowa single-season records with 1,267 rushing yards (including 239 yards against Iowa State), 16 touchdowns, and 96 points scored. He was selected as the team's most valuable player, was selected as a second-team All-American by the UPI, and received first-team honors on the 1979 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
The team's other statistical leaders included quarterback Phil Suess (88-of-159 passing for 1,165 yards), Brad Reid (25 receptions, 290 yards), and linebacker Leven Weiss (112 total tackles).
Home attendance totaled 358,245, an average of 59,708 per game.
Tailback Dennis Mosley received second-team honors from the UPI and third-team honors form the AP on the 1979 All-America college football team.
Mosley was also selected as the most valuable player of the 1979 team.
The following players received recognition on the 1979 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Dennis Mosley at running back (AP-1, UPI-1); Jay Hilgenberg at center (AP-1); Leven Weiss at linebacker (AP-1, UPI-2); and Reggie Roby at punter (UPI-2).
The following five players were co-captains of the 1979 team: defensive end Jim Molini, defensive back Mario Pace, offensive tackle Sam Palladino, defensive back Cedric Shaw, and tight end Jim Swift.
Two players (Bob Stoops and Andre Tippett) and three coaches (Hayden Fry, Bill Snyder, and Barry Alvarez) from the 1978 team have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Three players (Andre Tippett, Mark Bortz, and Reggie Roby) were included on the all-time Iowa team selected by fans in 1989.