IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz became the second coach in Big Ten history to collect 200 victories after leading the Hawkeyes to a 40-16 win against Washington at Kinnick Stadium. Ferentz, 69, entered Saturday’s game tied with College Football Hall of Fame coach Amos Alonzo Stagg and is now five victories away from tying Ohio State’s Woody Hayes for the league record.
After serving as an Iowa assistant from 1981 to ’89, Ferentz took over for Hayden Fry in 1999 and has led Iowa for 26 seasons. The Hawkeyes won just two of his first 20 games in charge, but since then Ferentz has directed the program to five top-10 finishes, a pair of Big Ten championships and three Big Ten West Division titles, twice earning national coach of the year honors.
Ferentz, who has compiled a 212-142 record counting three seasons as head coach at Maine, has six more games left in the regular season. The earliest he could tie Hayes’ mark would be Nov. 23 at Maryland, and the earliest he could break it would be Nov. 29 at home against Nebraska.
Iowa rolls playing its style of game
In Ferentz’s tenure, Iowa (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) has been best known for tenacious defense and a power running game. Both were on display against the Huskies (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten), the defending College Football Playoff runner-up playing their first season in the Big Ten. Running back Kaleb Johnson, who now has 956 rushing yards in six games, dominated again, finishing with 166 yards on the ground and three total touchdowns. The Hawkeyes surpassed the 200-yard rushing mark as a team for the fifth time this season. Meanwhile, the Iowa defense intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble, and stopped Washington on three of its six fourth-down conversion attempts.
Ferentz’s milestone victories
Sept, 18, 1999: Northern Illinois, 24-0 (first win)
Nov. 16, 2002: Minnesota, 45-24 (clinched share of Big Ten regular season title)
Nov. 20, 2004: Wisconsin, 30-7 (clinched share of Big Ten regular season title)
Sept. 2, 2006: Montana, 41-7 (50th win at Iowa)
Jan.5, 2010: Georgia Tech, 24-14 (first major bowl win at Iowa since Jan. 1, 1959)
Oct. 13, 2012: Michigan State, 19-16, double overtime (100th career victory)
Nov. 27, 2015: Nebraska, 28-20 (first unbeaten regular season at Iowa since 1922, first Big Ten West title)
Sept. 1, 2018: Northern Illinois, 33-7 (144th win, passes Hayden Fry for most in Iowa history)
Nov. 26, 2021: Nebraska, 28-21 (Iowa claims second Big Ten West title)
Nov. 18, 2023: Illinois, 15-13 (Iowa claims third Big Ten West title)
Oct. 12, 2024: Washington, 40-16 (200th career Big Ten victory)
(Photo: Jeffrey Becker / Imagn Images)
