# 2014 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

The 2014 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by 16th-year head coach Kirk Ferentz and played their home games at Kinnick Stadium. They were a member of the new West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 7–6, 4–4 in Big Ten play to finish in fourth place in the West Division. They were invited to the TaxSlayer Bowl where they lost to Tennessee.

## 2014 commitments

College recruiting information :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | 40$^‡$ | Commit date |
| Mick Ellis K | Allen, TX | Lovejoy High School | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 186 lb (84 kg) | 4.6 | Jul 8, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Jalen Embry CB | Detroit, MI | Martin Luther King High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 179 lb (81 kg) | 4.6 | Oct 6, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Terrence Harris DE | Paramus, NJ | Paramus Catholic High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 248 lb (112 kg) | 4.7 | Jul 16, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Torey Hendrick DE | Brooklyn, NY | ASA College | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 235 lb (107 kg) | NA | Jan 28, 2014 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Parker Hesse OLB | Waukon, IA | Waukon High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 206 lb (93 kg) | 4.7 | Nov 25, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| CJ Hilliard RB | Cincinnati, OH | St. Xavier High School | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 186 lb (84 kg) | 4.6 | Jun 6, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Josh Jackson CB | Corinth, TX | Lake Dallas High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 173 lb (78 kg) | 4.5 | Aug 22, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Marcel Joly CB | Forestville, MD | Forestville High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 182 lb (83 kg) | 4.5 | Sep 23, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Dillon Kidd K | Torrance, CA | El Camino | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 4.7 | Jan 9, 2014 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Lucas LeGrand OT | Dubuque, IA | Dubuque Senior High School | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 260 lb (120 kg) | 5.0 | Apr 3, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Aaron Mends OLB | Kansas City, MO | Winnetonka High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 4.6 | Aug 17, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Matt Nelson TE | Cedar Rapids, IA | Xavier High School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 245 lb (111 kg) | 4.9 | Jun 27, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Ben Niemann OLB | Sycamore, IL | Sycamore High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | 4.5 | Jul 20, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Jameer Outsey DE | Somerset, NJ | Franklin High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | 4.8 | Jun 21, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Keegan Render OG | Indianola, IA | Indianola High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 308 lb (140 kg) | 5.2 | Jun 22, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Ross Reynolds OG | Waukee, IA | Waukee Senior High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 288 lb (131 kg) | NA | Jan 26, 2014 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Jay Scheel WR | La Porte City, IA | Union High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 4.5 | Jan 20, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Markel Smith RB | St. Louis, MO | St. John Vianney High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 4.7 | Nov 5, 2014 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Miles Taylor S | Washington, DC | Gonzaga College High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 4.5 | Jan 26, 2014 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Kyle Terlouw DT | Fort Dodge, IA | Iowa Central Community College | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 290 lb (130 kg) | NA | Mar 5, 2014 |
| Star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: N/A ESPN: N/A |||||||
| Omar Truitt CB | Washington, DC | St. John's College High School | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 4.5 | Jun 3, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Tyler Wiegers QB | Beverly Hills, MI | Detroit Country Day School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 197 lb (89 kg) | 4.7 | Dec 20, 2013 |
| Star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 39 Rivals: 59 247Sports: 55 ESPN: 53 |||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "ESPN- College Football Recruiting Schools". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 5, 2014. "2014 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved September 5, 2014. |||||||

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 30 | 11:00 a.m. | No. 9 (FCS) Northern Iowa* | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA | BTN | W 31–23 | 66,805 |
| September 6 | 2:30 p.m. | Ball State* | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA | ESPN2 | W 17–13 | 64,210 |
| September 13 | 2:30 p.m. | Iowa State* | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA (Cy-Hawk Trophy) | ESPN | L 17–20 | 70,585 |
| September 20 | 11:00 a.m. | at Pittsburgh* | Heinz FieldPittsburgh, PA | ESPNU | W 24–20 | 48,895 |
| September 27 | 11:00 a.m. | at Purdue | Ross–Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN | BTN | W 24–10 | 36,603 |
| October 11 | 11:00 a.m. | Indiana | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA | ESPNU | W 45–29 | 68,590 |
| October 18 | 11:00 a.m. | at Maryland | Byrd StadiumCollege Park, MD | ESPN2 | L 31–38 | 48,373 |
| November 1 | 11:00 a.m. | Northwestern | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA | BTN | W 48–7 | 66,887 |
| November 8 | 11:00 a.m. | at Minnesota | TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN (Floyd of Rosedale) | ESPN2 | L 14–51 | 49,680 |
| November 15 | 11:00 a.m. | at Illinois | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | BTN | W 30–14 | 50,373 |
| November 22 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 14 Wisconsin | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA (Heartland Trophy) | ABC/ESPN2 | L 24–26 | 68,610 |
| November 28 | 11:00 a.m. | Nebraska | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA (Heroes Game) | ABC | L 34–37 $^{OT}$ | 66,897 |
| January 2 | 2:20 p.m. | vs. Tennessee* | EverBank FieldJacksonville, FL (TaxSlayer Bowl) | ESPN | L 28–45 | 56,310 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||
* Source:

## Game summaries
### Northern Iowa

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Panthers | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
| • Hawkeyes | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
Future NFL star David Johnson had almost 250 yards of total offense for Northern Iowa but it still wasn't enough to upset host Iowa. The Panthers never went away and kept the game close until the final minutes, but a Hawkeye touchdown in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach.

### Ball State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| • Hawkeyes | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 17 |
Iowa escaped with a win in a game they were widely outplayed in.

### Iowa State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Cyclones | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 20 |
| Hawkeyes | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 |

### At Pittsburgh

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Hawkeyes | 7 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 24 |
| Panthers | 7 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 20 |
Iowa improved to 3-1 on the season with this road win.

### At Purdue

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Hawkeyes | 0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
| Boilermakers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
CJ Beathard got his first career start in this victory.

### Indiana

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hoosiers | 7 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 29 |
| • Hawkeyes | 28 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 45 |
Iowa got a homecoming victory in a game that was dominated by offenses.

### At Maryland

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hawkeyes | 14 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
| • Terrapins | 7 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 38 |

### Northwestern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Wildcats | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Hawkeyes | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 48 |
Mark Weisman ran for 94 yards and three touchdowns and freshman Akrum Wadley ran for 106 yards and a touchdown in this blowout victory for Iowa. The Hawkeyes dominated on both sides of the ball as Northwestern's lone touchdown was assisted by a muffed punt.

### At Minnesota

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hawkeyes | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| • Golden Gophers | 7 | 28 | 7 | 9 | 51 |

### At Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Hawkeyes | 2 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 30 |
| Fighting Illini | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Iowa had little trouble with Illinois in the first contest between the schools since 2008.

### Wisconsin

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Badgers | 3 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 26 |
| Hawkeyes | 3 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 24 |

### Nebraska

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| • Cornhuskers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 37 |
| Hawkeyes | 0 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 34 |

### Vs. Tennessee (TaxSlayer Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hawkeyes | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 28 |
| • Volunteers | 21 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 45 |
The Volunteers scored touchdowns on their first four possessions to take a commanding 28–0 lead early in the 2nd quarter en route to a 35–7 halftime advantage. The Hawkeyes, alternating quarterbacks each of their first six possessions, struggled to find a rhythm on offense until late in the game. Tennessee now leads the series between the two teams, 2–1.

## Postseason Awards

* Brandon Scherff – Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, Winner of the Outland Trophy, presented to the nation's best interior lineman, and Unanimous First-team All-American.

## Players in the 2015 NFL Draft

| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
| Brandon Scherff | Offensive Tackle | 1 | 5 | Washington Redskins |
| Carl Davis | Defensive End | 3 | 90 | Baltimore Ravens |
| Andrew Donnal | Offensive Tackle | 4 | 119 | St. Louis Rams |