Iowa achieved an astonishing five-game regular season jump from 2014 to 2015, which translated to a 12-0 campaign, quite possibly saving Kirk Ferentz‘ job. The Hawkeyes stumbled down the stretch, dropping the Big Ten Championship Game against Michigan State to miss out on a playoff berth, and eventually their Rose Bowl clash with Stanford, but the season was an overall success.
Recent shaky seasons and moving pieces in the offseason put Ferentz in a position in which he needed to win now, and if he couldn’t, he may have payed the price.