Iowa did something last season for the first time ever under Kirk Ferentz: went to the Rose Bowl.
But unfortunately for the Hawkeyes, things went about as poorly as possible in Pasadena. Heisman Trophy runner-up Christian McCaffrey racked up a Rose Bowl record 368 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in Stanford's 45-16 rout.
Iowa lost a chance at the College Football Playoff late in the Big Ten Championship game, when Michigan State's L.J. Scott extended his arm across the goal line in Lucas Oil Stadium to give the Spartans a 16-13 win. Still, the Hawkeyes went unbeaten in the regular season and return quarterback C.