Al Grady’s book “25 Years with the Fighting Hawkeyes” runs until 1989, so only one more year with Big Al.
“The final season of the first century may have been as strange as any of the 99 that preceded it.” A direct quote from Al’s book.
Injuries, controversial calls by officials, weather and tie games made up the 1988 football season.
The Hawks finished 6-4-3.
Iowa never had a season with three ties.
To top it off, Sport magazine and the Chicago Tribune picked Iowa as the
No. 1 team in the nation.
I had that Sport magazine at one time, but haven’t seen it for a while.
The Hawks had All-Big Ten quarterback Chuck Hartlieb, tight end Marv Cook and nose guard Dave Haight back to lead the team.
In 1987, Hartlieb passed for 3,092 yards,19 touchdowns and Iowa finished
9-3. He threw seven touchdown passes against Northwestern, which is still a school record.
In 1987, Cook caught 43 passes for 760 yards and two touchdowns.
COST OF LIVING IN 1988
You could buy a gallon of gas in 1988 for 91 cents.
A movie ticket cost $3.50, a postage stamp 24 cents, a dozen eggs 65 cents, a gallon of two percent milk $1.89 and a Ford Taurus $10,000.
Ronald Reagan was president and the first major computer virus infected computers connected to the Internet.
Popular movies in 1988 included “Rain Man,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and “Big.”
The top songs included “Faith” by George Michaels, “Need You Tonight” by INXS and “Got My Mind Set on You” by George Harrison.
People were watching “The Cosby Show,” “Roseanne,” “A Different World” and “Cheers” in 1988.
SPORTS
The Washington Redskins, now the Washington Football Team, beat the Denver Broncos, 42-10, in the Super Bowl. Washington trailed, 10-0, and then ran off 42 straight points. Doug Williams, the Redskins’ quarterback, was the MVP passing for a record 340 yards and four touchdowns.
The LA Dodgers beat Oakland, four games to one, to take the 1988 World Series. Pitcher Oral Hershiser was the MVP of the series. Kirk Gibson, barely able to walk, had a dramatic walk-off home run in the first game.
The LA Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons, four games to three, to win the NBA crown. James Worthy was the MVP.
COLLEGE SPORTS
Notre Dame won the national championship in football beating West Virginia, 34-21, in the Fiesta Bowl.
Barry Sanders won the Heisman trophy, running for 2,850 yards.
Kansas beat Oklahoma, 83-79, to win the NCAA basketball title and Danny Manning was the MVP.
Arizona State won the NCAA wrestling championship. Iowa finished second.
HAWKEYE FOOTBALL 1988
Like I said, Iowa was ranked No. 1 by two publications.
“No way can this team compare in experience with our 1985 team which had 17 fifth-year seniors,” said Hayden Fry. “We have too much inexperience at too many spots to be thought of in terms of a national championship football team.”
At least 14 players underwent surgery, either major or minor, before the season was over.
The offensive line and defensive backfield were especially weakened by the injuries. Eleven players saw action in the defensive backfield.
Hawaii 27, Iowa 24
Iowa, ranked ninth by the Associated Press (AP), opened the season at the Hawaii Rainbows and were 15-point favorites.
Hawaii scored first, but the Hawks tied it with a 63-yard touchdown run by sophomore Tony Stewart, then took a 14-7 lead on Stewart’s six-yard run.
Iowa took a 21-14-halftime lead when Chuck Hartlieb found David Hudson with a short touchdown pass.
The Hawks wouldn’t score a touchdown in the second half and lost their season opener.
Jeff Skillet missed a 44-yard field goal attempt with 13 seconds left capable of tying the game.
Tony Stewart ran for 147 yards and scored two times.
Chuck Hartlieb was 22-33 for 278 yards and one touchdown pass.
Iowa 45, Kansas State 10
Iowa dropped to 17th in the AP poll and were 31-point favorites over the Wildcats.
The Hawks only led 17-10 at half, but interceptions blew the game up in the second half.
Brad Quast set a school record with a 94-yard pick-six.
Brian Wise also had an 81-yard interception for a score.
Tony Stewart scored twice, ran for 84 yards, and Chuck Hartlieb was 16-25 for 253 yards and one touchdown.
Tight end Marv Cook reinjured an ankle hurt in the Hawaii game and the Hawks dropped to 19 in the AP poll.
Colorado 24, Iowa 21
Iowa fell to 1-2 as the Buffaloes marched 85 yards in the final five minutes to score the winning touchdown with 1:55 to go in 93-degree heat.
Iowa led, 21-17, with 6:00 to go with a first down on the Colorado six.
Chuck Hartlieb dropped back to pass, was blindsided on second down, fumbled and the Buffaloes recovered.
It was a good day for Hartlieb before the fumble. He completed 21-38 attempts for 269 yards and one touchdown, moving past Gary Snook into second place on Iowa’s all-time list for passing yardage.
It was also the 11th straight game Hartlieb passed for over 200 yards.
The Iowa running game could only come up with 75 yards and the defense could not get the job done.
“I was mad. As mad as I’ve ever been trying to get this team not to play with emotion,” said coach Fry. “Our guys are too nice. They’ve got to learn it’s a war out there.”
Iowa dropped out of the top 20 and wouldn’t be back again all season.