Top 10 Ferentz-era games

The On Iowa podcast is in the silly season.

There's no pressing news today (well, until that Hilliard RB guy commits to Iowa, which I think happens, considering the fact that his Twitter profile pic is him wearing the colors in the Kinnick lockerroom), so let's revisit the great argument. The argument we all have in some way, shape or form at various times throughout the offseason.

What are your top 10 games of the Kirk Ferentz era?

Here's a poll, let us know:

[polldaddy poll=7156126]

Scott and I will offer ours. Maybe my opinion has changed since the last time we did this exercise.

Because I know where this could be hearded, here's an excerpt from my Capital One Bowl story:

ORLANDO, Fla. - They wanted three points. They got a miracle.

They called "all up." They got ESPN Classic.

They snapped the ball with seven seconds left. They got a play that will go down as one of the greatest in Iowa history.

Not bad for what essentially was a huge screw-up.

Quarterback Drew Tate hit Warren Holloway for a 56-yard touchdown as the stadium clock rolled up four zeroes, and the No. 12 Iowa Hawkeyes pulled out a 30-25 Capital One Bowl victory Saturday over No. 13 Louisiana State before 70,229 fans at Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium.

"I think what they (Iowa coaches) wanted to do was get to LSU's 30 and call timeout," Tate said. "And fortunately, it ended with an ESPN Classic."

No time for Gatorade baths. The entire Iowa sideline - coaches, managers, the whole mass of  Hawkeyes - jumped Holloway, a fifth-year senior and yet another "Rudy" on the Iowa roster, just outside the north end zone.

Let the record show, Iowa was called for an excessive celebration penalty.

And oh, by the way, that was Holloway's first TD.

"I was at the bottom of the pile, man," Holloway said. "I got knocked down, I don't know anything else after that."

The Hawkeyes (10-3) wanted three points. They got a third straight season with 10 or more victories. When the final Associated Press poll comes out, they'll have their third straight top 10.

They wanted three points.

They got their eighth straight victory.

They got ESPN Classic.

"For this thing to end the way it did today, it's fitting," Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz said. "The resiliency these kids have shown, I can't put it into words."

The final scene needs some setting, or at least explanation.

LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the third quarterback LSU used, hit wideout Skyler Green for a touchdown with 46 seconds left, giving the Tigers (9-3) a 25-24 lead after a two-point conversion failed. It capped a 12-play, 69-yard drive that drained 4:20 off the clock and left Iowa with 46 seconds to work with.

It also put Russell's name on the Capital One MVP trophy, if only for the 46 seconds LSU had that lead. The red-shirt freshman directed two scoring drives after Iowa running back Marques Simmons scored on a 4-yard run with 12:48 left to give Iowa a 24-12 lead.

"I think the last 14 or 20 seconds of this game somewhat tarnishes the things that this football team accomplished over the last four years," said LSU Coach Nick Saban, who'll begin his job Tuesday as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. "We came from behind and won five times this season. I thought it would be the sixth today."

Iowa took over at its 29. First down was an 11-yard pass to Ed Hinkel. Second down was a 9-yard pass to Holloway.

And now, this is where things started to unravel.

Tate spiked the ball, thinking he stopped the clock. But the Hawkeyes were called for a false start with nine seconds left. They went into their huddle thinking they had a dead clock.

Referee Hal Dowden stuck his head in to remind them the clock was ticking. After a penalty, the clock starts after the official spots the ball.

"I blew it not taking the timeout there," Ferentz said. "I didn't realize after a penalty, they start the clock."

When Tate took the snap with seven seconds left, that was it. It was over. Any Iowa play inbounds and the clock would likely have run out with the Hawkeyes the proud owners of two timeouts.

"From my point of view, I'm just wondering why we're not calling a timeout when the clock was running," defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux said. "I'm like, do we see the clock running? And they hike the ball, and I'm like, OK, this is it."

It was it.

No need to dwell on the timeouts, right, coach?

"Do we have to, the last series?" Ferentz said. "How 'bout we fast forward to that last play."

The play was "all up," where Iowa's four receivers run vertical routes down the field.