Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/85024
By Steve Roe and Matt Weitzel HAWKEYES HAVE ENJOYED HOMECOMING SUCCESS Last year, Iowa celebrated its 100th Homecoming with a 45-24 victory against Indiana. The win was the Hawkeyes' third straight on Homecoming. Overall, Iowa is 54-41-5 in Homecoming games, but the Hawkeyes have enjoyed success on Homecoming as of late. Iowa is14-3 on Homecoming since 1995, and 10-2 since 2000, including winning seven in a row from 2000-06. Saturday will mark the first time since Oct. 20, 1979 Iowa will host Minnesota on Homecoming. Saturday will match the second-earliest Homecoming game in Hawkeye history. Iowa's earliest Homecoming contest came on Sept. 27, 2008 (Northwestern). The Hawkeyes also played on Sept. 29 in 1984 (Illinois), 2001 (Penn State) and 2007 (Indiana). Saturday's game will be the conference opener for both schools. This marks the fourth time in Kirk Ferentz's 14 years at Iowa that the Hawkeyes have opened the conference season in Iowa City. Iowa has won two of its last three Big openers. FLOYD OF ROSEDALE UP FOR GRABS SATURDAY Iowa has won eight of the last 11 meetings against Minnesota, but the Gophers enter Saturday's game with possession of Floyd of Rosedale aſter beating the Hawkeyes the last two seasons in Minneapolis. Iowa has won the last five meetings in Iowa City, dating back to the 2001 season. A bet in 1935 between Minnesota Governor Floyd B. Olson and Iowa Governor Clyde Herring gave birth to Floyd of Rosedale. The trophy is a bronze pig 21 inches long and 15 inches high, and weighs in at 98.3 pounds. HAWKEYES AMONG BIG BEST SINCE 2002 Iowa enters the 2012 Big season with 50 league victories since 2002, a total that equals Michigan and Wisconsin for second-best in the conference. Ohio State ranks first with 57. Since the start of the 2008 season, the Hawkeyes rank third in Big wins with 19. Michigan State is first with 24, followed by Wisconsin's 21. Since 2002 TEAM ..............................W-L 1. Ohio State ..........................58-15 2. IOWA ............................. 51-30 Michigan ............................50-31 Wisconsin ..........................51-30 10. Indiana ...............................14-67 11. Nebraska .............................6-3 # 12. Penn State .........................0-34 ^ 5. Michigan State ...................42-39 6. Purdue ................................38-43 7. Northwestern .....................37-44 8. Minnesota ..........................29-52 9. Illinois .................................24-57 10 Ohio State vacated wins from 2010 season ^ Penn State vacated wins from 2002-11 seasons # Nebraska joined conference in 2011 Since 2008 TEAM ..............................W-L 1. Michigan State .....................24-8 2. Wisconsin ..........................21-11 3. IOWA ............................. 19-13 4. Ohio State ............................17-7 5. Northwestern .....................16-16 6. Michigan ............................12-20 Purdue ................................12-20 10. Nebraska .............................5-3 # 11. Indiana .................................3-29 12. Penn State ...........................0-9 ^ 8. Illinois .................................11-21 9. Minnesota ..........................10-22 Ohio State vacated wins from 2010 season ^ Penn State vacated wins from 2008-11 seasons # Nebraska joined conference in 2011