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13 P reparing for an opponent on a short week is a challenge for any football team, especially one coming off a dispiriting loss in its final home game six days earlier. anks to strong leadership among Iowa coaches and senior student-athletes, the short-week chal- lenge was accepted and conquered. e Hawkeyes secured their fih consecutive bowl berth Nov. 4 with a 55-24 victory over No. 3 Ohio State. But momentum gained from a decisive win over a perennial power quickly faded. It was fol- lowed by a 38-14 loss at Wisconsin, then a 24-15 setback to Purdue. e defeat to the Boilermak- ers le a bitter taste since the Hawkeyes had a 9-7 halime lead against a team that entered the game with a record of 4-6. "It was tough coming off the field (aer the Pur- due loss)," Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said. "But our guys stayed together." Six days later, on Black Friday, it was Iowa versus Nebraska. In Lincoln, Nebraska. In front of 90,000 fans, a majority wearing Cornhusker red. At the start of the game, there was what Ferentz called a self-inflicted wound: punter Colten Rastetter dropped a snap and was tackled for a nine-yard loss to Iowa's 15-yard-line. It took Nebraska three plays to grab a 7-0 lead. Iowa was not only stumbling in the midst of a two-game losing skid, but the Hawkeyes slipped into an early hole in a hostile environment. A third straight loss would be devastating. "If we hadn't won (at Nebraska), it would have been quite a challenge," Ferentz said. "e entire month (of December) would have been. is (win) doesn't assure us anything moving forward, but it certainly puts everybody in a better place mentally." How did the Hawkeyes respond to two weeks of collective adversity? Like champions. ey finished the Hy-Vee Heroes Game by tack- ing on 49 unanswered points and winning, 56-14. Iowa muscled its way to 505 yards of offense and held Nebraska to 267 — 59 in the third quarter and 94 in the second half. "We looked like an Iowa team," Ferentz said. e Hawkeyes dominated the third quarter, out- scoring Nebraska 28-0 and gaining 209 yards. Iowa benefitted from a 74-yeard kickoff return by freshman Ihmir Smith-Marsette, an interception by Ben Niemann, and three three-and-outs by the defense. e Hawkeyes had scoring drives span- ning 19, 34, and 44 seconds. "I'm happy about the way we trended upward," Ferentz said. "(Aer the loss to Purdue), we knew that the best we could do was win one game; that had been our goal since (Nov. 18)." It was Iowa's third consecutive victory in the Hy- Vee Heroes Game. It also meant that the Hawkeye senior class has been victorious in 10 of its last 12 traveling trophy games. "I am most happy for our seniors — this is the last regular season game for them, 18 guys who have done a good job," Ferentz said. And aer stalling against Wisconsin and Purdue, the effort at Nebraska shows growth as the Hawk- eyes await their bowl opponent and destination. "e guys went back to work and did something about it," Ferentz said.