17 55 17 0 10 31 Champion Iowa Hawkeyes football Stadium Angel Stadium | Texas 0 14 10 31 0 Date 26 December 1984 Announcers Sam Nover, Jack Snow | |
Location Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California, United States Similar 1990 Freedom Bowl, 1957 Cotton Bowl Cla, 1992 Freedom Bowl | ||
The 1984 Freedom Bowl was an American college football bowl game played on December 26, 1984, at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, CA. The inaugural edition of the Freedom Bowl matched the #19 Texas Longhorns of the Southwest Conference and the Big Ten's Iowa Hawkeyes. After leading 24–17 at halftime, the Hawkeyes blew the game open with 31 unanswered points in the third quarter to win 55–17.
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1984 freedom bowl iowa vs 19 texas highlights
Background
The Longhorns started the season ranked #4 in the polls, and they beat #11 Auburn and #4 Penn State to rise to #1 in the polls. After a win over Rice, they tied #3 Oklahoma to fall to #3. Wins over Arkansas, #14 SMU, and Texas Tech soon followed. However, they lost to Houston at home, making them fall to #10. A win over #12 TCU was their last of the season, as they fell to Baylor and Texas A&M to close out the year, while finishing tied for second in the Southwest Conference with TCU and Arkansas, while SMU and Houston shared the crown. This was their 8th straight bowl appearance. Iowa began the year ranked #10 in the polls, and they won their opening game versus rival Iowa State to rise to #5. Losses to #12 Penn State and #5 Ohio State made them fall out of the polls. Five straight wins (including a win over #14 Purdue) made them rise back up to #17. They tied with Wisconsin 10-10, but a loss to Michigan State the following week made them fall out of the polls permanently. A loss to Minnesota was followed by a win over Hawaii to close out the regular season. They finished in third place in the Big Ten Conference, behind Ohio State, and tied 2nd placers Illinois & Purdue. This was Iowa's fourth straight bowl appearance.
Game summary
Iowa’s Chuck Long threw for 461 yards and a bowl-record six touchdowns.
Individual leaders
Passing
Texas: Dodge – 16-32, 180 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Iowa: Long – 29-39, 461 yds, 6 TD
Rushing
Texas: Orr – 12 carries, 67 yds; Johnson – 8 carries, 56 yds
Iowa: Gill – 17 carries, 61 yds
Receiving
Texas: Bryant – 3 catches, 50 yds, 1 TD; Duhon – 1 catch, 47 yds
Iowa: Smith – 4 catches, 115 yds, 1 TD; Happel – 8 catches, 104 yds, 1 TD
Aftermath
The Longhorns made just two more bowl games in the decade, while Iowa made four more in the decade.