2007 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

Previous season

Entering 2006 ranked 16th in the AP Poll and 17th in the Coaches Poll, the Hawkeyes had high hopes for the season. Following victories over Montana, Syracuse, Iowa State and Illinois, the Hawkeyes were 4–0 heading into their game with top-ranked Ohio State. With tickets for the game going for US$500 on eBay, the game was hyped as one of the biggest in Kinnick Stadium history. But quarterback Drew Tate threw 3 interceptions, and the Hawkeyes lost 38–17. In total, Iowa had 4 turnovers while Ohio State had zero.

Following the loss to Ohio State, Iowa proceeded to score a season-high 47 points in a victory over Purdue. But the most notable score came during the 4th quarter, when Adam Shada intercepted a Curtis Painter pass and returned it a school record 98-yards for the touchdown. However, Iowa's joy would not last long, as the Hawkeyes were upset by Indiana only a week later. The 31–28 win was Indiana's biggest win since a victory over 9th-ranked Ohio State in 1987.

From there, the season unraveled, and the Hawkeyes lost four of their remaining five games en route to a 6–6 record. The Hawkeyes were not invited to a bowl game following the conclusion of the 2007 season.

Before the season

On April 20, 2007, it was announced by Ferentz that two players, Ryan Bain and Justin Edwards, were leaving the team. Both are planning on transferring to other schools. Bain, who had 56 career tackles, was later found guilty on charges of disorderly conduct. About two months later, it was announced that Shonn Greene and Amari Spievey were no longer on the team. Greene, a junior running back, had 378 rushing yards and two touchdowns in his career. Another month later, and it was announced that Lucas Cox and Marcus Wilson were leaving the team. Wilson, a sophomore defensive back, played in all 13 games in 2006 and recorded 21 tackles and one interception. Earlier in July, senior defensive back Devan Moylan was given an additional year of eligibility. After suffering a leg injury in the fourth game of 2006 against Illinois, he applied for a medical hardship. Prior to the 2007 season, he had 28 tackles and one interception in his career.

Criminal charges

On August 20, 2007, two Hawkeye wide receivers were arrested and charged with the unauthorized use of a credit card. Dominique Douglas and Anthony Bowman, both sophomores, were suspended indefinitely by Ferentz following allegations that they bought more than $2,000 in merchandise with stolen credit cards. The crime is a felony, and if convicted, the two players can face up to five years in prison along with a $7,500 fine. Another player, Arvell Nelson, also experienced trouble with the law. Nelson posted a $545 bond for failure to appear in court after being charged with driving with a suspended license. He also paid a $390 fine for not having insurance. 1 in every 10 Iowa football players during the 2007 season had off-field arrests, the highest among any year in Kirk Ferentz's tenure at Iowa.

Recruiting class

The Hawkeyes received 22 letters of intent on National Signing Day, February 7, 2007.

Schedule notes

Due to the Big Ten's rotating schedule, Iowa did not play either Michigan or Ohio State in 2007. Instead, Iowa played play Michigan State and Penn State, two teams that the Hawkeyes had not played since 2004.

Iowa's schedule was ranked as the 9th toughest (or 3rd easiest) in the Big Ten by SI.com.

Depth chart

This is the depth chart released by the University of Iowa on August 24, 2007.

Defense

Defensively, the Hawkeyes return eight starters from 2006.

Offense

On offense, the Hawkeyes return seven starters, two of which who are not currently listed on the two deeps.

Special teams

Note: Returning starters are shown in bold.