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On Dec. 20, the University of Iowa Hawkeyes left a blustery and cold Iowa for warm and sunny Arizona and the 2010 Insight Bowl against the University of Missouri Tigers.

Red carpets, fans, and a mariachi band welcomed the Hawks to their home for the next 10 days. The celebration didn’t last for long—on Tuesday the tough practices started at Corona Del Sol High School in Tempe. The team practiced daily, even on Christmas (coach Kirk Ferentz donned his black and gold Santa cap to mark the holiday).

After a frustrating 7-5 regular season record, the team had a lot of work to do. They’d started out the season strong, losing only one of the first six games. But then came several close losses—always seven points or less. The Hawks returned to Arizona determined to finish the season with a win.

After a productive week of practice, the team used Monday, Dec. 27, as a preparation day, visiting Arizona State University’s Sun Devil Stadium for a walkthrough before the big game—the Hawkeyes 25th bowl game, and their 10th in the last 11 years. 

The next night Sun Devil Stadium was awash with black and gold—the school colors for both teams. The crowd of 53,453 established an Insight Bowl record, as the Hawkeyes defeated the Tigers in an exciting 27-24 game. The Hawks rushed the field to celebrate and pose for pictures, ecstatic to end the season on a high note—the third bowl win in a row, and a new school record.

photos by Michael Stenerson