Babineaux Honored by Big Ten

Nov. 22, 2004

Iowa’s season-ending 30-7 victory over Wisconsin last Saturday at historic Kinnick Stadium – a win that capped gave the Hawkeyes a share of this year’s Big Ten Conference championship – was, in great measure, a result of dominating defensive play by the bowl-bound home team.

The Big Ten Conference acknowledged that fact today when it named the UI’s Jonathan Babineaux its defensive player of the week. Click HERE for the full story.

Iowa, 9-2 overall and ranked as high as 12th nationally, expects to receive an invitation to the 2005 Capital One Bowl later today or early Tuesday. The trip to Florida will be the third in a row for Coach Kirk Ferentz’s program. Iowa played in the 2003 FedEx Orange Bowl and the 2004 Outback Bowl.

The Big Ten title was Iowa’s second in three seasons. Iowa ran the table in November, defeating Purdue, Minnesota and Wisconsin on successive weekends to finish tied with Michigan, which lost at Ohio State last Saturday afternoon.

Iowa’s victory over Wisconsin denied the Badgers an opportunity to play in the 2005 Rose Bowl and a share of the league crown.