March 3, 2009
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Larry Station, who terrorized Big Ten offenses from 1982-85 while playing linebacker for the University of Iowa, is one of 76 former college football players on the ballot for possible induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Station was a two-time first team All-America selection. He was a consensus pick in 1984 and a unanimous choice in 1985. Iowa’s all-time leading tackler with 492, Station was a three-time first team All-Big Ten selection and he was named team captain and Most Valuable Player in 1985.
With Station securing the defensive side of the ball, the Hawkeyes posted season records of 8-4, 9-3, 8-4-1 and 10-2 and played in four bowl games — Peach, Gator, Freedom and Rose, winning the Peach Bowl 28-22 against Tennessee in 1982 and the Freedom Bowl 55-17 against Texas in 1984.
Station had 492 career tackles — the most in Hawkeye history — but he is best remembered for his game-saving tackle of running back Jamie Morris in Iowa’s 1985 game against Michigan. The game was one of the most anticipated in school history, as Iowa was ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, while Michigan was ranked No. 2. Michigan held a 10-9 lead with just minutes left on the clock at Kinnick Stadium, when the Wolverines faced third-and-2. Station anticipated the handoff to Morris and dropped him for a 2-yard loss. The Wolverines were forced to punt and Iowa kicker Rob Houghtlin kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to give Iowa a 12-10 victory.
Station, a native of Omaha, Neb., played one season of professional football with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Station was inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. In 1989, Iowa fans selected Station to the all-time University of Iowa football team during the 100th anniversary celebration of Iowa football. In 1999, Sports Illustrated selected Station as the 38th greatest sports figure in history from the state of Nebraska.
To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been a First-Team All-America selection by a major/national selector as recognized and utlitized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams; played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 years prior; played within the last 50 years and not currently be playing professionally.
The Hall of Fame Class will be announced on Thursday, April 30, and inducted at the National Football Foundation’s Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 8, 2009, in New York City. They will be officially enshrined at the Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., in the summer of 2010.