Iowa’s late rally came up short in a 21-14 loss to 14th ranked LSU at the Outback Bowl in Tampa. Iowa scored a late touchdown but LSU recovered the ensuing onside kick to secure the win.
“Very disappointed to come up short today, it was a tough hard fought ballgame, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. He says his team competed hard as they have done all season. The Iowa offense was dominated by the LSU defense and Ferentz says it was one step forward and two steps backwards as LSU threw a couple of looks at them they hadn’t anticipated.
The Iowa defense kept the Hawkeyes in the game and an interception by John Lowerdmilk set up their first touchdown. Ferentz says the first and last possessions were the only times the defense didn’t have a handle on what LSU was doing.
Linebacker James Morris had a big day in his final game in an Iowa uniform. “It’s been hard work, it didn’t happen overnight. We didn’t want to be 8-5, at the end of the season we are and that’s the best we can be because there’s no games left on the schedule,” Morris says. Morris says it’s now up to the seniors next year to get the team to continue the work it takes to move forward.
Morris is one of three senior linebackers but says some talented players are ready to step in next season. He says it will be interesting to see how the seniors take over and says it will be the effort they bring forward. “I’m confident just watching them that they are going to do it,” Morris says.