History of Iowa Hawkeyes football
Overview Early history (1889–1978) The State University of Iowa began playing football as a club sport in 1872, with intramural games against other colleges played as early as 1882. It was not until 1889 that Iowa challenged Grinnell College, then-known as Iowa College, to a game of football. On November 16, 1889; the two teams met in Grinnell, Iowa to play the first game of intercollegiate football in the state of Iowa and the first one west of the Mississippi River. Iowa lost, 24–0, and a rematch between the two teams in Iowa City was canceled due to poor weather. A stone marker still stands in Grinnell Field marking the event. The next season, Iowa once again played Grinnell, this time in Iowa City in its first home game on Iowa Field. Playing in rain and strong winds, the Hawkeyes lost 14–6, but scored the first touchdown in school history when Martin Sampson blocked a Grinnell kick and returned it 70 yards for the score. However, much displeasure was expressed with this second loss to the Pioneers. The S.U.I. Medics, angry with two straight losses to a "small academy", challenged the varsity team to a game in an attempt to