In the face of tragedy, the Iowa Hawkeyes pulled together and ended up with something to celebrate.
"I hope I don't wake up in the morning and find out it's a dream," Iowa coach Hayden Fry said Sunday night after the No. 21 Hawkeyes defeated Texas Tech 27-0 in the Alamo Bowl.Iowa achieved the victory - and shut down Texas Tech running back Byron Hanspard in the process - two days after the family of Iowa linebacker Mark Mitchell was involved in a fatal car wreck.
Diane Mitchell, his mother and an enthusiastic supporter of the team, was killed and other family members were injured in an accident while traveling to the bowl game.
"It's a very emotional time for my football team and coaches," Fry said after the game. "We have great people."
The Hawkeyes were galvanized by the adversity, and in honor of Mrs. Mitchell they played the game with their black helmets devoid of any team emblems. Only the players' numbers were on back.
Iowa also had other motivations.
The Hawkeyes were going against Hanspard, the Doak Walker Award-winning running back who announced today that he will turn pro. And despite their higher ranking, the Hawkeyes were dubbed 31/2-point underdogs.
"It made me mad that we were the underdogs. I thought we took it personally," said Iowa defensive lineman Jared DeVries, named the game's best defensive player.
DeVries had five tackles, including two sacks, and one pass deflection.
Iowa running back Sedrick Shaw, named best offensive player, rushed for 113 yards on 20 carries and upstaged Hanspard, a 2,000-yard rusher this season.
"I had about 50 people here watching me," said Shaw, who attended Austin's LBJ High School. "I want people to remember me as someone who gave his best in every situation."
Shaw, Iowa's career rushing leader, surpassed his season average of 91 yards per game. Hanspard carried 18 times for only 64 yards, about a third of his 190-yard season average.
The Hawkeyes have faced eight of the nation's top 20 rushers this season, and only Northwestern's Darnell Autry managed to reach his season average.
"They are one of the better defenses that we have faced this year," Hanspard said. "They played a physical, fast defense."
The Hawkeyes (9-3) finished their thrashing of the Red Raiders (7-5) with a 14-yard touchdown run by Rodney Filer with 2:09 left.
It was the first shutout of Texas Tech since a 31-0 loss to Arkansas in 1987.
"Obviously, it was a very good defensive football game for Iowa. I hope it was, because it was awful for our offense," said Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes.
Fry agreed his defense shined.
"To shut down the top running back in college football - at least (preventing him from) getting into the end zone - was one of the highlights of my career," he said.
Fry predicted a bright future for Shaw, a senior.
"Sedrick Shaw has always been a great back. He's a tremendous talent. He's so humble and polite that sometimes he doesn't get proper notice. He has a great future in pro football," Fry said.
Iowa got on the scoreboard in the first quarter after Plez Atkins intercepted a pass by Texas Tech quarterback Zebbie Lethridge at the Red Raiders 47 and ran it to the 39.
A 13-yard pass from Matt Sherman to Tim Dwight and two runs by Shaw moved Iowa to the 1. Sherman ran it in for the touchdown with 11:21 remaining in the period, putting the Hawkeyes up 6-0.
Iowa made it 14-0 on a 20-yard touchdown run by Shaw with 5:30 left in the second quarter after an 80-yard drive. Sherman passed to Chris Knipper for the 2-point conversion.
As time expired before halftime, the Hawkeyes boosted their advantage to 17-0 on a 36-yard field goal by Zach Bromert.
The Red Raiders' only scoring threat of the half ended when Jaret Greaser's 42-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.
With 10:36 remaining in the game, Bromert kicked a 26-yard field goal to give the Hawkeyes a 20-0 advantage.
Iowa defensive coordinator Bob Elliott said the Hawkeyes' defense played one of its best games of the season.
"Our players believed that we were slighted by the national media and by bowl committees around the country. We're happy to be in the Alamo Bowl and show all those people that we deserve to be respected a little bit better," Elliott said.