The Hawkeyes, led by head coach Hayden Fry, were members of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Kinnick Stadium.
Iowa finished the season 8–4 (6–2 Big Ten), capped by a Peach Bowl victory over Tennessee.
[5] The Hawkeyes earned their first home win over the Fighting Illini since the 1974 season.
This game gained attention when Iowa safety Ron Hawley knocked over the wooden goalposts while defending a play during the second quarter.
Play was delayed for several minutes and remained broken when Michigan State was about to attempt a field goal, resulting in the grounds crew holding the posts manually during the kick.