Hawkeyes Pull Together, Win After Loss

The Iowa Hawkeyes played the Alamo Bowl without Tiger Hawk emblems on their helmets, wearing simple black headgear in memory of Diane Mitchell.

The Hawkeyes peeled off the gold emblems and gold stripe to honor linebacker Mark Mitchell’s mother, who was killed in a car crash Friday while traveling to the game with her family.

“We were going to play hard either way. I think maybe it gave us a little extra edge,” junior Jason House said after Iowa’s 27-0 victory over Texas Tech on Sunday night. “That’s kind of the Mitchells’ focus. They’re hard-working people. That’s all they want us to do is play hard.”

Iowa Coach Hayden Fry wasn’t sure how the accident would affect his team.

“I think it brought us all closer together. It was a real bad situation and I’m glad we came out with a win tonight,” said freshman Rob Thein who, like Mitchell and House, is a graduate of City High in Iowa City.

“We thought we needed to do something to show our support for their family and I think it’s a really good idea,” Thein said.

The last time the Hawkeyes stripped their helmets was against Ohio State on Nov. 2, 1991, a day after a gunman shot seven people, five fatally, before killing himself at the Iowa campus.

“I know that our players were playing for Mark Mitchell and his family tonight,” defensive coordinator Bob Elliott said.

“Any time the Hawkeyes play with black helmets, you better be ready for us,” he said.

Mark Mitchell was flown back to Iowa late Friday night and missed the game.

“I’m sure this makes him feel a little better at home,” said linebacker coach Bret Bielema. “I wish he was here, but we’re all thinking of him and our prayers are with him and his family. It’s good to be a Hawkeye. . . . Tragedy like that just pulls us closer together.”

Sedrick Shaw rushed for 113 yards and upstaged Texas Tech’s Byron Hanspard as Iowa (9-3) shut out the Red Raiders.

Shaw, Iowa’s career rushing leader, carried 20 times in surpassing his season average of 91 yards per game. Hanspard, a 2,000-yard rusher, carried 18 times for 64 yards, falling far short of his 190-yard season average.

It was the first shutout of Texas Tech (7-5) since a 31-0 loss to Arkansas in 1987. Shaw was named the game’s best offensive player, and Iowa’s Jared DeVries, who had five tackles, was named best defensive player.