2001

SYLVANIA Alamo Bowl | Monday, December 31, 2001
Iowa 19 – Texas Tech 16

Attendance: 65,232
TV Rating: 3.8
Team Payout: $3,110,250 combined

Offensive MVP: Aaron Greving, RB, Iowa
Defensive MVP: Derrick Pickens, DL, Iowa
Sportsmanship Winner: Anton Paige, WR, Texas Tech

Head Coaches: Kirk Ferentz (Iowa), Mike Leach (Texas Tech)
Final Records: Iowa 7-5, Texas Tech 7-5

Game Recap

The 2001 SYLVANIA Alamo Bowl featured a matchup between the Big Ten’s top scoring offense and the Big 12’s top passing attack. But it was defense and special teams that stole the show as Iowa edged Texas Tech 19-16 before a sellout crowd in San Antonio.

The game came down to the final play when Iowa defensive back Bob Sanders, who went on to an All-Pro career with the Indianapolis Colts, intercepted a Kliff Kingsbury pass in the end zone to seal the Hawkeyes’ victory.

Two unlikely Iowa heroes emerged: kicker Nate Kaeding and reserve running back Aaron Greving. Kaeding connected on four field goals—including the 47-yard game-winner—while Greving, filling in for injured starter Ladell Betts, rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown to earn Offensive MVP honors.

Iowa controlled the tempo early, eating up more than nine minutes on an opening drive capped by Kaeding’s first field goal. Greving’s one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter made it 10-0 before Tech narrowed the lead with a 50-yard field goal to end the half.

In the second half, Kliff Kingsbury found Wes Welker for a 20-yard touchdown to tie it at 10. Iowa regained the lead after a Derrick Pickens interception set up a Kaeding field goal. Tech tied it late, but Kaeding’s fourth kick with 44 seconds remaining delivered Iowa its first bowl win since 1996.

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter
IOWA: Kaeding 36-yd FG

2nd Quarter
IOWA: Greving 1-yd run (Kaeding kick)
TECH: Greathouse 50-yd FG

3rd Quarter
TECH: Welker 20-yd pass from Kingsbury (Treece kick)
IOWA: Kaeding 31-yd FG

4th Quarter
IOWA: Kaeding 46-yd FG
TECH: Treece 23-yd FG
TECH: Treece 37-yd FG
IOWA: Kaeding 47-yd FG

Final Score

Team	1Q	2Q	3Q	4Q	Total
Iowa	3	7	3	6	19
Texas Tech	0	3	7	6	16

Team Stats

Category	Iowa	Texas Tech
First Downs	20	20
Net Yards Rushing/Att.	178/44	80/20
Net Yards Passing	161	309
Comp-Att-Int	19-26-0	29-49-3
Total Offense (Plays)	70	69
Total Net Yards	339	389
Avg. Gain Per Play	4.8	5.6
Possession Time	35:03	24:57
Third-Down Conversions	6/16 (27%)	6/14 (30%)

Individual Stats

Rushing (Att-Yds)
IOWA – Greving 25-115; Allen 7-36; McCann 7-26; Hill 1-6; Betts 2-4
TECH – Kingsbury 9-42; Williams 9-30; Francis 1-6; Welker 1-2

Passing (Comp-Att-Int, Yds)
IOWA – McCann 19-26-0, 161
TECH – Kingsbury 29-49-3, 309

Receiving (Rec-Yds)
IOWA – Hill 6-49; Clark 4-30; Dodge 4-26; Allen 3-38; Betts 1-10; Jenson 1-8
TECH – Peters 8-60; Glover 6-77; Welker 6-62; Francis 5-90; Williams 3-13; Roberts 1-7