Ross Tucker said it best on the Iowa-Nebraska broadcast: Kirk Ferentz has a soft spot in his heart for this group of guys.
Iowa earned win No. 8 this season after destroying Nebraska 40-16 on a cold, snowy day in Lincoln.
During his weekly press conference, Ferentz was visibly emotional when he talked about the resilience his squad has shown this season.
The Hawkeyes have lost four games this year by a combined 15 points, and despite all the close losses, Ferentz has been adamant that this group has played their asses off.
Iowa could easily be undefeated this year and have a spot in the College Football Playoff, but some bad luck and poor execution down the stretch have cost them in some of the losses.
The Hawkeyes could have easily folded, but fought through adversity against Michigan State to win a close game and finished the season with a commanding road victory against Nebraska to recapture the Heroes Trophy.
After the game, an emotional Kirk celebrated in the locker room with his team, and that emotion made the victory so much sweeter.
POV... you’re celebrating with the Hawks 🎈 pic.twitter.com/WDssolYVAP
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) November 28, 2025
Ferentz shook some of the seniors' hands on their way into the locker room, followed by a tearful speech about how proud he is of them.
He noted they have done a "helluva job" all season long, proving they were always the tougher team.
A lot of people have been calling for Ferentz's job since the loss to Iowa State early in the season, but it is clear that no matter what anyone else thinks, he cares about his guys.
Beating rival Nebraska on the road was good enough, but to see how much Ferentz truly cares about his guys was the cherry on top.