three of the four rivalry trophies in Iowa City. However, losses to Penn State, Purdue and Northwestern in consecutive weeks defined the season. Iowa played in the Outback Bowl for the sixth time, holding on to defeat Mississippi State 27-22 for Ferentz's fifth January bowl win and eighth overall bowl victory. T.J. Hockenson won the Mackey Award for the nation's best tight end, and safety Amani Hooker won the Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year award. Ferentz's 2019 was another successful season at Iowa. The Hawkeyes started 4–0, and went undefeated against non-conference opponents. After back-to-back losses against Big Ten powerhouses Michigan and Penn State it looked like it could be a lost season for the team. Iowa rallied, winning five of their last six games but yet another loss to archrival Wisconsin meant that a Big Ten West division title eluded the program. The Hawkeyes played in the 2019 Holiday Bowl against USC. In the first match-up between the Trojans and Hawkeyes since the 2003 Orange Bowl Iowa outplayed USC in a shootout 49–24. The victory gave the program ten wins for the sixth time under Ferentz. The team was also able to accomplish a distinction that hadn't been done since 1991, they both started and finished the season in the top 25 national rankings without dropping out. Tackle Tristan Wirfs went 13th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. On June 6, 2020, Ferentz placed strength coach Chris Doyle on paid administrative leave after a number of former players identified Doyle and Brian Ferentz as contributing to a program culture that was hostile toward black student-athletes. On June 15, Doyle was released from the program after a 21-year stint. On July 27, 2020, ESPN published an article citing instances of racial inequities levied against black players throughout Ferentz's tenure as a head coach. "I did ask multiple players if they feel like I’m part of the problem or if they feel like we can’t move forward with me here,” Ferentz said in a news conference in early June. “That’s not what I’ve heard thus far. But my commitment is to us having a good program and having a healthy team and improving the environment.” Brian Ferentz was retained on staff. In the COVID-19-shorted 2020 season, they won six games, and went 3–0 in trophy contests, defeating Wisconsin for the first time since 2015. Ferentz tested positive for COVID-19 on