Iowa State Football History: The 1980s

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State's football legacy stretches over 12 decades back to the program's formation in 1892. Our Athletics Communications Department recently chronicled the highlights of that history into shortened document for another department project.

So, we decided to share that with you. Each Friday leading up until the home-opener on Sept. 1 vs. Tulsa, Cyclones.com will recount major moments in Cyclone football history. Archive links will be made below.

1980
On Sept. 29, Iowa State wins at Iowa, 10-7. The following week, the Cyclones rout Colorado State, 69-0, one of the biggest margins of victory in school history. A 31-7 win against Kansas State on Oct. 11 gave Iowa State a 5-0 record and a No. 19 spot on the AP poll as the Cyclones post a 7-4 record. TB Dwayne Crutchfield earns All-America honors after rushing for 1,312 yards. CB Larry Crawford, PK Alex Giffords and DE Kenny Neil are first-team All-Big Eight honors.

1981
The non-conference season includes a showdown with Rose Bowl-bound Iowa. The game is played in Cyclone Stadium on Sept. 19, before a record crowd of 53,922, in the first Iowa-Iowa State game in Ames since 1934. TB Dwayne Crutchfield ripped off a 40-yard gain on the Cyclones' first play from scrimmage. He finishes the contest with 147 yards on 36 carries and a TD. Iowa musters just 79 yards rushing on 28 carries. Two weeks later, No. 20 Iowa State fights to a 7-7 tie against No. 5 Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. The Cyclones' first appearance on ESPN came on Oct. 17, when Iowa State crushes No. 8 Missouri 34-13. The Cyclones rank as high as 11th nationally. CB Joe Brown, Crutchfield, OT Karl Nelson and QB John Quinn are first-team All-Big Eight honorees.

1982
An average of 51,906 fans attends the five home games, a record at the time. Offensive tackle Karl Nelson earns All-America honors. Iowa State beats Iowa for the third straight season, winning in Iowa City by a 19-7 score. DT Shamus McDonough, Nelson and S Ronnie Osborne are named first-team All-Big Eight.

1983
On Jan. 29, Jim Criner is introduced as the head coach at Iowa State. On Oct. 8, Iowa State scores 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and when Marc Bachrodt hit on a 47-yard field goal as time expired to give the Clones a 38-35 win. WR Tracy Henderson, FB Jason Jacobs and OG Bruce Reimers earn first-team All-Big Eight honors. Henderson is third nationally in receiving yards.

1984
A heroic Iowa State effort falls just short, as No. 2 Oklahoma edged the Cyclones 12-10 on Oct. 20, in the first night game at Cyclone Stadium-Jack Trice Field, before a national ESPN audience. All-American WR Tracy Henderson earns All-America honors.

1985
A fired up Iowa State defense holds future NFL back Thurman Thomas and No. 7 Oklahoma State to 47 yards rushing on 31 carries as the Cyclones beat the Cowboys, 15-10 on a bitterly cold Nov. 23 afternoon at Cyclone Stadium-Jack Trice Field to end the season.

1986
Chuck Banker is named interim coach for the final two games of the season after Jim Criner resigns on Nov. 12

1986
Jim Walden is introduced as Iowa State's 28th coach on Dec. 15.

1987
RB Joe Henderson earns first-team All-Big Eight honors.

1988
Iowa State opens the season with a 30-13 win over Tulane in the second-ever night game at Jack Trice Stadium. LB Matt Shane and PK Jeff Shudak are first-team All-Big Eight honorees.

1989
In one of the wildest games played by an Iowa State football team, Iowa State falls to No. 25 Oklahoma despite rolling up an OU opponent record 609 yards while allowing just 313 total yards. Cyclone quarterback Bret Oberg threw for a Sooner opponent record 411 yards and figured in six touchdowns. RB Blaise Bryant rushed for 151 yards on 35 carries against an Oklahoma defense that ranked No. 3 nationally coming into the game. WR Steve Lester had 13 catches for 203 yards and two TDs.

1989
Iowa State closes out the season with three straight victories to finish with a 6-5 record, its best mark in nine years. The quartet of QB Bret Oberg, RB Blaise Bryant, TE Mike Busch and WR Steve Lester with future NFL lineman Keith Sims and Gene Williams makes the 1989 offense one of the best in school history, perhaps better than that. Busch is an All-American in football and baseball and Bryant also earns All-America honors.

1989
On Nov. 11, Iowa State rallies from a 21-0 second-quarter deficit to beat Missouri, 35-21 in Columbia, Mo. The feat would be equaled 18 years later. Busch, Bryant and CB Marcus Robertson are first-team All-Big Eight honorees.