A Claim Resting on Numbers
William Hughes, an Omaha businessman and lifelong Hawkeyes fan, has released a book titled “Standing Up for the Hawkeyes” that lays out a statistical case for why the 1960 Iowa football team should be recognized as the true national champion of that season.
Schedule and Strength
The 1960 squad, coached by Forest Evashevski, was crowned No. 1 by four independent research outlets, faced the toughest schedule ever recorded for a major‑college team, and defeated seven ranked opponents by an average margin of 16.4 points.
Championship Controversy
Despite those credentials, the official championship was awarded to Minnesota, which earned a Rose Bowl berth after a Pacific‑8 Conference vote and subsequently lost to Washington in the bowl game.
Evashevski retired after the season and moved into an administrative role, while the team’s reputation for backfield speed, offensive imagination, line charge and defensive alertness remains a point of pride among alumni.
A Free-Distribution Strategy
Hughes plans to distribute copies of his book free of charge and hopes a future Hawkeyes game at Kinnick Stadium will include a formal acknowledgment of the 1960 team’s achievements.
Linking Past and Present
Tom Moore, the placekicker from that era, has been hired as a senior consultant and offensive analyst for the current Iowa program, linking the past to the present.
The debate underscores how historical narratives can be reshaped by data and personal advocacy, keeping the conversation about the 1960 championship alive among fans and scholars alike.