Hawley was poised to field his best Iowa team in 1913. The 1913 Hawkeyes had a 5–2 record and easily led the nation in scoring. Only a loss to Chicago kept Iowa from the Western Conference title.
In 1913, Hawley planned to utilize his most talented Iowa squad.  The team achieved a 5-2 record and dominated the national rankings for scoring. A defeat against Chicago was the only obstacle preventing Iowa from claiming the Western Conference championship.