In 2004, a slew of injuries to Iowa tailbacks left the Hawks with virtually no running game all year. Iowa lost six tailbacks to injury, and many of their injuries were season-ending. Still, following a 2–2 start, Iowa used a powerful defense and an opportunistic offense to win seven straight Big Ten games. On the final day of the season, Iowa defeated the Wisconsin Badgers, 30–7, to clinch the eleventh Big Ten title in school history. Iowa, with a record of 9–2, was awarded a berth in the Capital One Bowl to face defending national champion LSU. Iowa defeated the Tigers, 30–25, in one of the most spectacular finishes in the history of college football. After trailing the entire game, LSU took their first lead with 47 seconds remaining. On the game's final play, Iowa's Drew Tate fired a 56-yard, game-winning touchdown pass to Warren Holloway as time expired. The win gave Iowa its third straight ten win season.