OurQuadCities (WHBF) — Sept. 13th, 2025, will go down in college football history. Following Iowa’s 47-7 win over UMass, Kirk Ferentz became the all-time leader in wins by a Big Ten head coach with 206.

“I’m thrilled and can’t believe quite frankly my name’s next to that distinction,” Ferentz said. “I want to start by saying it’s a real testament to the university and to the program here. I can’t help but go back to when I got here in 1981. Nobody would have ever dreamt any of this was possible.”

“I mean you get to play for a guy like that and what he’s done. It’s a tribute to the way he does things and Coach Ferentz,” said Logan Jones, an Iowa offensive lineman. “He’s the absolute best man and coach. So he absolutely deserves this, and super happy for him. These types of games, him setting records, it’s so cool, and that’s what college football is about. He’s been here for so long now. That tells you the type of person he is, and how committed he is to the University of Iowa.”

“I know we all can think about the numbers and 206 wins over 27 years, but it really reflects the impact that he has had on those young men and over 1,000 young men he’s coached during that time,” said Beth Goetz, Iowa’s director of athletics. “For every single person who has able to have been a part of one of those programs, either in the locker room or watching these games, it’s just been really special.”

“Just to be able to be the team that got that for him (means everything),” said Aaron Graves, an Iowa defensive lineman. “You talk about legacy, and like leaving an impact on a program, you know, people will be talking about him for centuries.”

“I was kind of scared to (Gatorade bath) him because I didn’t know how (Ferentz) was going to react,” said Xavier Nwankpa, an Iowa defensive back. “We got the okay and it was surreal. Like, honestly, it was a crazy moment and super excited that I was a part of that.”

“The common denominator is it’s just been great people to work with,” Ferentz said. “We’ve had a lot of good players, really good players, but they are great people to work with, and they do it for the right reasons. It’s just been fun to watch them, you know, play in the program, and then see them become adults.”

The first chance for Ferentz to get his 207th win is on Friday when Iowa travels to Rutgers.