BOWLS ‘85-86 : ROSE

So what if it rains on Iowa’s All-American quarterback, Chuck Long, in the Rose Bowl? So what?

It has rained on Long in nine of his last 12 starts, dating back to last year’s Freedom Bowl.

He threw six touchdowns in that game and this year has completed 231 of 351 passes for 2,978 yards and 26 touchdowns.

“I like to think I throw pretty good in the rain,” Long said. “You get used to it. I used to always pray for sunny days. But starting from the Freedom Bowl last year, it seems like it’s rained every day.”

Said Fry: “In the Freedom Bowl, he threw six touchdown passes in a monsoon. He didn’t even know it was raining. I didn’t tell him.”

Iowa’s defense is led by All-American linebacker, Larry Station, the Hawkeyes’ all-time leader in tackles with 484. Station, an academic All-American with a 3.2 grade point average, said he’s smart enough to know that the Pac 10’s dominance in the Rose Bowl has nothing to do with outside distractions.

“I don’t think it has anything to do with jinxes or anything,” Station said. “A football game is decided on the field, not outside of the field.”