ABOUT THE HY-VEE HEROES GAME
Established prior to the school's first meeting as Big Ten Conference opponents in 2011, the Hy-Vee Heroes Game was created to honor the rich football traditions of the University of Iowa and University of Nebraska football programs while also annually honoring community heroes in both states. Hy-Vee is proud to be the title sponsor of the annual Heroes Game, a yearly matchup that also benefits the American Red Cross, an organization doing incredible good in the heartland.
The “Heroes Game,” scheduled for the Friday after Thanksgiving, pits conference powerhouses Iowa and Nebraska in a nationally-televised battle for bragging rights in the nation’s heartland. The winner of each year's game will take home The Heroes Game trophy, which was designed by Rickabuagh Graphics. The trophy, which stands 30 inches tall also features a dark gray acrylic etched with a corn stalk pattern on all four sides and the logos of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The trophy has four sides:
- the front prominently displays the Heroes Game logo in brushed aluminum
- the back is labeled at its top "TRADITION" and includes brushed aluminum art that prominently displays images of Memorial Stadium and Kinnick Stadium
- the left side is labeled at its top "VALOR" and carries the badges that will be dated and carry the names of the two "Citizen Heroes"
- the right side is labeled at its top "VICTORY" and carries the badges that will be dated and carry the final score of each Heroes Game
HY-VEE HEROES GAME RESULTS
| MATCHUP |
LOCALE |
RESULT |
SERIES |
| Nov. 25, 2011 |
Lincoln |
#21 Nebraska 20, Iowa 7 |
NU leads, 1-0 |
| Nov. 23, 2012 |
Iowa City |
#17 Nebraska 13, Iowa 7 |
NU leads, 2-0 |
| Nov. 29, 2013 |
Lincoln |
Iowa 38, Nebraska 17 |
NU leads, 2-1 |
| Nov. 28, 2014 |
Iowa City |
Nebraska 37, Iowa 34 (OT) |
NU leads, 3-1 |
| Nov. 27, 2015 |
Lincoln |
#3 Iowa 28, Nebraska 20 |
NU leads, 3-2 |
| Nov. 25, 2016 |
Iowa City |
#17 Iowa 40, Nebraska 10 |
Tied, 3-3 |
| Nov. 24, 2017 |
Lincoln |
Iowa 56, Nebraska 14 |
Iowa leads, 4-3 |
| Nov. 24, 2018 |
Iowa City |
Iowa 31, Nebraska 28 |
Iowa leads, 5-3 |
| Nov. 27, 2019 |
Lincoln |
Iowa 27, Nebraska, 24 |
Iowa leads, 6-3 |
Nebraska Man Who Lost His Life While Rescuing Others From Floodwaters To Be Honored at Hy-Vee Heroes Game
James Wilke, a farmer from Columbus, Nebraska, who lost his life while trying to rescue a stranded motorist during the Nebraska floods last spring, will be honored for his heroic efforts at this week’s Nebraska-Iowa football game. Wilke will be recognized as Nebraska’s 2019 “citizen hero” at the Hy-Vee Heroes Game on Friday, Nov. 29, when the Cornhuskers take on the Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.
“This year’s Hy-Vee Heroes Game honorees exemplify what it means to be a hero,” said Jill Orton, Regional Executive of the Red Cross of Kansas, Nebraska and Southwest Iowa. “Their lifesaving actions define why the American Red Cross, Hy-Vee, the University of Nebraska and the University of Iowa partner together each year to showcase extraordinary citizens in both states.”
Wilke’s family and Katie Gudenkauf, who has been selected as Iowa’s 2019 “citizen hero,” will be guests of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Iowa Hawkeyes at Friday’s game and will participate in a variety of special pregame activities. During halftime of the Hy-Vee Heroes Game, university and Hy-Vee representatives will make a special on-field presentation to the citizen heroes. The names of Wilke and Gudenkauf will also be inscribed on the Hy-Vee Heroes Game trophy.
Earlier this year, individuals were invited to nominate residents of Iowa and Nebraska who performed extraordinary acts of heroism and service in their communities for the “citizen hero” award. Staff and volunteers from the American Red Cross selected the winners.
BACKGROUND:
James Wilke – In March 2019, Nebraska faced historic flooding that created dangerous conditions. Structures were damaged, roads were swept away and lives were lost. As floodwaters rose, James Wilke, a farmer from Columbus, Nebraska, was asked by local authorities to help a stranded motorist. James did not hesitate to climb into his tractor like he had done many times before and proceeded to assist this stranger. As James crossed a flooded bridge in his tractor, the bridge gave out. James and his tractor were swept away by the floodwaters. James gave his life while attempting to save the life of a stranger.
Katie Gudenkauf– On a cold day in March, a tragic turn of events caused Katie Gudenkauf and Jake Tebbe’s paths to cross on Clarke University’s campus in Dubuque, Iowa. At the time, Jake and Katie did not know one another. Both were in attendance at an indoor soccer tournament taking place in Clarke’s Kehl Center. While Jake was playing in the soccer game, his heart stopped beating and he blacked out. Katie and her friends, also nurses, happened to be nearby. Katie stepped in and began first aid,, eventually saving his life. Katie is a 2018 graduate of Clarke’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program and currently works as a family practice nurse practitioner at Grand Regional Health Center. Heroes Game is about more than a trophy or bragging rights. With the help of Hy-Vee, the national stage created by the Iowa-Nebraska game will be utilized to recognize individuals for acts of heroism in their communities. In addition, Iowa and Ne
THE HY-VEE HEROES GAME: HONORING "CITIZEN HEROES" WHILE SUPPORTING THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
The Hy-Vee Heroes Game is about more than a trophy or bragging rights. With the help of Hy-Vee, the national stage created by the Iowa-Nebraska game will be utilized to recognize individuals for acts of heroism in their communities. In addition, Iowa and Nebraska officials are counting on the intense interest in the big game to help raise money for the American Red Cross as they continue doing heroic work in the two states. Hy-Vee stores in Iowa and Nebraska will spearhead the fundraising effort by creating activities designed to engage and excite fans of each school.
In advance of each year's game, fans of each school will be encouraged to nominate everyday citizens of Iowa and Nebraska who deserve to be honored for extraordinary acts of heroism. One citizen-hero from each state will be invited to attend the game as a special guest of the teams, receive on-field recognition and have his or her name inscribed on the game trophy.