Ask any Hawkeye football player's parents and they will tell you Iowa experience flies by. For some it is a five year journey. For others, like Scott and Teri Sandeman, it's four of the best years of their life, filled with many joyous moments, special memories, and great friendships.

When it comes to college athletics, the Sandeman's are what you might call a blended family. At least they were until their son, Colin, made his college choice.

You see, Scott is an Iowa State graduate and Teri is an Iowa alum.

Colin Sandeman was one of the top in-state prospects in the state of Iowa coming out of Bettendorf high school and as you would expect, both Iowa and Iowa State were knocking on his door early and often.

The Cyclones came first and then a few days later the Hawkeyes put their offer on the table. Dad knew that once Coach Ferentz extended the scholarship opportunity, the recruiting battle was probably over.

"We knew right away that he wanted to go to Iowa, but to be fair we made the trip to Iowa State and he really like Coach McCarney and the visit. I think he knew from the minute he got the offer that he wanted to be a Hawkeye," Scott said.

It took a couple of months, but in early May, Sandeman became the first commitment for the Hawkeyes in the Class of 2007.

Scott has many of friends on both sides of the aisle and he says that his Iowa State friends were very supportive of his son's decision.

In the fall of 2007 the journey began, probably sooner than Scott, Teri, or even Colin expected. Sandeman was one of eight true freshmen who played that season and his first opportunity to wear the Iowa uniform came not at Kinnick Stadium, but at Soldier Field as the Hawkeyes opened against Northern Illinois.

"As a parent, it was a great moment," Scott said. "That feeling was pretty special."

Four years later a portion of that journey will come to an end on Saturday as Colin plays his final game in Kinnick Stadium. Sandeman missed last week's game against Northwestern with a foot injury, but he has practiced this week and there is little doubt that he will be in uniform when the Hawkeyes face the Buckeyes on Senior Day.

As you might expect, when Colin comes running out of the tunnel of Kinnick Stadium to meet his parents at midfield, it will be an emotional moment for mom, dad, and son.

"We have actually been crying about it since last week," Scott said.

"The tunnel in Kinnick is like a hallowed hall," Teri said. "The first time he ran out of the tunnel was emotional for us and for him. To think he will be going through that experience one last time is hard."

It has been an experience of a lifetime for the Sandeman's, filled with some of the best moments they will ever remember as parents. Without a moment of hesitation, Teri looks back to earlier this year and the Orange Bowl as the highest of the high points.

That moment was Colin's 21 yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of the 2010 Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech.

"Orange Bowl touchdown," she said with a smile. "I lost all the feeling in my hands and feet and I couldn't stop screaming."

Heading into his final home game, Sandeman has 40 receptions for 440 yards and five touchdowns. His other job has been as Iowa's punt return specialist, where he is averaging eight yards a return for his career.

Both those jobs have their share of risks. Watching a punt return can almost be like watching two cars that are about to crash. For a receiver who catches passes over the middle, danger isn't hard to find.

Danger found Sandeman in East Lansing last season. In the fouth quarter of one of the most physical games you will ever see, Sandeman caught a one yard pass from Ricky Stanzi and was hit high by Michigan State's Jeremy Ware.

The result was a 15 yard personal foul penalty, but it also left Sandeman lying unconscious on the field.

For a parent sitting in the stands and seeing your son not moving, it is your worst nightmare coming true before your very eyes.

As any parent would do, natural instincts took over and Scott and Teri rushed down to the field.

"We both went down there," Scott said. "I actually got out on to the field and he was just coming to. The trainer said he has been unconscious for about four minutes."

"You just don't know what to think as you go down there," Teri said. "You don't know how serious it is or what to think. We were just grateful that he was going to be ok."

The next fourteen days were tough as Colin recovered from his concussion, but the touchdown in the Orange Bowl certainly helped to wipe away some of those difficult moments and memories.

This experience has been much more than just about football for the Sandeman family. Along the way their son has been blessed to have had great teammates and roommates.

For the past three years Colin has lived in a house in Iowa City with Ricky Stanzi, Jeff Tarpinian, Brett Morse, and for two of those years with A.J. Edds. This year Andrew Schulze moved in to replace Edds.

"Aside from the football, those guys are group and brothers. I think that is one of the coolest things. You don't live with a group of guys that long if you don't really care for each other," Teri said.

While the boys enjoy being friends and teammates, the parents have formed their own support group. Every home game they tailgate together and spend time at their sons' home. It's the sort of bond that only parents of football players can understand.

"We all tailgate together and it's almost like an extended family," Teri said. "When any of our kids go through an injury, like with Colin, or Jeff's injuries this year, or last year with Ricky's ankle, we support each other. No matter what happens with our son, we are always a little sad if any of those guys are hurt and can't play. We feel like they are all our kids and I know the other parents feel the same way. It's almost like all of the parents have five boys."

The parents will share one last special Kinnick memory on Saturday as their sons play their final home game and for the Scott and Teri Sandeman.

"There is nothing like game day at Kinnick," Teri says. "It is like getting ready for Christmas every weekend and you want to make it memorable. It is the best four years that you could ever ask for as a parent."

A special thank you to all of the Iowa seniors and their parents for bringing Hawkeye fans so many wonderful memories over the years.

Christian Ballard - Parents Casey and Denise Ballard

Paul Chaney Jr. - Parents Paul Sr. and Susan Chaney

Adrian Clayborn - Parents Richard and Tracie Clayborn

Ryan Donahue - Parents Tim and Clair Donahue

Ben Evans - Parents Dick and Donna Evans

Brett Greenwood - Parents Dave and Michele Greenwood

Justin Greiner - Parents Stephen and May Ann Greiner

Kyle Haganman - Parents Mark and Nancy Haganman

Jeremiha Hunter - Parents Brian and Rebecca Hunter

Troy Johnson - Parents Steve and Kandy Johnson

Derrell Johnson-Koulianos - Parents Tony and Lauren Koulianos

Karl Klug - Parents Dan and Mary Klug

Josh Koeppel - Parents Thomas Koeppel and Barbara Herring

Nick Kuchel - Parents Kevin and Shari Kuchel

Brett Morse - Parents Steve and Laura Morse

Daniel Murray - Parents Mike and Anne Murray

Don Nordmann - Parents Dan and Diane Nordmann

Paki O'Meara - Parents Tim and Taufau O'Meara

Ross Petersen - Parents Mike and Jan Petersen

Allen Reisner - Parent Harley Reisner

Colin Sandeman - Parents Scott and Teri Sandeman

Andrew Schulze - Parents Mark and Denise Schulze

Ricky Stanzi - Parents Joe and Mary Jane Stanzi

Jeff Tarpinian - Parents Jeff and Leslie Tarpinian

Lance Tillison - Parent Alledra Allen

Julian Vandervelde - Parents John and Cynthia Tobin