Last week I talked about the first six games and thought Iowa would be favored against South Dakota State, Iowa State, Nevada, Rutgers and Illinois.
The home game against Michigan, the Wolverines will be the favorites.
This week I’ll look at the final six.
October 15- Bye October 22- at the Ohio State Buckeyes 11-2, 8-1
The last time the Hawkeyes played the Buckeyes, Kinnick Stadium exploded with a 55-24 win on November 4, 2017.
The last time I got my left hip replaced was late October in 2017.
I was laid up when I watched the game at home.
Hopefully in October I will have my right hip replaced and will be laid up watching the game.
Deja vu all over again?
The 55 points are the most points ever scored against State by the Hawkeyes.
Iowa picked off four passes including three by Josh Jackson.
The Hawks had more first downs (24-20), more rushing yards (243-163), more passing yards (244-208) and controlled the clock (34:51-25:09). Akrum Wadley ran for 118 yards and Nate Stanley was 20-31 for 226 yards, five TD passes and no picks. Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson each caught two touchdown passes.
I consider the win one of the top ten wins of all time for the Hawkeyes, and it’s going to be really tough to match that victory.
The Buckeyes are loaded starting with All American quarterback C.J. Stroud.
All C.J. did as a freshman was to pass to 4,434 yards, 44 touchdowns and completed 71.9% of his passes. Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the receivers with 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine scores.
TreVeyon Henderson is back at running back running for 1,248 yards and 15 TD’s.
The Buckeye offense averaged 45.7 points and has six starters back.
The defense gave up 22.8 points and has five starters back.
I don’t think any Buckeyes are still on the team from 2017 but you know head coach Ryan Day will remind them of the blowout.
Ohio State will be favored at home.
October 28- Northwestern Wildcats 3-9, 1-8
The Hawks jumped out to a 14-0 lead last fall and held on for a 17-12 win.
Tyler Goodson averaged 6.7 yards per carry pounding out 141 yards and a touchdown run.
Alex Padilla started at QB and was 18-28 for 172 yards.
The Cats have been a thorn against the Hawks the last six years winning four of the last six games including a 17-10 overtime win in 2017.
Northwestern averaged 16.6 ppg. last season which was last in the Big Ten.
They have five starters back including running back Evan Hall who ran for 1,009 yards and scored seven times. The Cat defense gave up 29 points per game which was 12th in the Big Ten.
Five starters return including three defensive backs.
Pat Fitzgerald is a solid coach who always gets his team ready for the Hawkeyes.
Iowa will be favored at Kinnick.
November 5- at the Purdue Boilermakers 9-4, 6-3
The good news is Big Ten Wide Receiver of the Year David Bell is gone.
Last year David torched the Hawks with 11 receptions, 240 yards and a touchdown catch.
The amazing stat is that Bell had 100 yards after the catch in Purdue’s 24-7 win at Kinnick last season. That, and the Wisconsin game, were the two worst losses of the year for Iowa.
The Boilermakers have won four of the last five.
Purdue has six starters back on an offense that averaged 29 points per game that includes quarterback Aidan O’Connell, who torched the Hawks for 375 yards and two touchdown passes.
The Boilermakers also have Tyrone Tracy and Charlie Jones, who transferred in the summer.
The defense gave up 22 points per game last season and has six starters back.
The Iowa defense will probably have to change their signals because of Tyrone and Charlie.
Purdue might be favored at home but not by much.
The Hawks should be playing with a chip on its shoulder. Will that make a difference?
November 12- Wisconsin Badgers 9-4, 6-3
Like I said before, I thought the losses to Purdue and Wisconsin were the two worst losses of the regular season.
The Badgers beat the Hawkeyes 27-7.
The stats looked worse.
Iowa had only 24 yards rushing, Spencer Petras was sacked five times, Wisconsin had the ball for 34:28, Iowa 24:13, and Wisconsin had 16 first downs to Iowa’s nine.
The Badgers return five back on an offense that averaged 25.4 points per game.
That includes quarterback Graham Mertz, who passed for 1,958 yards, 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Mertz ran for two one-yard touchdowns against Iowa.
Freshman running back Braelon Allen (6-2, 235) ran for 1,268 yards, scored 12 times and ran for 104 yards against the Hawks.
The Wisconsin defense gave up an average of 16.2 points, which led the Big Ten.
They have three starters back.
Wisconsin will probably be favored as they have won five of the last six.
Friday, November 25- Nebraska Cornhuskers 3-9, 1-8
The Cornhuskers jumped out to a 14-3 lead last year but the Hawkeyes scored 19 points in the fourth quarter for a 28-21 win.
Tyler Goodson ran for 156 yards (6.8), Kyler Fisher, who was on the Iowa special teams, grabbed a blocked punt and scored from 14 yards out, and the Hawkeye defense recorded a safety.
The last four games have been decided by three, three, six and seven points, all wins by the Hawkeyes.
The Huskers have three back on an offense that averaged 27.9 points per game.
The defense has five back including all four linebackers.
It’s a home game for Iowa and the Hawks should be favored.
So, the first six games I had Iowa favored in five (not Michigan).
The last six games I have Iowa favored in three.
The Hawkeyes usually win a game they aren’t favored and lose a game they are.
8-4, 9-3…let’s get it on.
Next week I’ll break down the offense, talk about media day, and the scrimmage.
