Iowa Hawkeye Predictions

Tis the time of year for followers of college football to show how far from reality the world is that they live in. That's right, it's time to predict all the blowout wins your team will accumulate in the next 13 weeks, and minimize the potential for losses.

Predicting the Iowa Hawkeyes the last few years has been tough. The team probably overachieved 2002-04 and underachieved 2005-06. Aught seven brings a wealth of new starters, recent bad publicity for the off-field actions of a few players, and a schedule abnormality.

Without further delay, here we go ...

Week 1: Iowa enters glitzy Soldier Field for its opener against the Northern Illinois Huskies. In recent years, NI has been an above average team in a lesser-talented conference. Iowa will likely break out only its most basic offensive and defensive schemes, which means the game will stay close and, perhaps, low scoring. Iowa 21 -- Northern Illinois 10

Week 2: It took a miraculous goal-line stand to hold off the Orange last year. For Hawk fans, it was the first sign that its team was not as strong as hoped for. The game is under the lights in Iowa City this year. Look for 'Cuse to struggle so far from home. Iowa 27 -- Syracuse 13

Week 3: The only mystery in Iowa bigger than the Hawks is the Cyclones of Iowa State. New coach, new uniforms, but same old task of competing against bigger, faster, stronger Big 12 schools. Playing in Ames will be a hostile wakeup call for Iowa. Iowa 16 -- Iowa State 13

Week 4: Even without Ohio State and Michigan on Iowa's schedule, its still the Big Ten. Iowa's trip to Madison will be a rude one. Wisconsin 31 -- Iowa 21

Week 5: Homecoming in Iowa City. A couple years ago the AD tried to predict what team would be the Big 10's worst in 2007 for the Homecoming game. He chose Indiana. He was wrong, but not by much. Iowa 27 -- Indiana 6

Week 6: Another road game, this time to Happy Valley and home of legendary coach Joe Pa. Like the trip to Wisconsin, Hawk fans hope against hope, and cry in their beer. Penn State 28 -- Iowa 17

Week 7: Back to Iowa City to face the Illini. It will be Illinois first trip to Iowa City without Chief Illiniwiek. Hawk fans are the ones who will be war-dancing. Iowa 38 -- Illinois 24

Week 8: Purdue's Joe Tiller has made a few lists of "coaches on the hot seat." The seat will get warmer after Iowa surprises Purdue in West Lafayette. Iowa 28 -- Purdue 27

Week 9: Michigan State might be the worst team in the conference this year. But will Iowa come home with too big of chip on their shoulders. I say they do, and it costs them the win. MSU 16 -- Iowa 14.

Week 10: For the last three years, Iowa had been black and purpled when Northwestern comes a callin'. Used to be that the Mildcats were an easy win. Now, its anyone's guess. Iowa 21 -- Northwestern 17

Week 11: Floyd went to Minneapolis and stayed there after the game. Enough said. Iowa 34 -- Minnesota 17

Week 12: Iowa schedules a 12th game and gets Western Michigan to come to Iowa City for the big payday. Following the game, Iowa fans muse which warm bowl game will extend an invite to their beloved Hawks. Iowa 31 -- WMU 10

That's 9-3 if you were counting. Here's the proverbial fine print: If Iowa's QB or RB goes down, so does the record. Iowa is gonna have to keep their offense on the field and score some points. If they don't, 9-3 will be 6-6 in a heartbeat.

Now, on with the show.