Howe: Game-By-Game Predictions for Hawkeye Football 2018

[AreWeThereYet]

8-4 shading toward 9-3

The yearly Ferentz-O-meter usually ends up at 7.5 wins with the occasional run at a Big-10 west title. It's an easier than usual schedule so I'll pick 8 wins.

Wisconsin & Penn State - slightly less then 50/50 shot at a single victory. 0-2 or 1-1
Northwestern, Purdue,Iowa State, Minnesota, Indiana, Nebraska, Maryland 5-2 or 4-3
Northern Iowa, Illinois & Northern Illinois - Likely wins 3-0


Punting - improved.
Offensive line - better over all - especially tackle - less so in the middle.
Linebackers - athletic but inexperience will show.
Defensive line - average against the run - good pressure on passing downs
Defensive backs - less productive- fewer interceptions - still well above average.
Quarterback - Stanley's averages and passing yardage will look better but he will have fewer TD's.
Running backs - less big plays - better on obvious running downs & short yardage - less a part of the passing game.
Tight Ends - Fant gets more attention from defenses - Hockenson steps his game up.
Receiver - Most improved position on team. Somebody will step up on the outside as the season goes on. Depth is decent for a change. We'll see a few roll players develop as the coaching staff tries to get guys in.
Fullback - Adequate - Will see even more tight ends in backfield roles - H back, Large fullback.
Return teams - At least better than average to well above average.
Kicking - Solid

Note: When I say average I mean Iowa average.

 

[MikeyLikesIowa]

Anything less than 10-2 would be a disappointment to me with this schedule. I think our defense will be a bit weaker than we are used to but still good enough to get the job done. I think our offense will be good enough that it won't matter - particularly the passing game.

I feel that 11-1 or 12-0 is a realistic possibility if the ball bounces our way here and there, but 10-2 is where we'll end up.

 

[Motigerhawk]

Good article.

I have no issues with your picks.

Iowa is always hard to predict. We could go anywhere from 6-6 to 11-1 this season.

 

[tksirius]

People might be sleeping on Maryland. If they stay healthy, their offense might give us problems.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-fo...aryland-football-2018-preview-schedule-roster

 

[4thngoal]

People might be sleeping on Maryland. If they stay healthy, their offense might give us problems.

https://www.sbnation.com/college-fo...aryland-football-2018-preview-schedule-roster

The good news 11:00 kick and they come here.

 

[uihawk82]

The good news 11:00 kick and they come here.

11 AM is noon for Maryland so I dont see that being a negative for the terps. Their QBs that got hurt last year are the kind of explosive runners that give the hawks problems. Just have to see if they have mended.

 

[uihawk82]

I the hawks cant beat ISU at home then it could be a 7-5 6-6 type of year. ISU is still filling holes, if Mends can shine as a SR that really helps the Lbkr corps. If the hawks cant beat ISU then it will be hard to beat Wisky. I thought Iowa was better than jNW last year but they didnt take advantage of nearly 240 yards of offense in the first have to put them away. Not sure if Austin Carr is coming back or will be as good as he was.

I still think we can take Purdue and Indiana as they are not top teams.

It all starts with the first 3 to 5 games if the hawks can get off to a good start.

I see 8-4 to 9-3

 

[Hawkalum2002]

I'll be optimistic and go 10-2, losing at PSU and losing to someone other than Wisconsin, but no clue who that will be.

 

[BigD]

6-6 and it's "Ferentz needs to go"
9-3 and its "Ferentz should be considered for Coach of the Year.

A successful season really does hinge on about three games. I'm saying 7-5 due to Wadley and the LBs needing to be replaced.

I am hoping you are wrong and we are looking at 9-3 or better.

7-5 makes me want to vomit especially with a favorable schedule. As long as that is an acceptable standar for the Iowa fan base why would the coaching staff EVER put out the efforts necessary to put Iowa at least on par with Wisconsin?

 

[hawkeyebob62]

I the hawks cant beat ISU at home then it could be a 7-5 6-6 type of year. ISU is still filling holes, if Mends can shine as a SR that really helps the Lbkr corps. If the hawks cant beat ISU then it will be hard to beat Wisky. I thought Iowa was better than jNW last year but they didnt take advantage of nearly 240 yards of offense in the first have to put them away. Not sure if Austin Carr is coming back or will be as good as he was.

I still think we can take Purdue and Indiana as they are not top teams.

It all starts with the first 3 to 5 games if the hawks can get off to a good start.

I see 8-4 to 9-3

Mends can't shine as a senior, due to ACL injury...

 

[RobHowe]

Mends can't shine as a senior, due to ACL injury...

And Austin Carr graduated two years ago.

uihawk82, are you Rip Van Winkle?

 

[westender]

If both teams are 3-0 (and I think they will be) and that Wisconsin game becomes THE game of the week, I think Iowa wins. I think that Wisconsin will be really, really good. But who foresaw the Iowa thumping of OSU coming? There is some magic in Kinnick under the lights.

We will see an already NFL caliber O line when we see Wisconsin! Probably NFL caliver RB also already too!

 

[westender]

And Austin Carr graduated two years ago.

uihawk82, are you Rip Van Winkle?

Van Ginkle from Wisky...............the guy Iowa wanted but he spurned us for the Badgers

 

[Hawk90]

We will see an already NFL caliber O line when we see Wisconsin! Probably NFL caliver RB also already too!

No doubt, but I thought that I was seeing the National Champion when OSU came to town last year, funny what Kinnick does to some teams.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

I've gotta go with history until we consistently see better. So, 7-5 to 8-4 range. Like most other years, Iowa will surprise us. Sometimes in a good way, but sometimes bad. Other than 2015, that pretty much sums up every fall. How many times do we look at the schedule and say Iowa should go 10-2, and end up 7-5 or 8-4? Happens a lot.

I can see Iowa starting 3-0 and then losing to Wisconsin. With a chance to go 4-0 and take control of the Big Ten West, that's when Iowa usually lays an egg. They just don't normally seem to show up in big games when the stakes are high.

I like their chances of upsetting Wisconsin better if Iowa starts 2-1, actually. Flawed logic? Maybe. But I'm believing more and more that it's true Iowa plays better under the radar, when there are no expectations.

 

[Lumberman]

The reality is that the team is made up of Kids. Sometimes Kids just aren’t as emotionally ready to play as they should be. Don’t forget about 4 road games in 5 weeks. That could be a reason we have a loss to a team we may actually be better than.

On the other side, IIRC, we get a couple of games where the other team is coming off back-to-back games against powerhouse teams and we might benefit frim a let-down in their side.

The real key, to me, is how well our back-up OL performs after the INEVITABLE injury. Are Banwart, Duwa And Kallenberger ready to go? I think we are OK if the injury happens on the inside. No clue who would be physically ready to go at OT. You would probably have to go with Levi at one tackle like we did in the Pinstripe Bowl. Re-watch our OL performance-in that game and tell me you would predict greater than 8 wins...

 

[David79]

losing to Indiana and Purdue would be really bad.

 

[NCHawker]

there's a thousand ways to get there but you arrive at 8-4 or 7-5 90% of the time in Iowa City every year.

We all wish for better.

 

[NCHawker]

losing to Indiana and Purdue would be really bad.

Its Iowa, losses like that with quality wins.

Iowa has become the Big Ten's Jekyll and Hyde

 

[uihawk82]

Mends can't shine as a senior, due to ACL injury...

Crap I forgot that and now I have to suffer through that news again.