Voice of the Hawkeyes Board

That Iowa State game worries me. Iowa has a lot of holes to fill, and the Hawkeyes will need to be playing well in order to win that game. If Iowa can beat ISU, then a 5-0 start heading into the MSU game is very realistic. By that point, hopefully some young guys have come into their own and established themselves.

I know Kain Colter is very athletic, but he doesn't scare me near as much as Persa did as an all-around quarterback. I think that'll become a better matchup now for Iowa.

I agree with the 8-4 prediction. On paper, the MSU and Michigan games will be tough to win. By the time Nebraska comes to Kinnick, I think Iowa will have become a quality team. So in a way, I'm a little more confident in Iowa beating Nebraska than Iowa State, which obviously sounds weird just to type. I like the fact that Penn State is the night game, but that's still a tough matchup for the Hawkeyes coming right after the trip to East Lansing.

Iowa state has a lot of holes to fill as well but they always play us good I still am not as worried about them this year. I see us as bad as 6/6 but as good as10/2 so I will say with new staff first year we go 7 and 5 unless a freshman running back steps up huge and the d line shocks me

I think we end up at 7-5 but really get set up for a big 2014 season.

Good point about Iowa State, as I'm probably guilty of focusing more on Iowa's weaknesses than on Iowa State's weaknesses. Bragging rights and rivalry aside, I really think that's a huge game for Iowa. Get a win there, and a lot of the younger players will begin to develop some real confidence that they'll definitely need once conference play starts.

They will be a lot weaker on O line so that should help out Iowas youth on the d line. Our back 7 should keep the passing game in check and the running game under control. I think we will move the ball well against them in the air utilizing our tight end talent and enough talent at wide out to get it done. I still think a running back emerges as we have talent and our o line is always at least decent plus we are at home and that has seemed to play a huge factor in the series the last 10 years. We beat ISU I am saying it now (even though the game still scares the hell out of me due to how they play against us and they have a good coach)

I think Iowa takes a BAU approach to the first 5 games. I do see the Iowa state game as being some what of a heated contest, but Iowa state will not be able to come into IC and take Iowa down. I think Iowa will struggle big time against MSU's defense. I think we lose that game (at this point everyone will criticize vandy for road wins). I see a huge bounce back against PSU. Then we hit the road against Northwestern. I see Iowa winning this, but barely. W against Indiana. Purdue is a another close win, but I think home advantage helps us get the W. Heading to Michigan I think we get rattled again. However, if there is any injury to D-rob this late in the season, I like our chances for an upset. Last game against Nebraska, I think we struggle again...

All in all I think Iowa goes 9-3. Losses to MSU, Michigan, Nebraska.
worst case 7-5 added losses to PSU and Northwestern
Best case 10-2 Iowa pulls the upset against Michigan...

Apologies for the grammatical errors

I did correct myself before the basketball season and change it to 1 win. I said we would beat scUM. And we did.

So...once again...1 win.

Good stuff!

2 of the last 3 years, Iowa could name the score against Iowa St. They even put up a lot of points last year in Ames, so I guess I don't really see the "troubles" that some see when it comes to the Iowa St. game. With that said I'm between 7 and 5 and 8 and 4, but I'm an optimist so I'll take the 8 and 4. I think the losses come at Ann Arbor, East Lansing, though I don't think Sparty will be that good. They lost a lot offensively. I see a loss at Northwestern as well. Colter is very dangerous. Iowa always seems to lose one they shouldn't so with those 3 I'll take an additional loss some where along the line. I expect Iowa to beat Nebraska in Kinnick. By the end of the year I believe this defense is going to be pretty darn salty, spearheaded by what I believe will be the best secondary in the conference.

My worries regarding the Iowa State game are as follows:

Iowa really moved the ball well against the Cyclones this past year, but Iowa State hurt the Hawkeyes with the blitz from time to time. With a relatively inexperienced offensive line, plus a receiving corps that may struggle to get open more so than last year, that could spell problems. Also, Coker is gone, and the new offensive line won't have had much time to gel in the running game yet.

On the other side of the ball, Iowa's defensive line is a major question mark entering this season. The Hawkeyes had trouble stopping Iowa State last year, and may be even worse up front at the beginning of this season. If Iowa can't generate a passrush, I'm worried that the Cyclones could really move the ball at will.

Depending on how Iowa and Iowa State look in their respective openers, I'd probably pick Iowa to win that game as of today. Just voicing some concerns as to where/how that game could become dangerous. With all of the question marks surrounding the 2012 team, Iowa won't be able to afford too many growing pains against Iowa State and still pull the game out.

First time poster; Long time listener. Mega dittoes.

Really think that the enthusiam of the new staff and a favorable schedule will allow the
IOWA HAWKEYES to garner 9 wins in 2012.

Go Hawks!

I see a 5-0 start but hope it doesn't go downhill after that. Win at NW and it could be 9-3.