Iowa Hawkeyes 2022 College Football Preview
July 27, 2022
2021 Recap
Record – 10-4
ATS – 8-6
The Hawkeyes got off to hot start (6-0) and then it looked like the season was going down the CRAPPER when they lost back-to-back Big Ten West games (Purdue, Badgers). To their credit, they hung in there and won the divisional WAR OF ATTRITION to make the Big Ten Championship Game. Michigan ripped them to shreds in the big one (L 42-3) and Kentucky slithered past the Hawkeyes in the Citrus Bowl (L 20-17). So the season ended poorly, but it was still a double-digit win season.
Iowa Hawkeyes 2022 Outlook
OFFENSE
The offense was DISGUSTING LY, particularly for a division champ, and they finished the campaign ranked #101 in the nation on the ground and #109 thru the air. Both QBs are back this year but note that Spencer Petras and Alex Padilla combined for a smelly 12-11 TD to INT ratio in 2021. It’s a killer to lose the great Tyler Goodson (1,151 rush, 31 receptions LY) and they need one or two youngsters to develop in a hurry. The WR/TE group is underrated as Iowa features one of the best TEs in the Big Ten in Sam LaPorta (53, 670, 3 TD) and the dangerous WR Keagan Johnson (19.6). The OL looks ok on paper but note that they lose an AA center in Tyler Linderbaum. This looks like an average offense at best unless the QB play dramatically improves.
DEFENSE
Yes, guy.
The Hawkeyes were stout on defense LY (19.2 PPG, #13 FBS; 329 YPG, #17 FBS) and were a very opportunistic bunch (31 forced turnovers, #3 FBS). Seven starters are back this year and they look loaded at every level. The DL is deep and experienced and features a pair of doods that bagged 7 sacks in 2021. The LB unit could be the best in the Big Ten and brings back their top-two tacklers including AA Jack Campbell. Iowa was fantastic vs the pass LY (#5 FBS pass efficiency D, 16-25 TD to INT) and have an elite CB in Riley Moss. They’ll need to find three new starters tho. Yup, this stop unit looks sick.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Fun fact. Iowa has ranked in the top-13 in Phil Steele’s special teams rankings four years in a row. We don’t think they’ll make it a FIVE-BAGGER as they need to break in a new PK and find a replacement for their dangerous PR/KR Charlie Jones.
Schedule Analysis
Overall – It won’t be an easy docket to navigate, yo. They get Iowa St (as per usual) in non-conference play and draw both Ohio St (A) and Michigan (H) from the East. November is going to be a challenge (Purdue, Wisconsin, Minnesota, CORN).
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – Nothing overly-spooky is noted.
Season Win Total
Per BetOnline July 27
Over 7.5 -105
Under 7.5 -135
MEGALOCKS says:
Lean: Over
The schedule is demanding later in the season but they could very easily start 4-0 and go from there.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
Iowa is an eye-popping +46 in turnover margin over the last 5Y.
MEGALOCKS Outlook:
The Hawkeyes won the West division LY whilst being outgained by their opponents. Yup, that happened. They’ll have to find a better recipe if they want to repeat as division champs but we give them a good shot given the defense they’ll bring to the table every week. Let’s go!
Want more Iowa football ?
WEBSITE
http://www.hawkeyesports.com/schedule.aspx?path=football
FORUM
https://iowa.forums.rivals.com/forums/iowa-football.26/
http://hawkeyenation.com/forum/index.php?forums/football.6/
NEWS
http://www.hawkcentral.com/football/
http://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/
http://www.thegazette.com/sports
https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/2294/iowa-hawkeyes
Possible they eek out that RSW but man think this offense could collapse in on itself .. advanced statsters clockin em in the 90’s last year .. and not MPH lol .. had La Porta and more weapons idk its 3 WR’s down and think the RB’s.. mostly backup experience on the OL, tall guys but not a bunch of behemoths… lotta fresh fish behind them .. not sure how many games turn sour LY if the D is not making the dinner setting the table and feeding the offense but I think more than just a couple .. Think we’ll see a few of their opponents in my ML dogwheel starting w S.Dakota State lol
I like the middle of this division finally see Neb with a new QB .. Hopefully Thompson can figure out Whipple’s offense faster than Kenny P did .. so less than 4 years lol .. Purdue needs a run game that’s better than 130th and things get even more interesting .. Minny OL has another batch of beasts, lot of em .. maybe pass it more than 5 times this season .. think those 3 will cause plenty of trouble for Iowa and Wisco .. gunna be fun seein them all round robin in those last few weeks maybe a 5-way battle down the stretch ..
ya dood well 8 > 7.5 yo LOL don’t love the offense but the D is sick and haven’t had less than 8 wins in a full season since 2015 lean over but may not make the final card…definitely do not like the QB situation this team should win 5-6 games every year but man they are nails yo
also not a yuuuge fan of wisconsin and minny and Corn still has your boy at HC haaaaaaaaaaaaa
Yeah wisco lol .. maybe Bobby Engram is just an offensive savant at OC/QB coach and playbook spicerer-upperrer and heard maybe even the playcaller .. im sure he can draw up some NFL WR routes but might have to learn college and the NFL are 2 diff things .. don’t see the other stuff on his resume so wondering how long till Chryst just takes the helm again .. besides Engram’s genius potential I doubt there’s much reason to think Wisco is better on offense or defense for that matter .. we def know what happens when Allen gets hurt, even w div championship on the line .. pretty steep cliff ..
Not saying the West is back either, just think its a bit volatile at the top relying on defense pretty heavily .. 3 pretty capable teams behind them I think have a chance of improving this year .. yeah Frost lol .. change the QB, change your life .. def a good sign, Thompson was decent, think they got the better of the Texas QB’s, new OC, got rid of A-Mart .. at least doing the sorta stuff you’d expect if trying to break outta the corn curse lol .. we’ll see ..
CORN CURSE haaaaaaaaaaaaa gotta get that on a t shirt they deserved better last yr wtf….I dunno about the west yo not much that impresses me at all as i dig into things iowa the most trustworthy maybe but yikes that offense smells