Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Iowa Football 2024: Best & Worst Case Scenarios Plus Season Prediction

Episode Date: August 30, 2024

Welcome to the Locked On Hawkeyes Podcast with Trent Condon! In this episode, Trent dives deep into Iowa football’s 2024 season by laying out both the best and worst case scenarios for the team. He ...explores the factors that could lead to a standout season or pose significant challenges.Trent also reveals his season prediction, offering insights on how he thinks the Hawkeyes will fare by the end of the year. Don’t miss this comprehensive analysis and get ready for a thrilling season of Hawkeye football with all the key insights you need!For your next listen, check out the Locked On College Football podcast! From NIL deals to never ending conference realignment rumors, Spencer McLaughlin gets you ready for an exciting season on the gridiron! Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONCOLLEGE for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. 5-Hour EnergyGo to 5hourenergy.com and use promo code LOCKEDONCFB to receive 20% off your order. This offer is only valid until September 30th on one order and cannot be used with other promotions. The code is not good on subscription orders. Go to 5hourenergy.com today!Ultimate GMUltimate College Football HC is a brand-new mobile game that is completely free, has no ads and 100% playable offline. Use the promo code LOCKEDONCFB, all caps, inside the game store to receive a free boost to your program. Begin your coaching legacy today!Factor MealsHead to FACTORMEALS.com/lockedoncollege50 and use code lockedoncollege50 to get 50% off your first box PLUS 20% off your next month while your subscription is active!eBay MotorsFrom brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers.FanDuelNow through September 22nd, ALL FanDuel customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get a THREE WEEK free trial of NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV. Visit FANDUEL.COM/LOCKEDON to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)Follow Trent Condon on X: https://twitter.com/trentcondonLISTEN TO THE PODCAST: APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-on-hawkeyes-daily-podcast-on-iowa-hawkeyes-football/id1441592240SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GTyz5ygevcGXdTF6QSoEoYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LockedOnHawkeyes

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Starting point is 00:00:00 It's time to go on record. I'll make my season prediction for the Iowa Hawkeye football team. What it's going to look like. What's the best case scenario? What's the worst case scenario? Today, Locked On Hawkeyes. You are Locked On Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hey, welcome in. I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day.
Starting point is 00:00:37 We're available wherever you find podcasts. You can also watch us on YouTube. While you're there, hit that subscribe button, or if you're listening on the audio side, five-star reviews. It helps us get in front of more Hawkeye fans. Today's episode is brought to you by 5-Hour Energy. 5-Hour Energy fixes tired fast with zero sugar in a convenient, portable size. It's the perfect pick-me-up for getting stuff done. Go to 5hourenergy.com.
Starting point is 00:01:03 Use promo code LOCKEDONCFB to receive 20% off your order. This offer is only valid until September 30th on one order and cannot be used with other promotions. Go to 5hourenergy.com today. All right, let's get into it today as we, man, this has been a long week, hasn't it? Trying to get our way to kickoff, getting inside of
Starting point is 00:01:25 kinnick stadium again can't wait for saturday taking the family over to iowa city looking forward to that little tailgating reuniting with friends all the positives that are there we'll be at the spot that we've been well ever since olive court closed and excited to get back over there again tell the same stupid stories talk about hawkeyes of the past. Do all the things that we do. Probably make some bets with my buddies. Play a little games. Oh, it's going to be a great time. Looking forward to that.
Starting point is 00:01:50 And of course, hanging out with the family. Taking my five and nine year old to the game. Something that we look forward to. Done this last couple of years with the opener. And this one against Illinois State should be a great time. Let's talk about a couple of different ways. I want to go best case scenario, worst case scenario, and then I will give you my season prediction.
Starting point is 00:02:10 Now, I will tell you this. I've been on the radio now for over two decades. This will be my 21st year, I begin, I believe, of making predictions. I have been within a game or right on in my season prediction out of seven of the last 21 years. And these are documented. These are on the radio, just not me talking to the buddies at the bar. No, this is real stuff here. And I've been pretty good at this throughout the years. We'll see how close I am to the prediction by the time we get through November, but we'll throw that out to you here at the end of the show.
Starting point is 00:02:39 Let's open things up though, on the positive side of things. As we await kickoff against Illinois State, we know the matchups. We've gone through the schedule. We've talked about so many different things. And the best case scenario for this team is a college football playoff berth. I don't think it is a huge stretch to come up with a realistic path for Iowa to do just that. And in order for that to happen, I think a lot of things obviously need to fall into place. Not only winning football games and winning 10, 11 games this season, that's going to be a huge component, but there's going to have to be some other things I think that
Starting point is 00:03:14 also fall into place. So here's the scenario. And I think the best case scenario for Iowa football this year, the way this plays out and also with a little bit of reality. Yes, the best case scenario is for them to run the table, go 12 and0 in the regular season, win the Big Ten Championship, and then win three consecutive games and win a national championship. I don't see that happening. Yes, that is the best case scenario. Let's live in reality, though, a little bit and go this direction. You start and you look at this squad and you open up. The defense is outstanding once again this year. The defense that has been playing at these historic levels is even able to take it up another level because of an offense that plays better. Complimentary football actually
Starting point is 00:03:56 happens this season in a big time way and that allows this defense to play even better. As I mentioned my theory that we've gone through a couple of different times here every day, as you know this, I believe that we saw the lack of turnovers really the last couple of years from this Iowa defense is because teams knew they were fine just punting the ball back, playing the style, playing the system that Iowa plays. And we weren't going to play into their hands. We were not going to make a big mistake because we know what that can turn into either defensive points or a short field for the Iowa offense. And because of that, I think teams turtled a little bit against this Iowa squad. So you have that component.
Starting point is 00:04:33 That is number one. Defense remains at an elite level, maybe even takes a step forward, forces some more turnovers. To go hand-in-hand with that, you need help. And defensive line is paramount for that. Jeremiah Pittman looks like he can be maybe a solid number three. Can they find a fourth guy, a defensive tackle? Can Brian Allen take what we've seen in the past from him at some of the open scrimmages and open games and practices that we've seen and now be able to translate that onto the field in the middle, Aaron Graves, he takes a
Starting point is 00:05:03 big step forward and goes from a nice complimentary piece the last couple of years, and he becomes, say, an honorable mention All-Big Ten player. And then Deontay Craig returns to form on the end and becomes the guy that we saw two years ago and does it over the course of a full season in a full-time role. You know what, you're getting out of Jay Higgins. You know what, Nick Jackson's going to be a healthy season from Xavier Wampa. The quarterback position is incredibly deep. All those things go really, really well defensively, and they take that step forward. Other best case scenario, how this happens is, well, I mentioned the offense coming together. We believe that this run game is going to be good, and even though there is going to be, I believe, some changes on Saturday in that running back
Starting point is 00:05:44 room, possible suspensions that are going to be happening, believe, some changes on Saturday in that running back room, possible suspensions that are going to be happening, and some guys sitting out at least for maybe the first half of the game, maybe a full game out of your top four, if you will. You have Kamari Bolton. Heard great things about him. He's still working his way back from injury. LaShawn Williams, same thing, was injured early in camp, and though he's been back at practice, he's still working his way through. So we'll see those guys. We'll see what's going to happen, but this is more about the season as a whole. The run game gets going. The Tim Lester offense really clicks, and most importantly, and probably number one on all of this, is I was going to hit their highest level. What I mentioned
Starting point is 00:06:19 earlier, if I was going to get to the heights of a college football playoff, I believe they need Cade McNamara to be the quarterback that can do it. You need to see Cade McNamara return to the form that we saw three years ago at Michigan, completing 64% of his passes, 15 touchdowns against six interceptions. That's the kind of season that you're going to need. Probably going to have to throw for over 2,500 yards this year, have to show that element also of this offense to come forward. With it, the wide receivers take that step. And we see why Caleb Brown was recruited by Ohio State
Starting point is 00:06:51 coming out of high school, and he was a Buckeye for a season. And yes, that squad wanted him to stick around and play wide receiver. He shows those kinds of abilities. They finally figure out who that big X receiver is on the outside. Is Jacob Gill a guy that's going to be able to help out? Do we see an emergence out of a Jarrett Bowie? The wide receivers take a step forward. And then you have an All-American season out of Luke Lachey. We talked over-unders yesterday. I put the total at four and a half touchdowns for Luke Lachey this season.
Starting point is 00:07:18 And say he skies past that. He's got six, seven, eight touchdowns this year. Again, these are the best case scenarios. And you look through the schedule, and I think the best case scenario is 11-1. Now, that means winning so many toss-up games. Iowa State, the point spread tells us that is a toss-up game. Iowa favored by two and a half. Iowa opened up as a three-point favorite against Wisconsin very quickly,
Starting point is 00:07:41 was bet up to a five-point favorite out at the south point. You look at some of the other games, the Nebraska game, Northwestern can give Iowa a hard time. You go through this schedule, Washington, they're going to look completely different, but they're certainly going to have some good players there. That road trip to UCLA, there are just so many landmines in this schedule. And as a whole, it's not overly daunting, but best case scenario, I believe is 11 and one. Now play with me here a little bit. And I want to go this direction with you as we're talking about the best case scenario and the best case scenario to get into the college football
Starting point is 00:08:16 playoff. Here's, I believe the best path for the Hawkeyes. They go 11 and one. They lose to Ohio State in a relatively close game. They'll lose 27-17. They're there in the fourth quarter, have an opportunity, something like that. Maybe the Buckeyes put in a late score to make it a 10-point game. Just, again, play with me a little bit here as we go down this thought process. So that happens. And I was sitting there at 11 and one, and they're sitting at eight and one in the Big Ten. Again, we're talking best-case scenario here. That happens. For me, the best-case scenario is for them not to go to Indianapolis
Starting point is 00:08:50 because, again, in this new environment of the college football playoff, going there and losing to an Oregon, to Ohio State, to whoever it may be, is going to hurt you as it pertains to the college football playoff. So my best-case scenario, Iowa goes 11-1. Ohio State loses their game out at Oregon. The Ducks are on the table. They're sitting there at 9-0 in the conference. Ohio State and Iowa tie at 8-1. The Buckeyes go to Indianapolis. They get a rematch against Oregon. Iowa gets to sit at home that weekend, knowing at 11-1 they're a college football playoff team. That's the best case scenario.
Starting point is 00:09:25 With it, they would likely be hosting a first-round playoff game, welcoming in maybe a team from the SEC. How great would that be to see a team like an Alabama, an Ole Miss, a Tennessee have to come into Kinnick Stadium in December? It'd be the biggest game since 1985 inside the walls of Kinnick Stadium. Just how amazing that would be to see something like that. Heck, now that we're playing this game, let's win a game while we're in the college football playoff.
Starting point is 00:09:49 That is the best case scenario, I believe, for Iowa football this year. But it doesn't always happen that way, right? We'll take a look at the worst case scenario. Plus my season prediction. Coming up here as we continue, this is Locked on Hawkeyes. and prediction coming up here as we continue. This is Locked on Hawkeyes. Today's episode of the Locked on Hawkeyes podcast is brought to you by 5-Hour Energy.
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Starting point is 00:10:59 it's LOCKEDONCFB. That'll receive you 20% off your order. Again, LOCKEDONC CFB. This offer is only valid until September 30th on one order and cannot be used with other promotions. The code is not good on subscription orders. The code locked on CFB to receive 20% off your order. Go to fivehourenergy.com today. Trent Conant back with you once again here on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day.
Starting point is 00:11:36 All right, so we talked about the best case scenario. Iowa figures it out. The offense is clicking. Everything is going. Everything that we've talked about. Another component, Drew Stevens bounces back and is the guy that we saw last September and October. Not so much of the guy that we saw in November a year ago. Reese Dakin hits the ground running at the punter position. I mean, these are all things that have to come together for that to happen. But there is the other side and the worst case scenario. Now, here's a different angle to this. The thing Creators. We go back to, well, two offensive coordinators ago.
Starting point is 00:12:07 When Ken O'Keefe made the decision that he was going to make his way down to Miami and coach with Coach Philbin down with the Dolphins, when that happened, there was excitement. There was excitement for something new. Ken O'Keefe was much maligned. Looking back, sadly, he's by far the best offensive coordinator that Iowa's ever had, but that's a conversation for a different day. But when that happened in year number one, we saw James Vandenberg struggle mightily
Starting point is 00:12:32 at the quarterback position. You were trying to incorporate a horizontal passing scheme with a zone blocking scheme, and it just didn't work. It took a while for them even just to get back to the confident level. In 2014, Iowa completely fell on their face and went 4-8. It was ugly. Game one in Soldier Field against Northern Illinois. I remember looking over at our friends that we were watching the game with
Starting point is 00:12:54 and just saying, I hate the Greg Davis offense. And it didn't take long to see how ugly that is. I don't anticipate I'm going to have the same reaction on Saturday. You never know know I guess is why we definitely have to look at that but back to the topic at hand and taking a look back here at this and what is the worst case scenario well it starts right there the offense just doesn't work you know another way you can look at it is maybe the offense looks pretty good in game one and then falls on its face because when you're talking about this, a team with big expectations, preseason top 25 team,
Starting point is 00:13:27 murmurs from not just local media, national media, that this could be a dark horse college football playoff team, and they don't get there. They struggle to 7-5, 6-6, God forbid, don't even have a winning record because not only will that be disappointing because of expectations, the way the schedule lays out it, and you look at the future of the way the schedules are, I was not going to have a schedule set up this advantageous for them in a really, really long time going forward.
Starting point is 00:13:54 With the additions of the four schools from the Pac-12 coming in, along with no more divisions, we know that the schedules that Iowa's been handed recently are going to look a whole lot different. It's going to mean more games against Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State, throwing USC and Washington and Oregon. It gets a whole lot deeper going forward after this season for Iowa football. When your crossovers this year, when your games from the newbies is just Washington and you get them at home, that sets up pretty good. The UCLA game in a rebuilding season, it looks like, for the Bruins. Just all those things together, late UC, that sets up pretty good. The UCLA game in a rebuilding season, it looks like for the Bruins. Just all those things together, late UC, that plays out. There's going to be questions
Starting point is 00:14:30 about Kirk Ferentz. And if the offense doesn't click this year, they're going to look around and say, well, let's see. He's had a bunch of coordinators. He's trying to do it a different way now, and it's still not working. Maybe it's the old coach. That is the worst case scenario. Another component to this is that defense just takes a step back and you look at what they've done consistently over the last four or five years. It's absolutely ridiculous. We've talked about just some of the numbers that have come out of this Iowa football team, the amount of snaps that they played. Maybe those snaps catch up to them. And we see an injury ravaged team this season where the linebackers who are so good in Jay Higgins and Nick Jackson,
Starting point is 00:15:08 they are banged up throughout the course of the season. We talked about Xavier Wapa. He's been dinged up during camp. And maybe he doesn't have a healthy season after having a season a year ago where he wasn't healthy throughout the whole time. You know, there's an old adage. If you have two quarterbacks, you don't have any.
Starting point is 00:15:29 Well, maybe if you have four cornerbacks, you know where I'm going. We'll see. I believe in these guys. I have hope, but again, we're playing the other side here. The worst case scenario for this Iowa football team. It doesn't happen for restaking. Look, we've seen Australian pumpers that have struggled when they've made their way over. And that is something that has happened often. Maybe it's just that he has a strong leg. He doesn't have a release quick enough in order to make that happen. Drew Stevens goes through many of the issues that we saw a season ago. This is the worst case scenario.
Starting point is 00:15:56 I get it. This is the negativity that can creep into my mind from time to time. I'm not sure if it's all of us, but that is something that is going to happen. With college football back, it's not too late to catch up before the season kicks off. SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, you can get it all from Locked On. Stable college football experts by subscribing to the Locked On College Football Podcast. Who has a chance to make the playoff? What teams will cause chaos in their new conferences? everything you need to know all in one place. Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Lockdown College Football Podcast, part of the Lockdown
Starting point is 00:16:31 Podcast Network, your team every day. Again, worst case scenarios. That's what we're going through here, taking a look at the negativity. And how about this? We struggled through last season watching this team. And I made the decision as they kept winning these games just in crazy fashion with some of the most hideous offensive numbers
Starting point is 00:16:51 that you've ever seen for a team winning. The over-under win total in each and every game just kept going down, down, down. And I would get bitten under, after, under, under, after, under. It was that kind of year. We sat through it because we're fans. But if now we have to go through something like that again, oh man, for all of our sanity,
Starting point is 00:17:10 let's hope that that doesn't happen. But there are no sure things. Cade McNamara has been injury prone. He's had two, well, really three devastating injuries over the last two years. Knee surgery at Michigan. The quad injury that he sustained last August at Kids Day. And then, of course, the torn ACL against Michigan State.
Starting point is 00:17:30 This is a guy that is brittle. Brendan Sullivan, he wasn't asked to leave Northwestern, but he was also known that he wasn't going to be the starter. Doesn't click for him. Marco Lyoness, certainly not ready. Things can get ugly. I remember a year, oh man, this is probably a decade back, where Maryland was down to their fifth team quarterback,
Starting point is 00:17:50 who hadn't been practicing quarterback at the beginning of the year. He was a linebacker for them. Hopefully we don't get to anything like that. I mean, that would be absolutely brutal to have to watch something. But again, these are the things that we have to go into, take a look at. Mention the possibility of the running back position. Maybe airbag comes back. We definitely don't want to see that. But these are all the things that are still there. The wide receivers remain pedestrian. The offensive line is just a bunch of guards, a bunch of interior guys. And we see that nobody's
Starting point is 00:18:18 really a tackle and they struggle against speed rushers throughout the course of the year. They get banged up like they did a year ago. These are all things that realistically could happen and certainly derail, which should be, in my mind, still a pretty good season. So I've laid out the best case and the worst case. Let's wrap it up with my season prediction. How I believe this season is going to go. What we're going to see. I'll give you the record for the Hawkeyes.
Starting point is 00:18:42 Again, I have been very close on this throughout the years. We'll see if we can nab another one for this Iowa football team. Lockdown Hawkeyes continues. Stay right there. Today's episode of Lockdown Hawkeyes is brought to you by FanDuel and the FanDuel Sportsbook. Look, you've heard us talk a lot about FanDuel. It's America's number one sportsbook. Well, we have something a little bit different for you. Now through September 22nd, all FanDuel customers can bet $5 and you're going to get a three-week free trial
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Starting point is 00:19:40 Iowa currently at Fanduel a 22 22.5 point favorite against Illinois State. The over-under in the game is 41. You can bet on Iowa to make the college football playoff, to win the Big Ten, to win the national championship, and so much more, all on America's number one sportsbook. Right now, again, go to FanDuel.com slash Lockdown to download America's number one sportsbook. Today's episode of Lockdown Hawkeyes is also brought to you by Factor. Look, we've been doing meal prep here at home for a while, and I can see the difference.
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Starting point is 00:21:41 All online at Formeals.com Alright, back with you one final time. Locked on Hawkeyes. I'm Trent Conna. Thanks for being with us as we inch our way to football season. Quip sip and we're ready to go. Alright, let's get into it and let's make our season
Starting point is 00:22:04 prediction. Let's lay this thing out how we believe this one's going to go this season. All right. So we open up Illinois State. I think Iowa wins this game. I think they win it comfortably. I'm not sure if they're going to cover though. I got Iowa winning this one 27-7 and moving their record to 1-0 on this season. After that, we make the matchup against Iowa State. Iowa State returns 19 starters. They have some of the most production coming back offensively of anybody in college football. They are deep on the defensive line, something that rarely happens with Iowa State. Yet Yet I just think Iowa's better. I think Iowa is a better football team. I think they're better equipped.
Starting point is 00:22:49 They're in a better league. They're playing in Kinnick Stadium. And I think Iowa gets it done. Yes, two years ago, Iowa State came in and got the victory on a rain-soaked night. This one, though, is going to be different. Iowa gets it done, runs their record to 2-0 as Iowa pulls off the victory 22-16 and goes to 2-0. After that, it's a matchup against Troy. Now, Troy a year ago was a team that won double-digit games. Troy a season ago was a really good team. They lost their coach. They lost
Starting point is 00:23:18 most of their talent. This team is going to look completely different than the one that we saw a year ago. This is a get-right game, and after kind of getting a couple of tough wins in week one and week two, this is where they put it on. Iowa goes out, gets the victory, 30-13, and Iowa Hawkeyes sit at 3-0. Here comes their first road trip of the season. Up next, Iowa makes their way to Minnesota to take on the Gophers. We all remember what happened a year ago. It was ugly.
Starting point is 00:23:47 It was a rough, rough day as Cooper Dajin had the punt return. That was called off because of an invalid fair catch. Well, Iowa, turnabout is fair play. They get it done and find the victory, 20-13, as Iowa gets another win. And the Hawkeyes are 4-0. Up next is Ohio State. The Buckeyes spent as much as anybody in college football on their roster this season, not just supplementing what they already had, but you also look at what they returned. You know,
Starting point is 00:24:15 we talked a lot about that with Iowa, the fifth and even the six-year guys that came back for another season, what the Swarm Collective did in order to make that happen, Ohio State did the same. And guys that had the potential to be second, third-round draft picks made the decision to come back for another season. They think it's going to be a special year, and I think they're going to have a special season. I think the Buckeyes are right there with Georgia 1-2 in college football this season.
Starting point is 00:24:40 I think the prognosticators have that one right. Yes, the Buckeyes win. Iowa hangs tough though, hangs around, ultimately falls 27-16 as Ohio State gives Iowa their first loss of the season. So we make our way through the opening portion of the schedule. The first four games, Iowa's 4-1 after the Ohio State game, then it's back home for Washington. We don't know a ton about this Husky squad. They are just so different, looking so new. And because of that, I just like Iowa. In Kinnick, I think they get it done.
Starting point is 00:25:14 24-16, Iowa picks up another win and bounces back after the loss to Ohio State. After that, it is a road trip out to Michigan State. This one does concern me a little bit. Yes, it is a road trip out to Michigan State. This one does concern me a little bit. Yes, it's a new regime. Jonathan Smith comes in from Oregon State, leaving his alma mater to take over at Michigan State, and I think he's going to do a good job. I loved watching Oregon State football under Smith, both when he was a player and here recently as a head coach. A very physical brand of football. I think it fits incredibly well with Michigan State. And when they bend their best,
Starting point is 00:25:46 certainly during my lifetime, they were built in that kind of image. That chip on your shoulder, rough, tough, physical, that's how Michigan State's going to be built. They're not there yet. Iowa gets the win. It's an ugly one. 14-10, Iowa gets the win though
Starting point is 00:26:01 on the road against Michigan State. And suddenly the Hawkeyes are talking about the college football playoff. After the game against Michigan State, it's back home against Northwestern and Wisconsin. Two games that certainly were tight games a year ago. You can look at a couple of plays in each of those games that easily could have made the difference. The goal line stand in Wrigley Field against Northwestern. The walk-off winner by Drew Stevens as he knocked it in and turned out the lights. You had those ones, but that one easily could have gone the other way. Same thing for Wisconsin. Yes, Iowa
Starting point is 00:26:34 won it 15-6. It also took an 80-yard touchdown. It took a safety in that game defensively. Iowa had a lot go their way in Camp Randall. I do believe, though though the Hawkeyes do get two victories, two hard-earned wins, and all of a sudden, here we go. Iowa is 9-1 college football playoff. Here we come at a road trip to UCLA. Quick turnaround on a Friday. It's a place that Kirk Ferentz's teams have struggled, and suddenly Iowa drops a game they shouldn't lose. Iowa falls on the road at UCLA. I was there in Arizona. I was there at Arizona State. I was there for the Rose Bowl. I know it has not been great for Kirk Ferentz. He said, I believe maybe it was after the Arizona game. Didn't want to go back to the
Starting point is 00:27:16 West Coast again. And they haven't at least scheduled a non-conference game out there. This one though, well, you can't schedule this one. The Big Ten does that. And I give Iowa their second loss on the season. They bounce back after a bye week. They get Maryland after that. They get the victory against the Terps before Black Friday and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Still, at this point, I have Iowa 9-2.
Starting point is 00:27:37 Still with potential, maybe for a Big Ten championship game appearance, maybe still an outside shot of the college football playoff, depending on the way the season plays out. On NBC, Black Friday, it's going to be chilly in Kinnick Stadium. The Huskers get it. I have Nebraska winning this game, and Iowa with at least faint hope of a college football playoff. That is dashed as they fall to the Huskers in the finale,
Starting point is 00:28:05 20-12, and Nebraska gets the victory there. They'll be bowl eligible already at that point. They'll have seven wins, I believe, going into that game, and that'll give them their eighth. I think Nebraska is going to be that improved. And look, I'm not somebody that has bought into the Nebraska hype. Well, for the better part of two decades now, I do think that they are trending in the right direction. Rayola is going to be very good. They got receivers on the outside, and that defense is elite. I think Nebraska is going to be a solid team, at least this season,
Starting point is 00:28:37 a pretty good schedule for them early on for the Huskers. That leaves Iowa at 9-3 on the season. No college football playoff, no Big Ten championship game. A solid season over the win total that is out there in the betting markets of places like fan duel but maybe leaving a little bit to be desired and certainly if it plays out in that fashion i will losing two of their last three that would be a difficult pill to swallow still the hawkeyes i have finishing nine and three on the season again been really good good at this throughout the years. Been within a game of 17 the last 21 years. And, well, let's see if they're within a game and they're 10-2.
Starting point is 00:29:11 Take that. And if I'm really off and they go 11-1, we'll take that as well. We are on record. Our season prediction for 2024, Iowa going 9-3 in the regular season. Thank you for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen today. And now go check out Lockdown College Football and the Lockdown College Football podcast. From NIL deals to the never-ending conference realignment rumors,
Starting point is 00:29:36 Spencer McLaughlin gets you ready for an exciting season on the gridiron. And yes, now we've got games to talk about. You can find the link to Lockdown College Football in the description, so you don't even need to search. All part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. We'll be back with you tomorrow on Friday. We'll have a little bit more leading into the weekend, maybe if you're making your way to Kinnick Stadium,
Starting point is 00:29:56 you can pop it in and listen to the podcast on your way over to the ball game, and we will get you ready for Iowa and Illinois State. Plus, we're still working out a few details of some other things coming up here on Lockdown Hawkeyes throughout the course of the 2024 football season. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Go Hawks.

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