Countdown to Kickoff Day 27: #24 Iowa Hawkeyes

This article will be different from anything you have already read about the 2023 Iowa Hawkeyes. I believe in this team, and I believe that the offense can and will improve this year. The defense will be one of the best defenses in the nation again and Kirk Ferentz dove deep into the transfer portal to collect some weapons on offense.

There are two possibilities that can come from this season for Iowa fans, both of which are positive. 1) The offense comes together and gives the defense a little help unlike last year and they win the Big Ten West. 2) The offense is hot garbage like it was last year and Kirk Ferentz can finally give the boot to his son and offensive coordinator, Brian Ferentz. In my mind it's a trip to a Big Ten championship game or a fresh start on offense for the Hawkeyes in 2024, but I think option #1 is the more likely of the two.

The addition of Michigan transfer Cade McNamara will help jumpstart this offense from the get go. McNamara led the Wolverines to a CFP appearance in 2021 and then was benched in 2022, but has tremendous upside and skill at the QB position that the Hawkeyes and their fanbase haven't seen in a little while. Ferentz also added some depth on the offensive line that was subpar last year, some talent at WR to help out McNamara, and they will have Kaleb Johnson in the backfield who is poised to have a breakout year and make a name for himself in the Big Ten.

There isn’t much to be said about this defense that you don’t know already. They were #3 in Pts/Game, #3 in Yards/Game, #12 in takeaways last season, and I don’t expect much to change for Phil Parker’s group. They lost some talent to the NFL draft, but I am confident in Parker’s ability to have this unit ready to pick up where they left off from last season.

Prediction: 8-4.

How Many Games Will Iowa Win In 2023

• 8 or more
• 7 or less