Iowa Hawkeyes - 2021 NCAA Football Season Preview & Win Total Prediction

Last Updated: 08/22/2021 at 10:34 PM ET

Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz heads into the season with a lot of questions and unchecked boxes to be checked prior to week 1. The Hawkeyes lost a lot of production on both sides of the ball and the players chosen to fill those spots will be thrust into the spotlight in week 1. Returning QB Spencer Petras looks to build off 2020 and make 2021 an even better year for Iowa.

Spencer Petras is off a mediocre season that saw the young QB struggle at times. Petras has trouble throughout the year with accuracy missing targets more than once. Despite his accuracy troubles Petras put together timely drives more often then not leading to a 6-2 record on the year.

With several key weapons from last season gone running back Tyler Goodson will carry the bulk of the offense early on until the other Hawkeyes offensive weapons get their feet wet. Goodson is an elite running back that gets down hill fast and doesn't mind physicality to get the ball to the yard to gain.

The potential biggest hole in the Iowa program will be the defensive line after the Hawkeyes lost 3 starters after the 2020 season. Iowa will look to rebuild the line with recruits and backups from last year but will struggle early on to replace key pieces. The Hawkeyes linebackers and defensive backs will carry the early load until the D-Line gets settled in their new roles.

Iowa had a very promising 2020 despite the covid year and will have a strong showing in 2021 even with all the players gone form a year ago. The fate of this team will be in their coach and young QB Spencer Petras. If Petras can get his accuracy under control and the new faces step up Iowa will again be a good team within the top 25 in the nation.

This Iowa team lost a lot of pieces from the 2020 team due to graduation and the NFL. With that being said the Hawkeyes will have their starting QB back from last year and the longest reigning coach in football back on the sideline. Iowa is loaded with talent and has a schedule fit to be filled with a lot of wins. The Hawkeyes should have a higher total making this an easy choice to go OVER. Final Iowa Season Prediction, OVER 8.5 wins.

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