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2022 Iowa Hawkeyes Football Predictions and Betting Odds

by Cameron McQuade - 7/6/2022

Iowa Hawkeyes football predictions Spencer Petras

Last season Iowa made it to The Big 10 Championship, and they also got to the Vrbo Citrus Bowl. Things may have not ended the way the Hawkeyes wanted them to. However, with a crazy good defense retuning, and coach Kirk Ferentz entering his 24th season (the longest-tenured head coach in college football), it looks to be a promising 2022 season. Here we will offer some predictions on what we think might happen.

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Offense / Defense

The weak point to this football team is the offense. For any category you can think of, the Hawkeyes probably struggled. They averaged just 123.6 rushing yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry. And that was with 1,000-yard rusher Tyler Goodson. Iowa finished 13th in the Big Ten in total offense; averaging 304 yards per game. The QB position is a major concern, as senior Spencer Petras completed only 57.3 percent of his passes last season and threw almost as many interceptions (nine) as touchdown passes (10). The offensive line was below par as well; it was dead last in the Big Ten in tackles for loss allowed, struggled in pass protection, and blocked for the 101st-ranked running game in the country. The good news for this offense is leading receiver Sam LaPorta is back (53 receptions last season), but even worse news is star kick/punt returner and solid receiver Charlie Jones is in the transfer portal.

This defense gave up only 20 points per game last season and yielded TONS of turnovers. The Hawkeyes led the nation with 25 interceptions, with 20 turnovers within their first 6 games! Whew. Riley Moss is now back this season after missing time last season with a knee injury. He is one of the best playmakers in the country and will only help contribute to this defense, causing problems for other offenses. With a solid linebacker group and corps, Jack Campbell and Seth Benson will be the leaders. Campbell is one of, if not the best, tacklers in the country (With 143 last season).

Keys to the 2022 Season

The key to the 2022 season is obvious: Iowa’s passing game must be better. When the Hawkeyes are down and have to relay on throwing the ball, things just get worse. They haven’t hit 60% of their passes since 2015. And if they can come close to that number this season, it could really make them a complete team. Third down conversions will be key to their offensive effectiveness, and they have been lacking in efficacy in that area in recent seasons. Repeating the defensive effectiveness from last season will also be key. Keep taking the ball away, be strong in the red zone, and set that offense up so they don’t have to be heroes at every position.

Key 2021 Stats

– Iowa 1st Quarter Scoring: 49 – Iowa 2nd Quarter Scoring: 123
– Red Zone Scores: Opponents 39-of-43 (91%) – Iowa 34-of-47 (72%)
– Penalties: Opponents 87 for 723 yards – Iowa 57 for 505 yards

2022 Betting Odds and Trends

The Iowa Hawkeyes Over/Under this season is at 7.5 wins. Their odds to win the 2023 College Football Championship are at +15000. They are -6 favorites for their game vs Iowa State in a little over three months from now.

Predictions

Iowa has had success for two decades under coach Ferentz. This season should be no different, with their defense and special teams leading the way. If the Hawkeyes offense can do its part, Iowa could even be a top team in the nation and really give top teams a run for their money. There will be at least 7 wins this season for Iowa, so if they can come out on top of those underdog games, going “over” on their 7.5-win total projection should be a clear achievable task.

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