(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
RB/KR Kaleb Johnson, WR Nico Ragaini, TE Luke Lachey, OC Logan Jones, OG Connor Colby, OG Nick DeJong, OT Gennings Dunker, OT Mason Richman, DE Deontae Craig, DE Joe Evans, DT Aaron Graves, DT Logan Lee, LB Jay Higgins, CB/PR Cooper DeJean, CB Jemari Harris, NB Sebastian Castro, FS Quinn Schulte, SS Xavier Nwankpa, PK Drew Stevens and PT Tory Taylor.
Key Players Departing:
QB Spencer Petras, TE Sam LaPorta, DE John Waggoner, DT Noah Shannon, DT Lukas Van Ness, LB Seth Benson, LB Jack Campbell, LB Jestin Jacobs, CB Riley Moss and PR Arland Bruce IV.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: TE Erick Ali (Michigan transfer), LB Ben Kueter (Iowa City, Iowa), LB Nick Jackson (Virginia transfer) and OT Trevor Lauck (Indianapolis, Indiana).
3 Star Recruits: ATH Alex Mota (Marion, Iowa), QB Cade McNamara (Michigan transfer), DS Kahlil Tate (Chicago, Illinois), OL Leighton Jones (Brownsburg, Indiana), EDGE Chase Brackney (Englewood, Colorado) and DL Anterio Thompson (Council Bluffs, Iowa).
2022 Results:
G01 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE W 7-3
G02 IOWA STATE L 7-10
G03 NEVADA W 27-0
G04 @ Rutgers W 27-10
G05 #4 MICHIGAN L 14-27
G06 @ Illinois L 6-9
G07 @ #2 Ohio State L 10-54
G08 NORTHWESTERN W 33-13
G09 @ Purdue W 24-3
G10 WISCONSIN W 24-10
G11 @ Minnesota W 13-10
G12 NEBRASKA L 17-24
BOWL vs. Kentucky W 21-0
Team Info:
2022 Record: 8-5 (1st in Big Ten West)
Home: 4-3
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 1-0
B10: 5-4
Non-B10: 3-1
Head Coach: Kirk Ferentz
Iowa: 186-115
Career: 198-136
Bowls: 10-9
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Joey Labas (14-24, 139 yards, 58.3%, 5.8 avg., 1 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Kaleb Johnson (151 car., 779 yards, 5.2 avg., 6 TD)
Receiving: Nico Ragaini (34 rec., 386 yards, 11.4 avg., 1 TD)
TDs Scored: Kaleb Johnson (6)
Sacks: Deontae Craig (7)
Tackles: Cooper DeJean (75)
Tackles For Loss: Deontae Craig/Lukas Van Ness (10.5)
Interceptions: Cooper DeJuan (5)
Pass Deflections: Cooper DeJuan (8)Forced Fumbles: Deontae Craig (3)
Kick Returns: Kaleb Johnson (13 ret., 325 yards, 25.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Cooper DeJean (10 ret., 165 yards, 16.5 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Drew Stevens (16-18 fg/fga., 89%, 24-24 xp/xpa., 72 pts.)
Punting: Tory Taylor (82 punts, 3725 yards, 45.4 avg., 38 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 12 Cade McNamara (GR/TR)
RB: 2 Kaleb Johnson (SO)
FB: 88 Hayden Large (SR/TR)
WR: 89 Nico Ragaini (RS SR)
WR: 00 Diante Vines (RS JR)
TE: 85 Luke Lachey (RS JR)
LT: 78 Mason Richman (RS JR)
LG: 56 Nick DeJong (RS SR)
OC: 65 Logan Jones (RS JR)
RG: 77 Connor Colby (JR)
RT: 67 Gennings Dunker (RS SO)
KR: 2 Kaleb Johnson (SO)
PK: 18 Drew Stevens (SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 45 Deontae Craig (RS JR)
DT: 94 Yahya Black (RS JR)
DT: 85 Logan Lee (RS SR)
DE: 13 Joe Evans (RS SR)
LB: 10 Nick Jackson (SR/TR)
LB: 34 Jay Higgins (SR)
NB: 29 Sebastian Castro (RS SR)
CB: 3 Cooper DeJuan (JR)
CB: 27 Jermari Harris (RS SR)
FS: 30 Quinn Schulte (RS SR)
SS: 1 Xavier Nwankpa (SO)
PR: 3 Cooper DeJean (JR)
PT: 9 Tory Taylor (SR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: A
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
09/02 UTAH STATE AGGIES | Utah State leads the series 2-0. The Aggies won (48-7) the last meeting between schools in 2002.
09/09 @ Iowa State Cyclones | Iowa leads the series 46-23. The Hawkeyes are 7-2 since 2013 and their last series win (27-17) was in 2021.
09/16 WESTERN MICHIGAN BRONCOS | Iowa trails the series 1-2. The Hawkeyes won (59-3) the last meeting between schools in 2013.
09/23 @ Penn State Nittany Lions | Iowa trails the series 14-17. The Hawkeyes won (23-20) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
09/30 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | Iowa leads the series 24-22-2. The Hawkeyes won (49-7) the last meeting between schools in 2020.
10/07 PURDUE BOILERMAKERS | Iowa trails the series 40-50-3. The Hawkeyes are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (7-24) was in 2021.
10/14 @ Wisconsin Badgers | Iowa trials the series 45-49-2. The Hawkeyes are 3-7 since 2013 and their last series loss (7-27) was in 2021.
10/21 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS | Iowa trails the series 52-62-2. The Golden Gophers are 9-1 since 2013 and their last series loss (14-51) was in 2014.
11/04 @ Northwestern Wildcats | Iowa leads the series 53-28-3. The Golden Gophers are 6-4 since 2013 and their last series loss (20-21) was in 2020.
11/11 RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS | Iowa leads the series 3-0. The Hawkeyes have won each of the prior three meetings, dating back to 2016, by an average of 18.0 points per game.
11/18 ILLINOIS FITHING ILLINI | Iowa trails the series 37-39-2. The Hawkeyes are 8-1 since 2014 and their last series win (33-23) was in 2021.
11/24 @ Nebraska Cornhuskers | Iowa trails the series 20-30-3. The Hawkeyes are 8-2 since 2013 and their last series win (28-21) was in 2021.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 4-0
Neutral: 1-1
B10: 8-1
Non-B10: 4-1
Overall: 12-2 (1st in Big Ten West/Big Ten Champions – Eliminated by Texas in Playoff
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