2008 Iowa Hawkeyes College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, An Expert College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting college football this year, be sure to buy Alex Smart’s college football picks each week and guarantee a winning season!!

Iowa Hawkeyes (6-6, 4-4 in 2007, 6th place in Big 10)
Last season was a highly disappointing one for head coach Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes as they were left home during bowl season for the first time in the past seven years. The Hawkeyes lose quite a few starters from last year, which includes some key defensive players that they will need to replace in order to improve on last season’s mediocre record.

Offensive Outlook: Heralded QB Jake Christensen is back for his junior season after a pretty good 2007 campaign. Christensen only threw six interceptions in 370 attempts last year and personifies the term game manager. The offense also brings back their entire offensive line and all of them are potential NFL draft choices in the coming years, led by LT sensation Bryan Bulaga. The Hawkeyes will have to replace the RB duo of Albert Young and Damian Sims; the two combined for almost 1500 yards rushing in 2007. The WR group returns last year’s leading receiver in Derrell Johnson-Koulianos as well.

Defensive Outlook: Last season’s defense performed dramatically below their expectations, particularly the secondary that allowed over 300 yards in the air four times last season. This season, the defense has to replace six outgoing starters and have seven sophomores in their starting 11. Kirk Ferentz is going to look to his D-Line to anchor this unit and hope that seniors Mitch King and Matt Kroul can answer the bell. This defense is going to have to grow up very fast in order to have a successful ‘08.

2008 Outlook: The Hawkeyes start 2008 with two easy wins over Maine and Florida International before getting the chance to exact a little revenge against Iowa State back home in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes then have to travel to Pittsburgh for an early test against Dave Wannstedt’s Panthers. The schedule makers did Iowa a favor though by leaving powerhouses Ohio State and Michigan off the Hawkeyes schedule, leaving Iowa a very manageable schedule which they should be able to become bowl eligible with.

2008 will be a success if… The Hawkeyes can have a winning record and reach another bowl game, something Kirk Ferentz had great success doing until last year. With such a young defense, growing pains are to be expected and if Iowa can just give their fans some place to go for the holiday season, 2008 will get the program back on the right track.

Iowa has the offense needed to win games in the Big 10, but the loss of starters on the defensive side of the ball will keep this team from contending for the Big 10 title.

Prediction: 7-5, 5th in the Big 10