Iowa Football: Hawkeyes Look to Kickstart Season With UNI Matchup
It’s been a rollercoaster ride thus far. The Hawkeyes look for a tune up against Northern Iowa before Big Ten play.
As the 2018 college football season kicks off, the Iowa Hawkeyes are set to take on Northern Iowa in their first non-conference matchup. Despite being a massive 41.5-point favorite on FanDuel Sportsbook, the Hawkeyes have been largely unscathed so far, maintaining a perfect 2-0 record. While the team was once ranked 22nd in the nation, they are now projected to finish just outside the top-15 heading into the regular season.
Iowa's star-studded offense and defensive line have proven to be compelling watching, with the team displaying a strong performance in the first game and a more subdued effort in the second. The fanbase remains largely optimistic, with only 40% of supporters shifting their view after the inconsistent performances.
The Hawkeyes' first Big Ten challenge is Michigan, which enters the season as the 16th-ranked team. Meanwhile, Ohio State, the virtual juggernaut of the conference, recently suffered a loss to Texas. The conference is also rife with other struggling programs, including Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. This leaves Nebraska as the only unbeaten team in the Big Ten.
The Hawkeyes have a strong historical record against Northern Iowa, having won the last six meetings by a combined 18 points. With the quarterback competition still undecided, Iowa's defense will need to step up and produce a Stanley-esque performance in order to secure a victory in what promises to be an exciting matchup.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
