The bar in the Big Ten West is fairly low, simply because Ohio State and, at times, Penn State are in the other division.
The good news for the Hawkeyes is that Ohio State is not on the regular season schedule and Penn State must come to Iowa City in October.
Coach Kirk |Ferentz is also back--for his 23rd season--which makes him the longest tenured coach in college football.
Is this a last hurrah situation for Ferentz. whose team went 6-2 in last year's pandemic shortened season?
Maybe.
It will depend on QB Spencer Petras who will have to guide an offense which must produce every week to mask the deficiencies that are showing up on the defensive side.
Petras is a question mark, but we will know some of the answers right away because the Hawkeyes open their season at home against Indiana, which is also a contender for the No. 2 role behind Ohio State in the Big Ten.
Beat the Hoosiers and and the Hawkeyes have a chance to go into the Oct. 9 game aganst Penn State undefeated.
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