Hawk Fanatic week 6 predictions
IOWA CITY, Iowa – As the midway point of the regular season approaches, the Iowa football team is one of eight Big Ten teams with a 1-1 record in conference play.
All but one of the seven teams in the Big Ten West Division are 1-1, the exception being 0-2 Wisconsin oddly enough.
Iowa with a 3-2 overall record already has equaled its number of regular season losses from last season when it compiled a 10-2 record during the regular season and won the Big Ten West Division.
So, that’s just one of many reasons why Saturday’s game at 4-1 Illinois is so important.
Another reason is because it’s the next game on the schedule, of course, and because every Big Ten game is important, but the Fighting Illini also are on the rise under second-year head coach and former Iowa defensive lineman Bret Bielema.
Iowa also doesn’t want to enter the bye week coming off a loss, and the only way to avoid that is to win on Saturday.
As for our three panelists, their performances last week left something to be desired as all three finished 2-3 with their picks.
Rob Howe still clings to a one-pick lead, but Dallas Jones was the only one of the three panelists that picked Michigan to defeat Iowa.
Pat Harty’s picks
Iowa 8, Illinois 7: Iowa will score its points on two field goals by Drew Stevens from 54 and 51 yards, and on a safety by Illinois natives Noah Shannon and Lukas Van Ness.
Maryland 34, Purdue 31: I’m finished making comments about Charlie Jones in my Purdue predictions. Oops. I just did it again.
Rutgers 27, Nebraska 23: Latest rumor out of Lincoln is that Andy Reid, Sean McVay, Jim Harbaugh, Ryan Day and Kirby Smart have been eliminated from the Nebraska coaching search, leaving Nick Saban, Tony Dungy, Urban Meyer, Lincoln Riley and Bob Stoops as the finalists.
Wisconsin 10, Northwestern 9: Nobody can blame Brian Ferentz or Spencer Petras for this dysfunction on offense.
Iowa State 23, Kansas State 21: With the Cyclones having lost five of their last seven conference games dating back to last season, and with Kansas State having defeated Oklahoma 31-24 on Sept. 24 behind the play of Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez at quarterback, I’m predicting that Iowa State students will rush the field in Ames, couches will be burned and the streets will turn to chaos due to the magnitude of the event.
Last week: 2-3
Overall: 15-10
Dallas Jones’s picks
Iowa 13 at Illinois 10: In all of my years on this planet, I would never take an Illinois football team over an Iowa football team. That is not changing this week.
Purdue 34 at Maryland 31: Points! Points! Points!
Nebraska 17 at Rutgers 21: I just threw up all over my laptop
Wisconsin at Northwestern: If you watch all 60 minutes of this game, you may qualify for compensation.
Kansas State 21 at Iowa State 28: Bad knee is telling me we will get the Hunter Dekkers legacy game this week.
Last week: 2-3
Overall: 14-11
Rob Howe’s picks
Iowa 16, Illinois 13: If you see me driving back on I-74 from this one early Sunday morning, honk to make sure I’m awake.
Maryland 35, Purdue 34: I have the total in this game hitting 69. *Beavis & Butthead laughing
Nebraska 27, Rutgers 24: I’ve never eaten a Runza. It makes me think of getting diarrhea.
Wisconsin 6, Northwestern 3: Why would anyone intentionally watch this game?
Iowa State 20, Kansas State 17: Night game in Ames means cows should be on high alert to avoid tipping.
Last week: 2-3
Overall: 16-9