Over the next 30 “business days” I will be counting down my top 30 for the 2009 College Football season. After hours of studying game film, breaking down matchup by matchup and predicting upsets I’ve come up with the teams I believe will be the best 30 in the country by seasons end. Will your team be included? (Hint: If you prefer Tennessee, No.) Today we start with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

30. Iowa Hawkeyes

The Story: What was it, 4 years ago that we declared Kirk Ferentz a genius? He was getting his untouted talent to compete with the blue chippers of Ohio State and Michigan on his way to a Big 10 title. Then 2005 happened. And 2006. And 2007.  After three very disappointing seasons, the Hawkeyes looked to have righted the ship last year with a 9 win season culminating in a New Year’s Day blowout of the hapless South Carolina Gamecocks. In fact, the Hawkeyes were the only Big 10 team to win their bowl game. (Claps) They were also the team that kept Penn State out of the BCS Championship Game.

The Glaring Stat: Iowa’s 4 losses were by a combined 12 points.

The Outlook: The Hawkeyes return 15 of their 22 starters from last season. But gone is all-world stud running back Shonn Greene to the NFL, losing 1,850 yards on the ground. In his place steps in Jewel…Jewel Hampton that is, who rushed for over 400 yards as Greene’s backup during his freshman campaign. Before Greene’s 2008 season his career totals only amounted to 305 yards, so all is not lost, but you don’t get a Shonn Greene stepping in every season.

Junior Ricky Stanzi returns at QB, where he was very good at running the show, and handing the ball off the Greene and watching him run.  The Hawkeyes will likely have to rely on his arm a little more this fall.

The Hawkeye defense will be very good, and includes one of the best groups of linebackers you’ll see in college football led by Pat Angerer…seriously… that name is awesome. The only flaw is the interior of the line…look for the linebackers to have to clean up a lot of the holes they leave open.

The Schedule:
Sep. 5 Northern Iowa
Sep. 12 at Iowa State
Sep. 19 Arizona
Sep. 26 at Penn State
Oct. 3 Arkansas State
Oct. 10 Michigan
Oct. 17 at Wisconsin
Oct. 24 at Michigan State
Oct. 31 Indiana
Nov. 7 Northwestern
Nov. 14 at Ohio State
Nov. 21 Minnesota

It can be summed up like this: BRUTAL ROAD SCHEDULE. I am not sure who Iowa pissed off to give them that slate of in conference road games, but it almost seems unfair. Out of conference props for scheduling two BCS teams, even if they aren’t very good.

Prediction: 8-4.

The offense is going to be a major question mark. After putting all their eggs in the Shonn Greene basket the Hawkeyes are going to have to look elsewhere to put points on the board. Then there is that schedule…But this is a Hawkeye team that surpised last year and who knows, might surprise again.

GatorTrey is a contributor to SpartyandFriends.com and can be reached at GatorTrey (at) spartyandfriends.com and can also be reached on twitter @jflynn05

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