Iowa Football: Hawkeyes’ 2017 season preview and predictions

Iowa football is coming off an 8-5 season with a loss to Florida in the Outback Bowl, but can the Hawkeyes improve in 2017?

If you’re Kirk Ferentz, you have to feel as if there’s unfinished business following Iowa’s appearance in the 2015 Big Ten Championship Game. The Hawkeyes were a couple plays away from stealing the conference title from Michigan State, but instead it earned a trip to the Rose Bowl and was humiliated by Stanford.

Would things have been different if LJ Scott didn’t score that game-winning touchdown in the final minute and the Hawkeyes went to the College Football Playoff? It’s easy to look back and talk about the ‘what ifs’ and speculate, but you know the Hawkeyes are hungry after an 8-5 finish in 2016.

Although Ferentz has had much worse seasons, such as a 4-8 record in 2012, the veteran head coach came close enough to glory in 2015 that he doesn’t want to let 8-5 start a backwards trend. He wants to keep this program moving in the right direction and even though Wisconsin is considered the class of the Big Ten West, the Hawkeyes can change that.

For the fourth straight season, the Hawkeyes fell short in postseason play, losing to Florida’s stingy defensive attack in the Outback Bowl and part of the issue was the offensive side of the ball failing to deliver. Will things get back on track in 2017?

The Hawkeyes have some important players returning, but they’re also losing starting quarterback C.J. Beathard who underperformed greatly in 2016. It’s time to put up or shut up.