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Iowa Football: 2018 game-by-game predictions

By Quinn Douglas

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 27: Nathan Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes passes against the Boston College Eagles during the second half of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 27, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Iowa Hawkeyes won 27-20. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 27: Nathan Stanley #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes passes against the Boston College Eagles during the second half of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 27, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Iowa Hawkeyes won 27-20. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)
(Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

12. Nebraska (Nov. 23)

The seniors for the Iowa team get to go out with a bang as the Hawkeyes welcome border-rival Nebraska back to Kinnick Stadium. After starting with a slow first half last year, Iowa scored an unprecedented 48 unanswered points against the hapless Huskers en route to a 56-14 annihilation in Lincoln. Following the game, Nebraska fired coach Mike Riley and allowed their version of “The Prodigal Son” to occur with the hiring of former quarterback Scott Frost as head coach.

There’s not many ways around it, the talent on the Nebraska roster simply isn’t good, and it’s going to take a couple of years to rebuild that. But Frost is no slouch when it comes to coaching. He was able to lead a UCF team that was winless in the year prior to his arrival and made them 6-6 with a bowl berth. Frost can coach, but this will be a tough task to squeeze wins out of the bunch he is taking over.

There is no question that Frost will have his players motivated, unlike his predecessor, to play the Hawkeyes. Riley seemed to symbolize the Nebraska fans attitude of “We don’t consider Iowa a rival”. Frost, however, has completely embraced the rivalry, believing this could be a premier rivalry once Nebraska is back where he thinks they should be. Unfortunately, for Frost and company, this year will not be the year to get over the hump.

Next. Post-spring top 25 projections. dark

Final: Iowa 48 (10-2) – Nebraska 13

Iowa finished the regular season with a very respectable 10-2 record and would be in line for a New Years Day bowl game. Most of the major computer models agree that Iowa’s record should be similar to this and I tend to agree with them. Iowa’s offense has the pieces to make it happen, and if the linebacking corp can gel early and be ready for Big Ten play, Iowa could have a defense reminiscent to the days of Pat Angerer and Tyler Sash.

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