Some of the heat around Iowa has cooled off since they took down Mississippi State in the Outback Bowl to cap their 2018 season. The Hawkeyes still look prepared to land somewhere in one of the final five spots of the preseason AP Top 25 when the organization releases their preliminary list in August.
Nate Stanley is back at quarterback, complete with a burgeoning mustache that he sported after the final closed practice (Iowa did not have a spring game due to work replacing the turf at Kinnick Stadium ahead of the new season). Losing both T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant in the first round of the NFL Draft is a huge talent drain at tight end, the biggest position where there is flux for Iowa.
The Hawkeyes retained far more productivity on offense than on defense, with defensive coordinator Phil Parker forced to replace several key players. A.J. Epenesa is the linchpin for the team, with the likely preseason All-American set to wreak havoc on teams once again.
Miami of Ohio and Middle Tennessee bookend the annual showdown against Iowa State, which this year is a road game for the Hawkeyes. October opens conference play with back-to-back games against Michigan on the road followed by Penn State in Iowa City. Iowa has to play at and win at Northwestern, at Wisconsin, and at Nebraska if they hope to steal the Big Ten East.