Iowa football: 5 keys to the Hawkeyes winning the Big Ten in 2023

5. Take advantage of a soft schedule

This season, the Hawkeyes open conference play at Penn State on Sept. 23 and follow it up the next week by hosting Michigan State. Aside from those two games Iowa is set up for success. Michigan and Ohio State are nowhere to be found on the schedule (at least until the Big Ten Championship) and they get to play Wisconsin on the road the week after they play Purdue for Homecoming.

This roster has the makings of a real contender. They have offensive personnel to finally be unpredictable thanks to the pass-catching and run-blocking ability of their tight ends and the quarterback’s willingness to use his legs when necessary.

They have legitimate All-American candidates in the secondary as well as young players like Xavier Nwankpa and Aaron Graves that are going to be looking to blossom as sophomores. The coaching staff is starting to feel the heat a little bit as the scoring ultimatum has been implemented.

An 8-4 record is not going to be good enough this year. The schedule sets the Hawkeyes up nicely, the roster is legit and the coaching staff won’t be content to continue the same ol’, same ol’.

This season will be interesting one way or another, but the Hawks can definitely find themselves in Indianapolis at the end of the year if things break their way.