ESPN writer forecasts Iowa College Football Playoff fate after Week 2

On3 imageby:Justin Rudolph09/14/21

ESPN college football writer Mark Schlabach made a prediction concerning the Iowa Hawkeyes and the College Football Playoff this year. In this week’s college football overreactions column, he revealed he believes the Hawkeyes will make the playoffs just two weeks into the college football season.

After their second dominating win of the season, he wrote this about Iowa.

“After blasting Indiana in the opener, the Hawkeyes once again rolled past Iowa State in the Cy-Hawk game, winning 27-17 on the road. Defensively, Iowa is good enough to challenge for a Big Ten title and potentially a spot in the CFP. The Hawkeyes have forced seven turnovers in two games and converted them into 37 points (20 against Iowa State),” he said. “They haven’t allowed 25 points in 24 consecutive games, the longest streak among Power 5 teams. Iowa had six interceptions in the first two games and an FBS-best 70 since 2017. Punter Tory Taylor is a field-position weapon.”


The Hawkeyes opened up the season with a top-20 Big Ten matchup against the then-17th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers and dismantled them at home. Iowa did not allow a single touchdown in the first half against the Hoosiers. They picked off Indiana’s quarterback Michael Penix Jr. three times in the first half, returning two of them for touchdowns. The game was pretty much over by halftime as they went into the locker room up 31-3. The second half was more of the same as Indiana could only muster up just another field goal. The final score was 34-6.

The Hawkeyes on both sides of the ball

Their defense has successfully stopped two of the better rushing teams in college. They allowed just 77 yards on the ground against Indiana and held the Cyclones to 87 yards rushing. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz had this quote about the secret behind his team’s defense.

“There’s no secret formula, we play defense the way we play it,” Ferentz declared.

Schlabach also highlighted what the Hawkeye offense does.

“There’s no secret to Iowa’s offense. As is typically the case under Ferentz, there’s nothing flashy on that side of the ball. It ran 39 times for 67 yards and averaged 5 yards per pass in its sixth straight victory over its in-state rival,” he stated.

When it comes to offense, the Hawkeyes play an old-school heavy style of offense with dual-threat tight ends. Iowa tight ends are great blockers in the run game and are their go-to playmakers in the passing game. Junior Sam Laporta leads the team in yards (104) and receptions (6). He could be next on the list of high-caliber tight ends Iowa has produced. A list that includes starting tight ends George Kittle, TJ Hockenson, and Noah Fant.

As far as their season outlook going forward Schlabach closed with this.

“The Hawkeyes will need much, much more from their offense to get through the Big Ten,” he said. “The good news: They don’t play Ohio State or Michigan in the regular season and they get Penn State at home. An Oct. 30 trip to Wisconsin might be the biggest remaining obstacle.”

If the Hawkeyes can match their offensive output with that of their defense, this week’s overreaction on them could become a reality.