Bet Iowa Hawkeyes – Steady Iowa A Step Behind In Big Ten

2009 Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Recap

Online betting gurus realized in 2009 that Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz hadn’t lost his fastball for good. Ferentz – often rumored for NFL coaching vacancies whenever they emerged in the middle of the past decade – lost some of his stock value in the latter part of the decade when Iowa seemed to lose traction in the Big Ten. Ferentz produced double-digit-win seasons in 2002 and 2004, but from 2005 through 2008, Iowa failed to get to 10 wins and seemed stuck in its conference. The natives in Iowa City expected more from their coach, so 2009 was greeted with a lot of skepticism and doubt.

Now, the landscape has changed once again, and Ferentz has his groove back.

Iowa reclaimed a measure of superiority with its 11-2 season in 2009. The Hawkeyes pulled a number of close games out of the fire, most memorably a last-play win at Michigan State in a frantic two-minute drill made good by quarterback Ricky Stanzi and clutch receiver Marvin McNutt, who caught the winning pass to stun the homestanding Spartans. Iowa also used a 28-point fourth quarter to upend Indiana after sleepwalking for three quarters. The Hawkeyes also outlasted Michigan by just two points and Arkansas State by only three. In week one, Iowa needed to block two field goals in the final seconds to tip Northern Iowa by a single point. Yes, Iowa got lucky, but the Hawkeyes used their good fortune to build up their confidence level and become a legitimate force by the end of the season. The team narrowly missed winning the Big Ten title, losing to Ohio State by just three points (27-24) in overtime on Nov. 14. Iowa was still good enough to get an at-large BCS bowl bid, however, and the Hawkeyes cashed in with a 24-14 win over ACC champion Georgia Tech. The Hawkeyes shut down Tech’s vaunted triple-option offense, holding the Yellow Jackets to just 155 yards and nine first downs.

2010 Preview To Bet Iowa Hawkeyes

NCAA football betting players should invest in Iowa this season. The Hawkeyes lose Stanzi at quarterback, but new signal caller James Vandenberg played courageously at Ohio State last year, leading Iowa back from a 24-10 deficit to a 24-all tie in the latter stages of regulation time. Vandenberg hit 20 of 33 passes for 233 yards against a great Buckeye defense. He did throw three picks, but he shrugged off his misfires and made big plays. He should do well under center this season and allow Iowa’s offense to remain solid. Many of the Hawkeyes’ receivers return, and offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe should know what to do with his resources.

Iowa’s defense returns a number of starters, and defensive coordinator Norm Parker is one of the top five men in the country at his position. Iowa will get Penn State and Ohio State at home; the Hawks might not win both of those games, but as long as they split them, they’ll finish with nine wins unless something goes spectacularly wrong. This schedule won’t be easy – a September visit to Arizona will be tough and a home date against Wisconsin won’t be a piece of cake, either – but this team has a big-league defense and the knowledge it can perform. A sports betting analyst should put Iowa in his preseason Big Ten top three. Iowa will finish no worse than third in the conference in 2010.