In one of his preseason pressers, Kirk Ferentz highlighted one of his favorite games that he has ever coached. According to Blake Hornstein, one of Ferentz's favorite wins was the 6-4 win over Penn State in 2004. Ferentz's team scored their six points with two field goals in a game where offense was at a premium. The four points for Penn State came from two safeties, including one where Iowa intentionally took the safety.
Over his years Ferentz has been known for one thing -- games that were otherwise tought to watch, but ended in results. He has never been able to win a national title during his time with the school but he has had success. In recent years, Iowa has been trending more towards 7-to-9 wins with the occasional 10-win Big Ten West division champ.
Iowa Football: Are Kirk Ferentz, Hawkeyes destined for another 6-4 victory?
Iowa's defense is still one of the best in college football. The question will be if the offense can follow suit or at the very least be complimentary for the defense. While Iowa is full of new transfers on the offensive end, there are plenty of question marks. Cade McNamara is with the Hawkeyes after being beaten out by Michigan's J.J. McCarthy.
If McNamara is able to be solid or at the very least someone who is reliable for Iowa, they could be able to win the Big-Ten West and maybe even have 10 wins. In the grand scheme of college football, that is a very successful season.
Still, even if they have a stable offense, it will take a lot of improvement for them to even compete with Michigan, Ohio State, or Penn State this season. If they are somehow able to get to the Big-Ten Championship game once again, that will be a very successful season for the Hawkeyes.
