Get ready for some sailgating, Hawk fans, as we’re headed to the Pacific Northwest this weekend!
The weather in Seattle looks solid for early October, with temperatures in the upper 50s and overcast all day Friday. Probably a little chilly for those sailgates outside Husky Stadium but if you can somehow find your way onto a boat, do it. Drinking on a boat – always fun.
Temperatures will remain in the 50s into the evening when Iowa and Washington kickoff. There’s no chance of precipitation and there
will be a light wind from the east. Basically perfect.
The season rides on this game. There’s just no way to sugar coat it. Win this, head to the bye at 5-1, and Iowa’s in a great position for the back end of the schedule. The back end looks more difficult than it did, but they’re all winnable games for Iowa. They can do this.
Lose and the shot at a playoff berth is probably gone. So no pressure.
There’s definite uncertainty with Iowa after Hank Brown’s shoulder injury in last week’s loss to Ohio State. I have to think, based on Kirk Ferentz’s comments on Tuesday, that Jeremy Hecklinski gets the start and Brown is the emergency backup. No pressure there, either. HOWEVER! There is a stat circulating that since 2006, Iowa is 7-1 when the backup quarterback is making their first start. The lone loss was James Vandenberg at Ohio State in 2009. History is on Hecklinski’s side if he’s the starter on Friday.
As for Washington, who knows with this team? They looked shaky the couple of times I watched in their non-conference schedule. Big Ten play has been a struggle, dropping a home game to Minnesota (Minnesota led that game by double-digits for most of the night) then blowing an 11-point lead at USC last week. They led for a good chunk of that game, though, so this is still a tough team. They have some young players in certain spots (lines) so I’m hopeful that Iowa can take advantage of that.
Washington has been favored in this game all week, with the line now sitting at Washington -3.5. This is a difficult spot for Iowa, possibly down their starting quarterback, in a loud venue. I’m taking Iowa to win, 24-20, but I’m not confident in that at all.
Date: Friday, October 9
Time: 8:00 pm CT
Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes (4-1, 1-1) at Washington Huskies (3-2, 0-2)
Location: Husky Stadium, Seattle, Washington
TV: Fox or FS1
Updated Weather Forecast: Partly to mostly cloudy, high in the mid 50s. Wind out of the east at 5-7 mph.
Updated FanDuel Line: Iowa +3.5, O/U 41.5
