Iowa Slammed With Brutal Prediction Against Maryland

The Iowa Hawkeyes have been hit with a rather rough prediction for their game against the Maryland Terrapins.

Iowa Hawkeyes running back Kaleb Johnson. / Abbie Parr-Associated Press

The Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off of a brutal loss against the UCLA Bruins on Nov. 9, so the hope is that the bye week served as a refresher for their upcoming matchup versus the Maryland Terrapins.

But a week off does not necessarily mean that Iowa has solved all of its problems, especially given all of the trouble it has been having at quarterback.

Chad Leistikow of The Des Moines Register has provided his prediction for the Hawkeyes this Saturday, and he does not foresee a good ending against Maryland.

Leistikow sees the Terrapins winning by a score of 24-23.

"One of the under-discussed factors is that Iowa's red-zone offense is more precarious without mobile quarterback Brendan Sullivan (ankle)," Leistikow wrote. "And the Hawkeyes' lack of a pass rush with their front four is a bad recipe against a potent passing offense directed by Billy Edwards Jr. (297.8 yards a game in total offense). The Hawkeyes have a chance to win decisively, but it's going to take a full team effort, which unfortunately is no sure thing."

Iowa is just 6-4 on the season and has been one of the more inconsistent teams in the country. There have been times where the Hawkeyes have looked dominant, but at other moments, they have appeared incredibly vulnerable (as evidenced by their record).

It's not just the quarterback position, either. Iowa's receiving corps have been brutal, and even its defense—which is known for being very stingy—has been up and down.

Iowa has a chance to finish the year with a respectable 8-4 record, as its last two games are against pedestrian opponents in Maryland and Nebraska.

But based on what we've seen from the Hawkeyes through 2024, you never know what version of the team is going to show up.