In what will be a Big Ten football season unlike any other, predicting a team’s win-loss record a month before the season begins is certainly difficult.

So, after a great deal of consideration, I have decided that my official win-loss prediction for Iowa in 2020 is 7-1.

For the Hawkeyes, a potentially Rondale Moore-less Purdue team to open up the year should serve as an easy win. The same goes for the Hawkeyes’ second and third matchups against Northwestern and Michigan State at Kinnick Stadium.

Minnesota could pose a significant threat to Iowa on the road on Nov. 14. However, the status of the Gophers’ star receiver Rashod Bateman is still in question. It’s also unclear if Minnesota’s 11-2 record last season was an aberration or not. So, chalk this up as another victory for the Hawkeyes.

Nov. 21 will likely mark the Hawkeyes’ first and only loss of the regular season. Penn State has been the thorn in Iowa’s side for years. The Hawkeyes have dropped six-straight games to the Nittany Lions.

The following week, Iowa fans will get some reprieve as the Hawkeyes take on Nebraska. Recently, no matter how the games have gone, the Hawkeyes have always managed to top the Cornhuskers. Expect more of the same in 2020.

Iowa’s next opponent, Illinois, was also on the up-and-up last year, posting a 6-7 record and appearing in a bowl. That said, it’s unclear if the Illini will compete at a high level again in 2020 or if they will return to their recent subpar form.

Lastly, I anticipate that Iowa will cap off the regular season with a win at home against Wisconsin. The Badgers have to replace running back Johnathan Taylor this year. That should give Iowa a punchers’ chance to vanquish Wisconsin in 2020.