On the Line | Daily Iowan football staff picks a slate of Week 1 college football games

The DI’s band of football experts picked five of this week’s top matchups. Game selections and records will be released each week.

Grace Smith

Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras exits the field during the 2022 Vrbo Citrus Bowl between No. 15 Iowa and No. 22 Kentucky at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. Petras played the whole game after recently rotating with Alex Padilla. The Wildcats defeated the Hawkeyes, 20-17.

DI Staff


South Dakota State @ Iowa

Austin Hanson, Pregame Editor (0-0): Iowa — The Hawkeyes are on upset alert this week.

Chloe Peterson, Sports Editor (0-0): Iowa — Will Iowa learn from 2016? Maybe.

Chris Werner, Assistant Sports Editor (0-0): Iowa — Can’t win ’em all if you don’t win the first one.

Isaac Goffin, Football Reporter (0-0): Iowa — The game will come down to special teams.

Michael Merrick, DITV Sports Director (0-0): Iowa — Hawks by a million.

John Bohnenkamp, Sports Writing Coach (0-0): Iowa — SDSU played 25 games in 2021. Odd facts known by few.

Jason Brummond, Publisher (0-0): Iowa — Hawks literally eat Jackrabbits.

No. 5 Notre Dame @ No. 2 Ohio State

Hanson: Ohio State — I dare somebody to pick Notre Dame this week.

Peterson: Ohio State — Petition for Ohio State to defect to the SEC.

Werner: Ohio State — C.J. Stroud laughed at me at Big Ten Football Media Days.

Goffin: Ohio State — Where Heartlanders coach Joe Exter used to coach.

Merrick: Ohio State — ND never wins big ones.

Bohnenkamp: Ohio State — Checking the line for this game. Oh…

Brummond: Ohio State — A budding Big Ten rivalry?

No. 23 Cincinnati @ No. 19 Arkansas

Hanson: Arkansas — G’Hogs.

Peterson: Arkansas — Remember when Cincinnati was good?

Werner: Cincinnati — Shivansh Ahuja will live on through me.

Goffin: Arkansas — I’ll never doubt an SEC program.

Merrick: Arkansas — No Ridder, no W.

Bohnenkamp: Arkansas — Hogs are good at home.

Brummond: Arkansas — Might be one of the best and closest games of a tough opening slate.

Rutgers @ Boston College

Hanson: Rutgers — Together, Rutgers will be No. 1.

Peterson: Boston College — The ACC is actually in the Power Two.

Werner: Boston College — Picking Rutgers to win any football game is a dangerous proposition.

Goffin: Boston College — A rare opportunity to pick a Northeastern contest.

Merrick: Boston College — Knights won’t fly with Eagles.

Bohnenkamp: Boston College — I didn’t know this game was going on.

Brummond: Boston College — I already DVR’d Rutgers-Nebraska on Oct. 7.

No. 11 Oregon @ No. 3 Georgia

Hanson: Georgia — Like Ray Charles, Georgia’s On My Mind.

Peterson: Georgia — Who wouldn’t pick Georgia is the real question.

Werner: Georgia — The result of this game depends solely on how cool Oregon’s jerseys are.

Goffin: Georgia — I mistrust some SEC East members, but not the Bulldogs.

Merrick: Georgia — Home teams sweep.

Bohnenkamp: Georgia — Oregon is really good — and a 17.5-point underdog.

Brummond: Georgia — To quote Larry Bird, who’s coming in second?