Magazine expects another bowl trip for Hawkeyes

The publisher of a preview magazine expects another bowl trip for the Iowa Hawkeyes next season but says the schedule may prevent a serious bid for the Big Ten title. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview has the Hawks picked for sixth in the Big Ten race. Iowa has only two starters back on offense and for the fourth consecutive season will have a new quarterback. Steele says the Hawks will be improved at quarterback, whoever wins the job. He says they have a solid runningback, but have to overcome the lost of tackle Robert Gallery. He says he rates the defense as eighth best in the country.Seven starters are back on defense and Steele says Iowa will have more new players on the field than any other team in the conference. Steele says Iowa has excelled in two key areas the past couple of seasons: Running the ball and stopping the run. He says they’ve given up less than 100 yards on the ground the last several years and he says they should do that again this year. Steele says two games in Kinnick may determine just how successful the 2004 season is — the games against Ohio State and Wisconsin.Iowa opens the season at home September fourth against Kent State.