The Hawkeyes aren’t historically known for putting up a lot of points. The books think that changes in week one against Albany.
Week zero is officially underway and we are now inside of one week away from Iowa’s season opener inside Kinnick Stadium as they play host to the Albany Great Danes. There are plenty of questions to be answered for this Iowa team as we head into the season, and perhaps even more for the Danes.
Albany enters the year with an interim head coach in Jared Ambrose, who had been the OC since 2022. He’s been Associate Head Coach since 2023 and now has an official try-out for the permanent role. He is taking the extended interview seriously and will come to Iowa City ready to make his mark.
Ambrose told the Times Union he wants the Great Danes to be “the most aggressive team in the country” this season. What does that mean? Per the Times Union, it could mean going for it on fourth down regardless of field position or having the defense be more aggressive with blitz packages “to try to knock an opponent out of field-goal range.”
Ambrose, wearing the interim tag this season, said at the outset of training camp he wants the Great Danes to be “the most aggressive team in college football.”
Times Union
That likely becomes more true in a pay game when the Danes are expected to take their lumps and will need every bounce to go their way to hang with the Hawkeyes.
Recall, Albany is coming of a 4-8 campaign that resulted in the coaching change with Greg Gattuso, who stepped down in February to take a defensive consulting role at Penn State, after 11 seasons with the Danes. They’re also going to be breaking in a new quarterback.
Despite returning Van Weber, who took the starting QB spot from then-sophomore Myles Burkett late in the season and throwing for 738 yards on 55.6% passing with 5 TDs in three starts, Ambrose announced earlier this week that it would be Buffalo transfer Jack Shields who is under center when they head to Kinnick in week one.
As you might expect, the Hawks are massive favorites in the opener against an FCS opponent with a new coach and starting QB. After winning their week one matchup against Illinois State 40-0 a season ago, Iowa is a 37.5 point favorite against Albany according to FanDuel Sportsbook. With an over/under set at 48.5 total points, that gives an implied final score of Iowa 43, Albany 5.5.
Interestingly, that would be a much closer game than in the one other meeting between the Danes and Iowa’s new starting QB, Mark Gronowski. While the Hawkeyes have never played Albany in school history, Gronowski squared off against them back in the 2023 FCS Semifinals while he was at South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits obliterated Albany 59-0, ending what had been a phenomenal season for the Great Danes.
That might be a more satisfying result for Iowa fans in the season opener than Vegas is predicting.
Here’s an early look at the details for Iowa’s week one matchup with Albany:
Date: Saturday, August 31st
Time: 5:00 pm CT
Matchup: Albany Great Danes (0-0, 0-0) at Iowa Hawkeyes (0-0, 0-0)
Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
TV: FS1
Early Weather Forecast: mostly sunny with temps in the mid-70s, 10% chance of rain
FanDuel Opening Line: Iowa -37.5, O/U 48.5
Category: General Sports
