No. 7: Iowa Hawkeyes

The One Great Season College Football Countdown continues Thursday. We'll be counting down the preseason Top 25 teams in 2010. Today's No. 7 is Iowa.

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Iowa's defense turned heads last year, and while that unit should again be strong, its offense might be just as dangerous in 2010.

America-loving quarterback Ricky Stanzi returns for his senior season. He earned plenty of headlines while helping Iowa to a 9-0 record -- its best start in school history -- to begin the 2009 season. Four of those wins were by a total of eight points, and another game required a 28-point fourth quarter in order to dismiss visiting Indiana.

The Hawkeyes shouldn't have to go the dramatic route as often in 2010. Stanzi is surrounded with loads of returning skill. Backs Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher combined for 13 touchdowns and almost 1,500 yards after star-in-the-making Jewel Hampton tore his ACL and missed last season. He'll be back this year as well.

Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt teamed up for 79 catches and more than 1,400 yards, so Stanzi will have experienced targets in the passing game.

Eight starters are back on a defensive unit that allowed only 15 points per game last year. Everyone talks about monster end Adrian Clayborn (20 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks in 2009), and certainly with good reason, but linebacker Jeremiha Hunter and safety Tyler Sash each have a chance to be excellent as well.

Hunter is a third-year starter who was second on the team in tackles last year. The senior's leadership will be key for an otherwise green unit. Sash is also a third-year starter, and, paired with fellow ball-hawking safety Brett Greenwood, leads a secondary that should make plenty of big plays this season.

Who's back? QB Ricky Stanzi, RB Jewel Hampton, DE Adrian Clayborn, S Tyler Sash

Who's gone? OT Bryan Bulaga, LB Pat Angerer, LB A.J. Edds, CB Amari Spievey

Why they'll win: Loads of talent returning for one of last year's top defenses.

Why they'll lose: The offensive line must develop some cohesiveness in Iowa's first two games against scrubs before a difficult road test at Arizona. If the line struggles, the Hawkeyes will struggle.

Get your tickets: at Arizona (Sept. 18), vs. Penn State (Oct. 2), vs. Wisconsin (Oct. 23), vs. Ohio State (Nov. 20)

Prediction: 11-1 (7-1, second place Big Ten)