Iowa football vs. Washington: Who wins? Final score predictions

Iowa left Kinnick Stadium disappointed following a 31-14 loss to Ohio State. Now, six days later, they’ll try to right the ship on the West Coast.

The No. 18 Hawkeyes (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) face a tough road test as the Washington Huskies (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten) wait for them on Friday night. The Huskies have lost their first two conference games of the season, but shouldn’t be taken lightly. Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. gives them a chance in every game. Plus, they have one of the best home-field advantages in college football.

Iowa is a team looking to find an identity. They’ve struggled to run the ball and get to the quarterback. Hank Brown won't play, and Jeremy Hecklinski is largely unproven. Kirk Ferentz has a tough task ahead.

Will Washington get back on track and defend home field? Or, will the Hawkeyes prove last week’s setback was a one-off?

Here are the Hawkeyes Wire staff’s official predictions for Iowa at Washington:

Iowa vs. Washington: Hawkeyes Wire staff predictions

Josh Helmer: On the surface, Iowa rolling into this game without its starting quarterback sounds like cause for concern.

But, listen to this: Iowa is 7-1 since 2006 in games where its backup quarterback makes a first career start. The competition between Brown and Hecklinski was too close to call throughout spring and training camp. That's an illustration of how much the Hawkeyes like Hecklinski.

Hecklinski was sharp against the Buckeyes in his lone drive last week. The 5-foot-11, 201-pound quarterback completed all five of his passes for 67 yards and led Iowa's only touchdown drive.

Another note to consider: since 2022, Iowa has been involved in 20 games with a spread between +3.5 to -3.5. The Hawkeyes have won 16 of those games.

In Iowa's first trip to Washington since 1963, the Hawkeyes pick up a key road win and an important bounce-back victory.

Prediction: Iowa 24, Washington 20

Scout Springgate: Although Iowa enters Friday night's contest determined to make up for a lackluster 31-14 loss to Ohio State last Saturday, beating Washington on the road will not be easy. That starts with quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who is a dynamic playmaker that could give Phil Parker's defense headaches.

Against Michigan and Ohio State, Iowa's run game has combined for 97 yards and one touchdown, and their defense has allowed an average of 456.5 yards of offense. Mix in a backup quarterback on a short week, plus a night game at the rowdy Husky Stadium, and you have the ingredients for a potentially frustrating result.

To beat Washington, Iowa needs its running game to return to form. Combined with a Phil Parker-led defense limiting Williams' offensive creativity, the Hawkeyes should be in position to leave the Pacific Northwest with a valuable win.

The key to victory for the Hawkeyes will be to follow fundamentals and avoid unnecessary setbacks like inopportune penalties and turnovers. Kirk Ferentz has proven over his 28 years at the helm of the Hawkeyes that following a game plan and staying calm under pressure wins games more often than not.

Prediction: Iowa 24, Washington 17

Zach Hiney: This is an incredibly difficult game to project. On one hand, Washington has looked far from impressive this season. Jedd Fisch's team has yet to put it all together, and it's led to an 0-2 start in Big Ten play for the Huskies. From that perspective, this game is winnable for Iowa.

On the other hand, the Hawkeyes are a miracle last-second touchdown pass away from being 0-2 in conference play themselves. They haven't played great football recently. The run game has really struggled, and the defense has more cracks than usual. Add in an injury to Hank Brown that muddies the water, and it's easy to see why Washington has a shot here.

Throw in the fact that it's a Friday night West Coast road game, and Iowa could be in trouble. The last time they traveled out west on a Friday night, they lost to a bad UCLA team. The Huskies will present a much bigger challenge.

Throughout his tenure, Kirk Ferentz has struggled on the West Coast. He'll need to change that narrative on Friday. Both of these teams have faults, and both can win this game. Washington has the better quarterback and home-field advantage. But, give me the Hawkeyes here.

They're going to start running the ball eventually, and Phil Parker will have a good game plan for Demond Williams Jr. Iowa wins a close one to head into the bye week with some good vibes.

Prediction: Iowa 23, Washington 20

The Hawkeyes and Huskies kick off at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Wash., at 8 p.m. CT. Fox will broadcast the game, with Connor Onion (play-by-play), Robert Griffin III (analyst), and Alex Landestoy (sideline) on the call.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football vs. Washington: Who wins? Final score predictions