An up-and-down season for the Hawkeyes has made predicting which team will show up each week a tough task.

But they’ve had their moments, and are in a position to get their eighth victory, a win that will pull Kirk Ferentz into a tie with Hayden Fry.

I’ve had my moments, too, nailing the 24-3 score of the opening win against Wyoming despite using an outdated game system to simulate.

From 55 points to 66 yards and back to 56 points, it’s all led us here and the Hawkeyes to the Pinstripe Bowl, so let’s get to the picks of the experts. 

Celebrity prediction
The Hawkeyes’ all-time leader in receptions returns for another round of predictions.
Kevonte Martin-Manley: Iowa 27, Boston College 10

Featured predictions
Hawkmania
Steve Batterson: Iowa 24, Boston College 21
In a match-up between two teams built around the run and stopping the run, the team that wins the line of scrimmage will put themselves in a position for success and frigid Yankee Stadium. The Hawkeyes’ ultimate edge in this game may be found on special teams. Iowa will need to deal with Michael Walker, who leads the ACC in punt returns and is fifth in kick returns, but the Hawkeyes have a potential edge with the consistent leg of kicker Miguel Recinos. The junior is 9-of-11 in field goal tries this season, including a 4-of-4 mark from beyond 40 yards. The Eagles’ Colton Lichtenberg has connected on 10-of-17 tries and is 2-of-8 from 40 yards or more.

Hawkeye Headquarters
Adam Rossow: Iowa 24, Boston College 19
Dan Vasko: Iowa 31, Boston College 21


National predictions
CBS Sports
Tom Fornelli: Iowa 27, Boston College 20

Sports Illustrated
Andy Staples: Iowa
Bruce Feldman: Iowa 
Chris Johnson: Iowa
Joan Niesen: Iowa
Eric Single: Boston College
Molly Geary: Iowa
Scooby Axson: Iowa

Sporting News
Bill Bender: Iowa 23, Boston College 17 

SBNation
Bill Connelly: Iowa 25, Boston College 22

Athlon Sports
Adam Kurkjian: Boston College 27, Iowa 24

ESPN
Adam Rittenberg: Iowa 19, Boston College 16

College Football News
Pete Fiutak: Iowa 19, Boston College 16

Yahoo
Nick Bromberg: Iowa 9, Boston College 6
Sam Cooper: Iowa 21, Boston College 17

Opposing view
Boston Herald: Boston College

Around the Big Ten
MLive
Josh Slagter: Boston College 27, Iowa 17

Penn Live
Daniel Gallen: Boston College 17, Iowa 14

Hawkeye State predictions
Land of 10
Scott Dochterman: Iowa 20, Boston College 10
Bobby La Gesse: Iowa 24, Boston College 17

The Gazette
Marc Morehouse: Iowa 21, Boston College 20

Hawkeye Nation
Rob Howe: Iowa 24, Boston College 20

#IowaSim17 simulation
Cody Hills: Iowa 16, Boston College 3

Irrelevant prediction
@Hawkologist
And finally, the totally irrelevant prediction based on playing EA Sports’ NCAA Football 2004 on a PS2, as is the tradition since 2015.

Ryan Jaster: Hawkeyes 15, Boston College 14. A scoreless first half is full of errors, with 5 fumbles and a leaping interception at the goal line that “robbed” a touchdown in Yankee Stadium. Iowa finally breaks through with a 39-yard home run pass, but Boston College answers with two in the “bottom” of the third, including a 39-yarder of its own. Down 7 and fighting the clock late, the Hawkeyes connect with a deep ball once again — this time for 27 yards as time expires. Kirk Ferentz goes for the win. It’s not the first questionable 2-point conversion attempt of the season, but this one pays off with a walk-off win on a fullback dive. Sources say Ferentz even called his shot beforehand.


Prognosis: There isn’t much worry in the picks above, but that will change for the fans in a hurry if the Hawkeyes get off to a slow start. And in this bowl skid, that’s exactly what they’ve done, being outscored 108-10 in the first half of their last five. Unlike some years, Iowa seems to be in a bowl they deserve against an evenly matched opponent. So if they’re going to end the streak, this is the year. Most of the people who have been following the Hawkeyes all year believe they will.

For more Hawkeye football coverage, follow @AdamJRossow and @HawkeyeHQ on Twitter — and now Facebook — and Hawkeye Headquarters on OurQuadCities.com all season.