Picks for Illinois State at Iowa, North Dakota at Iowa State, Texas A&M at Notre Dame: College football Week 1 predictions

The Gazette’s Pick ‘Ems panelists return with their first college football predictions of the 2024 season. Will 2023 champion Rob Gray repeat? Can Mike Hlas bounce back from a last-place finish?

Illinois State at No. 25 Iowa

11 a.m. Saturday (BTN)

Mike Hlas (24-22 last season) — Fans are eager to see how the new season will unfold. Iowa 16, Illinois State 0

John Steppe (29-17) — This score won’t help Iowa’s Drive to 325. Oh wait, wrong season. Iowa 24, Illinois State 3

Jeff Johnson (29-17) — Wonder if Kirk Ferentz will meander around the Kinnick Stadium/Carver-Hawkeye Arena parking lots to hob-knob with tailgaters since he’s not coaching? Ah, probably not. Iowa 35, Illinois State 0

Rob Gray (34-12) — Will there be an offensive outburst from Iowa? No. Will it matter? No. Defense wins this game. Iowa 27, Illinois State 3

Beth Malicki (31-15) — We are now empty nesters. According to my husband that means we can finally relax. My definition is that we can truly clean out every room and start new hobbies, Iowa 31, Illinois State 13

Todd Brommelkamp (25-21) — Illinois State Coach Brock Spack has a mustache. Does he have an offense that can move the ball against the Hawkeyes, though? No. No he does not. Iowa 31, Illinois State 3

North Dakota at Iowa State

2:30 p.m. Saturday (FS1)

Hlas — Fans are hopeful and optimistic, with expectations high for a successful season. Iowa State 28, North Dakota 14

Steppe — Fighting Hawks this week? Hawkeyes next week? Jayhawks later in the year? Were the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks not available? Iowa State 31, North Dakota 10

Johnson — You know, I tried both the Bud Light cans with Iowa and Iowa State logos on them, and they tasted exactly the same. Weird. Iowa State 42, North Dakota 14

Gray — The Fighting Hawks have become a formidable FCS team, but they must replace most of their offensive and defensive lines. That spells trouble, as the Cyclones have depth in both of those areas, and if North Dakota loads the box, ISU quarterback Rocco Becht will wreak havoc. Iowa State 41, North Dakota 10

Malicki — I used pruning shears to remove a gaggle of wires that attached to some old electronics that have been in our house since 1996. Apparently this is not the intended use of outdoor pruning shears and the experience is named the Fight of August 2024. Iowa State 28, North Dakota 10

Brommelkamp — Iowa plays an ISU while the Cyclones face the (Fighting) Hawks. It’s like a Bizarro World Week 2! Iowa State 35, North Dakota 8

No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 20 Texas A&M

6:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

Hlas — Coaches and players are focused on setting a positive tone for the year. Texas A&M 28, Notre Dame 24

Steppe — Very generous of ABC to schedule this right around when I’ll be leaving Kinnick. I’m sure that’s exactly why they did it. Notre Dame 28, Texas A&M 27

Johnson — There’s a Jimbo Fisher contract buyout joke in here somewhere, but I’ll be darned, I just can’t find it. Please help. Notre Dame 28, Texas A&M 24

Gray — Two of the richest programs in college football tangle. Both (especially A&M) generally underperform. None of that will stop this game from being one of the best in Week 1, and Irish eyes will be smiling. Notre Dame 27, Texas A&M 24

Malicki — Did we cry when our daughter was valedictorian of her class? Yes. Did we cry during her graduation party filled with loved ones? Yes. Did we cry while driving 12 hours home after dropping her off at college? No. We CELEBRATED. Texas A&M 27, Notre Dame 23

Brommelkamp — The Aggies reportedly wanted to hire Mark Stoops last year but wound up with Mike Elko instead. Has missing out on a Stoops and settling for a less flashy alternative ever worked out before? Texas A&M 24, Notre Dame 23