IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Iowas 12-0 start last season led some to label the Hawkeyes a fluke. A blowout loss to Stanford in the Rose Bowl only seemed to confirm those suspicions.Iowa is intent on proving that its still a national contender and the Hawkeyes should have a team capable of doing so.Iowa is a favorite to repeat as Big Ten West division champions. The Hawkeyes return 13 starters from last year, when they finished 8-0 in the West and fell inches shy of a playoff berth.Quarterback C.J. Beathard had a strong first season as the starter despite a litany of injuries. If Beathard can stay healthy, a run at Big Ten Player of the Year isnt out of consideration. Iowas defense, which let up just 20.4 points per game, will be led by Thorpe Award-winning cornerback Desmond King.Basically since 1999, when we got here, our goal has been the same, to be Big Ten champions, said coach Kirk Ferentz, who is entering his 18th season with the Hawkeyes. I think what it comes down to is, all you can ask for is opportunity. We feel like we do have a solid foundation built right now.SEASON OPENERThe Hawkeyes shouldnt have too much trouble when they host Miami of Ohio on Sept. 3. The Red Hawks went just 3-9 in 2015 and were pounded at Wisconsin 58-0. Miami averaged a paltry 17.9 points per game last season while giving up 32. Iowa dominated Illinois State in last years opener, the first sign that perhaps the Hawkeyes were in for a special season.SENSATIONAL C.J.Beathard emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten in 2015 despite injuries that hampered his mobility. Now healthy and a senior, Beathard appears poised to put together one of the best seasons an Iowa quarterback has ever had under Ferentz. Beathard threw for 2,809 yards with 17 touchdowns and just five picks a year ago, and Ferentz recently compared him to Brad Banks, who was second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2002. Theres just something about him, Ferentz said.BACK-TO-BACK?Iowas powerful rushing attack paved the way for its offense last season, but star running back Jordan Canzeri has moved on. The Hawkeyes should be fine, however, if they lean on big back LeShun Daniels Jr. and speedster Akrum Wadley. Daniels and Wadley each rushed for over 190 yards in a single game in 2015 and appear ready to play bigger roles.KEY GAMESIowas season will likely come down to a three-game stretch starting in late October, with home games against Wisconsin and Michigan wrapped around a road trip to Penn State. Iowa fans know better than to sleep on North Dakota States trip to Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 17. The Hawkeyes will be coming off its rivalry game with Iowa State, and the Bison are the five-time defending FCS champions.PREDICTIONIowa goes 11-1 and wins the West only to fall to Michigan State in a rematch of the Big Ten title game. Of course, Iowa could always go 8-5 -- like it did in 2010, the last time the Hawkeyes entered a season with such high expectations.---This story has been corrected to show in last paragraph that Iowa played Michigan State in the Big Ten title game.---Follow Luke Meredith on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LukeMeredithAP Wholesale NHL Jerseys China . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Cheap NHL Jerseys Free Shipping . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. http://www.cheapchinanhljerseys.com/ . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. 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