As an Iowa fans, I don't quite understand the "hating" another school! I want to kick Minnesota, Wisc and the Illini in the ass when we play, but don't have a problem pulling for those teams when they are playing non big ten teams...okay, Zook makes it hard, but...
I was at the game in Minnesota in November and the Gopher deserved the win...Iowa was outplayed, outcoached and the Gophers just wanted that one more! Great stadium, btw...new, but has the look of an older college stadium. Someone forgot to install the heaters, however.
You are correct, Iowa loses a lot of solid senior players...Clayborn, Sash, Klug, Ballard, Greenwood, Hunter from the defense and DJK (the D stands for dumbass, btw), Riesner, Stanzi, Morse and Vandervelde from the O side...
Major injury at LB forced us to play a true and redshirt LB and that will give us some returning depth at LB. We return 3/5 of a OL and two other guys who started game...a true Fr RB who had 200+ yards in a bowl game and a backup QB who has started games. So Iowa won't be as talented as last year, but won't be chopped liver either. And Ferentz has had his best teams when expectations are low (2002,2004, 2008,2009).
BTW, I really like Coach Kill...give him a few years to recruit the right kind of athletes for UM and he will have some success.