The next chapter of a long-standing rivalry will take place this Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3:30 p.m. ET when the Iowa State Cyclones (1-0) visit the No. 21 Iowa Hawkeyes (1-0). Iowa State will look to reclaim the Cy-Hawk Trophy, while Iowa will want to build upon a strong start to the 2024 campaign.
Both teams earned victories in Week 1. The Cyclones took down FCS North Dakota 21-3, while Iowa’s big second half helped them defeat FCS Illinois State, 40-0.
Which team will win what’s shaping up to be one of Week 2’s best college football games? Continue reading for the latest Iowa State vs Iowa odds and my prediction for this rivalry game.
Iowa State vs Iowa Odds
College football odds are current as of Tuesday, Sept. 3, and courtesy of bet365 Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Iowa State (+120) vs Iowa (-140)
- Spread: Iowa State +2.5 (-105) vs Iowa -2.5 (-115)
- Over/Under: Over 35 (-110) / Under 35 (-110)
Iowa State vs Iowa Prediction
Iowa 23, Iowa State 9
It’s difficult to put too much stock into how these teams looked in Week 1 against inferior opponents, but we also shouldn’t ignore them completely. As usual, Iowa State and Iowa were each carried by their respective defenses, but the Hawkeyes have reason to feel optimistic about the other side of the ball for once.
Iowa’s 492 yards of offense were its most in a game since 2019. That’s an impressive feat for a team that had the second-worst scoring offense in the nation this past season. Former Michigan QB Cade McNamara was solid in his debut, tossing for three touchdowns and 251 yards on 31 attempts.
The Cyclones struggled to get things going on the ground against North Dakota, logging 86 yards on 22 attempts, but QB Rocco Becht passed for an efficient two touchdowns and 267 yards. Establishing the rush will be paramount against this stout Iowa front.
I expect this to be a close game, but the Hawkeyes look superior on both ends of the field, and it helps that this one will be played at Kinnick Stadium. An optimistic crowd could provide a nice boost as Iowa looks to improve to 2-0.
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Iowa State vs Iowa Best Bets
Iowa -2.5 (-115) vs Iowa State
Home teams generally get about three points in their favor on the spread, so this line implies that Iowa State is the superior team in this matchup. It’s important not to overreact to the Hawkeyes’ impressive Week 1 outing, but the Cyclones haven’t been better than them for some time now.
Iowa finally appears to have a somewhat competent offense to pair with its top-of-the-line defense, and this was already a team that won 10 games in 2023. Now that the Hawkeyes can score, they should be viewed as more of a threat.
I would be surprised if this game is decided by less than seven points. Back Iowa to cover this 2.5-point spread with your college football bet of the day.
Under 35 Points (-110)
No team went Under this past season more often than the Hawkeyes. The Over hit in just two of Iowa’s 14 games for an FBS-low 14.3% Over rate. Comparatively, Iowa State saw the Under hit in seven of its 13 games in 2023.
In short, it’s almost always a good idea to bet the Under when the Hawkeyes take the field. Despite its new-look offense, Iowa’s defense is more than capable of holding foes to single-digit scoring totals, and we’ve yet to see how McNamara and Co. hold up against an FBS-level opponent.
