The Big Ten takes center stage on Friday with a familiar matchup. The Nebraska Cornhuskers host the Iowa Hawkeyes in a matinee battle between teams seemingly going in different directions. After an 0-2 start, Iowa has produced three consecutive victories, including road wins over Minnesota and Penn State. Nebraska is struggling, however, with a 1-3 record and an 18-point home loss to Illinois last week.
Kickoff is at 1 p.m. ET in Iowa City. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Hawkeyes as 13.5-point home favorites, down from the opener, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas expects, is 53.5 in the latest Nebraska vs. Iowa odds. Before making any Iowa vs. Nebraska picks, check out the college football predictions from SportsLine’s Emory Hunt, given how well he’s picked games involving the Cornhuskers.
The founder of Football Gameplan, Hunt played running back at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and coached high-school football before becoming a SportsLine expert and CBS Sports HQ analyst. He enjoyed a dominant 2019 season, going 116-79 against the spread while returning nearly $3,000 to $100 bettors.
Moreover, Hunt has a keen eye for the Cornhuskers’ tendencies. He’s a stunning 8-1 against the spread in his last nine college football picks for or against Nebraska.
Now, Hunt has set his sights on Nebraska vs. Iowa. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college football odds and trends for Iowa vs. Nebraska:
- Nebraska vs. Iowa spread: Iowa -13.5
- Nebraska vs. Iowa over-under: 53.5 points
- Nebraska vs. Iowa money line: Nebraska -550, Iowa +400
- NEB: The Cornhuskers are 1-4 against the spread in 2020
- IOWA: The Hawkeyes are 3-2 against the spread this season
Why Nebraska can cover
Though the Cornhuskers are struggling, this matchup does provide some opportunities for the road team. Nebraska ranks as a top-five team in the Big Ten in both rushing yards (198.8 per game) and yards per carry (4.9), with the Huskers also solid in protecting the passer, giving up only eight sacks in four games. Defensively, Nebraska hasn’t performed well, but Iowa is not a particularly explosive offensive team.
The Hawkeyes are fourth-worst in the Big Ten in total offense, producing only 373 yards per game. From there, Iowa is dead-last in the conference in yards per pass attempt (5.8), with only three touchdown passes. Lastly, Nebraska should be able to hold up in key situations, as Iowa has completed only 55.2 percent of their passes, ranking second-worst in the Big Ten this season.
Why Iowa can cover
The Hawkeyes are known for their defense this season, allowing only 16.0 points per game in 2020. Iowa has given up only six touchdown passes, with 10 interceptions and an opportunistic style. The Hawkeyes are also sitting atop the Big Ten in allowing only 2.6 yards per game, and Iowa is giving up just 102.6 rushing yards per game. Iowa also ranks third in the conference in both total defense (319.8 yards allowed per game) and passing defense (217.2 yards allowed per game). Nebraska could also make life easy on Iowa with an offense that hasn’t been able to produce consistently.
The Cornhuskers are second-worst in the Big Ten in both scoring (21.3 points per game) and passing yards (176.8 per game), and Nebraska also has the fewest touchdown passes in the conference, reaching the end zone only twice when compared to six interceptions. Iowa relies on a quality ground game to generate offense, with Tyler Goodson at the center of it all. Goodson is second in the Big Ten in rushing, producing 453 yards on 5.5 yards per carry with six touchdowns.
How to make Nebraska vs. Iowa picks
Hunt has analyzed this matchup, and while he’s leaning under on the total, he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Iowa vs. Nebraska and what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Nebraska vs. Iowa spread you need to jump on Friday, all from the expert that is 8-1 in his last nine picks for or against the Cornhuskers, and find out.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login