Minnesota vs Iowa: Hawkeyes in Driver’s Seat in Big Ten West
Iowa Controls Destiny for Big 10 Championship Game
The Iowa Hawkeyes will look to maintain their chase for a Big Ten Conference championship when they host the Minnesota Golden Gophers Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET).
The early money is pouring in on the Hawkeyes, who opened as 6.5-point favorites. Conversely, the Golden Gophers are +6.5 on the NCAAF spread. Meanwhile, the total is just 35.5, with a slight lean to the Over (-111).
Who has the edge? Read on as we dive into the odds and break down the college football matchup in our Minnesota vs Iowa odds preview.
Minnesota Golden Gophers at Iowa Hawkeyes 
Day/Time:
Location: Kinnick Stadium; Iowa City, Iowa
Streaming: TBA
Betting Trends
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are 1-5 against the spread this NCAAF season and 1-6 over their last seven games. Notably, the Golden Gophers have lost eight consecutive games against Iowa and have failed to cover the spread in the last seven. They are also just 1-5 ATS in their last six road games. The Iowa Hawkeyes, meanwhile, are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 games, including 4-2-1 this season. The total has gone Under in nine of the Hawkeyes’ last 12 games. That’s important to remember when assessing the Minnesota vs Iowa odds.
No Offense, No Problem
The Iowa Hawkeyes beat the odds in Week 7, upsetting Wisconsin 15-6 as an 8.5-point underdog. The Hawkeyes were outgained 324-237 yet beat the Badgers for the second consecutive season to claim sole possession of first place in the Big Ten West NCAA football standings.
Iowa (6-1, 3-1) overcame another dismal performance by its offense, which ranks last in FBS in yards per game (247.4). With Deacon Hill limited to 37 yards passing, most of the production came from Leshon Williams. The junior rushed for 174 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. The Hawkeyes’ defense did the rest, forcing two turnovers. In doing so, Iowa returned to the AP Top 25 poll at No. 24.
Despite losing quarterback Cade McNamara for the season (torn ACL), Iowa now controls its destiny for the Big Ten Championship game. The Hawkeyes are clearly in the driver’s seat. Their next four games are at home, and they avoid having to play Big Ten favorites Michigan and Ohio State.
The Hawkeyes are still something of a longshot, with national championship odds of +25000. While it’s difficult to see them cashing in on that because of their deficiencies on offense, the Hawkeyes are at least in the conversation. The Hawkeyes are also well-positioned to beat their projected regular-season win total of 7.5. They need to go just 2-3 over their final five games.
Regardless, Iowa sure could use a boost on offense. The Hawkeyes haven’t scored more than 20 points since Sept. 30, a span of two games. To add injury to insult, tight end Erick All was carted off Saturday. At the time of his injury, All had 14 of the Hawkeyes’ 28 receptions and both of their touchdown catches this season. They’d already lost tight end Luke Lachey to a season-ending ankle injury. Be sure to monitor All’s status when analyzing the Minnesota vs Iowa odds.
Golden Gophers Trending Down
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are coming off a bye. In their last game, Oct. 7 against No. 2 Michigan, they were walloped 52-10. An 18.5-point underdog, the Golden Gophers were outgained 432-169.
At 3-3 (1-2 Big 10), Minnesota’s ceiling is somewhat limited. A NCAAF bowl game is a possibility, but the Golden Gophers will still need to finish no worse than .500 over their final six games to qualify. They were projected for 6.5 regular-season wins, their fewest in a full season since 2018.
The Golden Gophers are coming off back-to-back bowl wins. But they’ve struggled to match that success, in large part due to the inefficiency of their offense. Sophomore Athan Kaliakmanis has completed just 55.9% of his attempts with as many touchdown passes and interceptions. He threw for just 52 yards against Michigan and was picked off twice.
It also doesn’t help that Darius Taylor, the Big Ten’s leading rusher, has missed the last two games with a leg injury. Taylor has rushed for 532 yards (6.1 yards per carry) and four touchdowns. Taylor has three straight 100-yard rushing games. His status for Saturday remains uncertain.
Handicapping the Odds
Conference games are tricky. That said, it’s hard to put much trust in Minnesota on the road. The Golden Gophers are reeling without Taylor, and Kaliakmanis’ inconsistent play has led to doubts about their potential.
While they should able to keep this close, the Hawkeyes are deserving favorites at home. Look for them to fend off the Golden Gophers.
For NCAAF scores and odds, college football betting lines and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
