After a slow start to the 2020 college football season, the Iowa Hawkeyes are back in the top 25 rankings. Winners of three straight, No. 24 Iowa looks to make it a fourth consecutive victory on Friday when it hosts Nebraska.
Do oddsmakers see Iowa’s momentum continuing against a struggling Cornhuskers squad?
How to watch Nebraska vs. Iowa
- What: Nebraska (1-3, 1-3 Big Ten) at Iowa (3-2, 3-2)
- When: Noon CST, Friday, Nov. 27
- Where: Kinnick Stadium
- TV: FOX
- Online Livestream: FOX Sports Go
- Radio: Hawkeye Radio Network, AM 600 WMT NewsRadio
- Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Channel 206
- Online Radio Stream: Hawkeyesports.com
- Live Stats: Hawkeyesports.com
Oddsmakers solidly behind the Hawkeyes
The oddsmakers see the Iowa Hawkeyes momentum continuing on Friday. Across the board, Iowa is being listed as a 13.5-point home favorite against Nebraska.
| Nebraska at Iowa Week 13 Odds | DraftKings | FanDuel | FOX Bet | PointsBet | William Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point spread (-110 juice unless noted) | NEB +13.5 -109 IOWA -13.5 -112 | N/A | NEB +13.5 IOWA -13.5 | NEB +13.5 IOWA -13.5 | NEB +13.5 IOWA -13.5 |
| Moneyline | NEB +400 IOWA -560 | N/A | NEB +425 IOWA -550 | NEB +390 IOWA -530 | NEB +400 IOWA -550 |
| Total points (-110 juice unless noted) | O 52.5 U 52.5 | N/A | O 53.5 U 53.5 | O 52.5 -115 U 52.5 -105 | O 52.5 U 52.5 |
When it comes to the moneyline, Iowa is ranking from -530 to -560, not a real appealing wager. Nebraska is listed from +390 to +425.
The over/under is listed at 52.5 points from most sportsbooks, while Fox Bet lists it at 53.5.
Iowa in control of recent series
While Nebraska holds a 29-18-3 advantage in the all-time series against Iowa, the Hawkeyes have controlled the recent history.
Iowa has won five straight meetings with Nebraska. The Cornhuskers have been competitive in the last two games, covering the spread in 2019 and 2018.
For Iowa sports bettors, the over has been the play. These two have hit the over in four straight meetings and six of their last seven encounters.
Another important trend in this one is Nebraska is just 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games. Iowa is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 against a losing team.
When it comes to public betting for this game, the wagers are going with Iowa. The Hawkeyes are getting 68% of the wagers as of this writing.
Hawkeyes find their next gear
Something has clicked for Iowa in their last three games.
After losses to Purdue and Northwestern by a combined five points to open the season, Iowa has won its last three by at least 20 points each.
Last week, Iowa earned a 41-21 victory at Penn State. Prior to that, the Hawkeyes had racked up a 49-7 win over Michigan State and a 35-7 win over Minnesota.
Iowa ranks third in the Big Ten right now in defense, allowing just 319.8 yards per game. In last week’s win, Iowa forced four turnovers and held Penn State to just 62 rushing yards.
Offensively, Iowa is putting up numbers without Spencer Petras having to do too much. He hasn’t thrown for over 200 yards in either of the three wins but is managing the offense well.
It’s been the ground game that has done the damage. Iowa has racked up 636 yards rushing over these last three wins. Tyler Goodson now has 453 yards and six touchdowns on the season, while Mekhi Sargent has 309 yards and six scores.
Iowa should continue the ground dominance against Nebraska, which is allowing 223.3 rushing yards per game this season.
Cornhuskers unable to get on track
Nebraska picked up a 30-23 win over Penn State two weeks ago but followed it up with a 41-23 loss at home to Illinois last weekend.
The Cornhuskers had no answer for the Illinois offense, allowing 490 total yards and 285 rushing yards. Nebraska is now giving up just under 450 yards per game for the season.
Offensively, things haven’t been much better. The Huskers rank 13th in the Big Ten in scoring at just 21.3 points per game.
After starting the season with Adrian Martinez at QB, the team has mixed in Luke McCaffrey in recent games.
The freshman has struggled with turnovers, throwing five interceptions with just one TD. He is the team’s leading rusher with 318 yards and three scores. Scott Frost hasn’t committed to a starter for this game.
Up against a physical Iowa front, Nebraska will need much more from its pass game. The Cornhuskers are 13th in the Big Ten in passing, averaging just 176.8 yards per game.
