The University of Iowa football team faces a daunting schedule with two of the nation’s best tight ends last season now in the NFL. Despite the talent on the roster, those aspects make Iowa a long shot in a review of the Hawkeyes 2020 playoff odds.
Iowa has an accomplished quarterback, one of the nation’s best pass rushers and a loaded backfield. Because of those facts, the Hawkeyes have some relevance for Iowa sports betting.
Hawkeyes 2020 playoff odds: season outlook
Sports betting in Iowa should be live in time for the beginning of the college football season. If Iowa gets to a New Year’s Day bowl game or better this year, it will be a significant accomplishment.
The Hawkeyes face a tall task in their annual in-state rivalry road game against a legitimate Iowa State team. On the conference slate, Iowa has to travel to:
- Michigan
- Nebraska
- Northwestern
- Wisconsin
Hawkeye home games that could be a challenge include Penn State and Miami (Ohio). Iowa may be up for the challenge, however.
Quarterback Nate Stanley could finish among the most statistically successful passers in the program’s history. Although the tight end cupboard is theoretically bare, the Hawkeyes seem to always replenish.
Iowa’s running game is always formidable, as 21-year head coach Kirk Ferentz’s strongest focus is the offensive line. Iowa could be equally powerful on the defensive line this year.
Junior A.J. Epenesa is one of the best ends in the nation at pressuring the quarterback. His bookend classmate Chauncey Golston is talented, as well.
The rest of the starters on defense have the experience that the Hawkeyes will need if they are to surpass the expectations that sportsbooks have for them.
Hawkeyes 2019 win expectancy
Three of the nation’s premier legal sportsbooks, one of which has already contracted with Catfish Bend Casino to operate a sportsbook in Iowa, have posted win expectancies for Iowa.
PointsBet will operate a mobile and physical sportsbook in conjunction with Catfish Bend in Burlington. It, along with DraftKings, have the over/under for the Hawkeyes set at 7.5.
DraftKings has a better line on that bet, however. Its odds for the under currently rest at +130. FanDuel’s over/under is set at eight, but its line isn’t favorable for bettors, set at -108 on either the over or the under.
While the books predict a winning season and bowl eligibility for Iowa, that’s about the ceiling for the Hawkeyes, according to the books.
Hawkeyes 2020 playoff odds: breakdown
Winning Iowa’s first national championship in football since the late 1950s would be quite an accomplishment. Five books have a line posted on the Hawkeyes winning the 2020 College Football Playoff.
- DraftKings +15000
- FanDuel +15000
- PointsBet +17500
- SugarHouse +15000
- William Hill +25000
A big step toward pulling off a huge upset and winning the 2020 playoff would be winning the Big 10 title. Odds are available at most of the aforementioned books on that, as well.
Iowa in the middle of the pack for Big 10 title odds
The duality of the loaded schedule and talented roster have the Hawkeyes as a dark-horse favorite to win the Big 10 in the coming season. DraftKings has the best odds on Iowa winning the conference’s championship game at +2500.
Both of those books also have the Hawkeyes at +450 to win the Big 10’s West division. Iowa will have to pull off some huge road wins to do that, but it may have the talent necessary.
If Stanley can find his new favorite targets, the defense can play above its perceived ceiling and the Hawkeyes get some lucky bounces, they could provide a payday for bettors brave enough to put the money down on them.
