For the second time this season, Iowa is an underdog on the road in a trophy game. This time, the Heartland Trophy is at stake in the Iowa at Wisconsin matchup.
The first trophy trip turned out OK for the Hawkeyes. Then-No. 10 Iowa claimed the Cy-Hawk hardware with a 27-17 win over then-No. 9 Iowa State on Sept. 11.
Fans who want to bet on the Hawkeyes have another small margin to consider for wagers. Iowa was about a 3-point underdog going into Ames, and they face almost identical odds for Saturday’s game in Madison. Wisconsin has a 48-44-2 edge in the series.
Heartland Trophy odds
Iowa Hawkeyes betting line has them at as the +3.5 underdog as of Wednesday afternoon:
Saturday’s game is the 95th meeting between the schools, but the Heartland Trophy is new to the rivalry. The Badgers have a 9-6 record with Bruiser the Bull on the line. Iowa currently has him following a 28-7 win in Iowa City last season.
Both teams played Purdue in their last outings. The Boilermakers upset the Hawkeyes 24-7 two weeks ago. Iowa was idle as Wisconsin beat Purdue 30-13 on Saturday.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said:
“It looks like they’re hitting their stride right now. Really a good football team. It’s going to be a big, big challenge for us. Certainly a trophy at stake. That’s important. All in all, just good to get back on the field and start competing again. We’ll look forward to that opportunity and challenge.”
How to watch the Heartland Trophy game
- What: Iowa (6-1, 3-1 in the Big 12) at Wisconsin (4-3, 2-2)
- When: 11 a.m. Saturday
- Where: Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI
- TV: ESPN
Heartland Trophy participants near the top of Big Ten odds
Wisconsin and Iowa have virtually even odds to represent the Big Ten West in the championship game. Ohio State and Michigan are the top choices to win the East Division and the conference championship, according to oddsmakers.
| Team | DraftKings and Betway Sportsbook | Caesars Sportsbook | FanDuel Sportsbook | BetRivers and Unibet Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | -235 | -240 | -250 | -250 |
| Michigan | +550 | +550 | +500 | +600 |
| Iowa | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 | +1200 |
| Wisconsin | +1200 | +1200 | +1000 | +1200 |
| Michigan State | +1800 | +2000 | +3000 | +1200 |
| Minnesota | +2500 | +3000 | +4000 | +1400 |
| Purdue | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 | +5000 |
| Penn State | +10000 | +10000 | +10000 | +1600 |
| Nebraska | +40000 | +50000 | +100000 | +50000 |
| Illinois | +40000 | +100000 | +50000 | +100000 |
| Maryland | +100000 | +50000 | +50000 | +50000 |
| Northwestern | +100000 | +100000 | +100000 | +50000 |
Iowa bowl projections still look good
Starting Tuesday, the focus shifts from the AP top 25 poll to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee top 25. The top four teams in the final poll on Sunday, Dec. 5 go to the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl national semifinals on New Year’s Eve. The committee also sets the remaining “New Year’s Six” bowls. If Iowa stays in the top 10, the Peach Bowl (Dec. 30), the Rose Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl (New Year’s Day) are all possibilities.
The Cotton Bowl champion plays the Orange Bowl champion at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 10, in Indianapolis for the right to be 2021’s national champion. The Hawkeyes would need to run the table and win the Big Ten Championship to return to the national conversation, however.
Here’s a look at Iowa’s bowl projections going into the Heartland Trophy game:
Citrus Bowl (Jan. 1 in Orlando)
- Kyle Bonagura at ESPN — vs. Kentucky
- Mark Schlabach at ESPN — vs. Ole Miss
- Erick Smith at USA Today — vs. Texas A&M
Peach Bowl (Dec. 30 in Atlanta)
- College Football News — vs. Kentucky
- Brad Crawford at 247Sports — vs. Pitt
Rose Bowl (Jan. 1 in Pasadena, CA)
- Jerry Palm at CBS — vs. Oregon
- Bill Bender at Sporting News — vs. Oregon
- Steven Lassan at Athlon Sports — vs. Oregon
Beyond the Heartland Trophy: Big Ten Conference odds
11 a.m. games
- No. 6 Michigan at No. 8 Michigan State (Fox)
- No. 9 Iowa at Wisconsin (ESPN)
- Rutgers at Illinois (BTN)
- Indiana at Maryland (BTN)
2:30 p.m. games
- Minnesota at Northwestern (BTN)
- Purdue at Nebraska (ESPN2)
6:30 p.m. games
- No. 20 Penn State at No. 5 Ohio State (ABC)
CFB odds from other top 25 games
Thursday, Oct. 28
- Troy at No. 24 Coastal Carolina (6:30 p.m. ESPN2)
Saturday, Oct. 30
11 a.m. games (unless noted)
- No. 2 Cincinnati at Tulane (ESPN2)
- Texas at No. 16 Baylor (ABC)
- Miami FL at No. 17 Pittsburgh (ACCN)
- No. 22 Iowa State at West Virginia (1 p.m. Big 12/ESPN+)
2:30 p.m. games
- No. 1 Georgia vs. Florida in Jacksonville (CBS)
- Texas Tech at No. 4 Oklahoma (ABC)
- Colorado at No. 7 Oregon (Fox)
- Duke at No. 13 Wake Forest (3 p.m. ACCN)
6 p.m. games
- No. 10 Ole Miss at No. 18 Auburn (ESPN)
- No. 12 Kentucky at Mississippi State (SEC Network)
- Kansas at No. 15 Oklahoma State (FS1)f
- No. 19 SMU at Houston (ESPN2)
6:30 p.m. games
- North Carolina at No. 11 Notre Dame (NBC)
Late games
- Virginia at No. 25 BYU (9:15 p.m. ESPN2)
- Fresno State at No. 21 San Diego State (9:30 p.m. CBS Sports Network)
