In 2015, you couldn’t bet in Iowa legally when the Iowa Hawkeyes wrapped up a perfect 12-0 regular season en route to the Big Ten Championship game.
After Iowa’s 23-20 win Saturday over No. 4 Penn State, oddsmakers see a decent chance for No. 2 Iowa to repeat that memorable run.
And, this time, you won’t have to travel to Vegas to place a bet on Iowa.
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You can register online and bet using more than a dozen sports betting apps in Iowa. College football betting fans can focus on the upcoming Purdue at Iowa game or think big with a conference or national championship.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz can’t offer betting advice, but he has cautions in his football advice. He told reporters on Tuesday:
“Big picture right now, these seasons are long and they’re difficult and there’s going to be a lot of difficult steps along the way. Certainly, Saturday was one of those challenges and it was really a good moment certainly for our team. And also want to say thanks again to our fans. It was an unbelievable environment.”
The fans will be back against the Boilermakers; the game is a sellout.
The Iowa Hawkeyes are 11.5-point favorites, according to oddsmakers, as of Wednesday afternoon.
Purdue at Iowa Hawkeyes spread, moneyline, total
How to watch Iowa’s championship game hopes continue
- What: Purdue (3-2, 1-1 in the Big Ten) at No. 2 Iowa (6-0, 3-0)
- When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
- Where: Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City
- TV: ABC
Should Hawkeyes fans buy tickets to the Big Ten Championship game?
Nothing is clinched yet, but Iowa controls its destiny in the Big Ten West race. Plus, the team is slowly carving out enough of a lead that it could absorb a West Division loss and still clinch the West’s spot in the Big Ten Championship game.
Ohio State is favored to represent the Big Ten East in Indianapolis. Oddsmakers think the Buckeyes will ultimately earn a spot in either the College Football Playoff or the Rose Bowl.
Big Ten Championship odds
How to bet on a Hawkeyes National Championship
The sky’s the limit for the Hawkeyes if they keep winning. An undefeated Big Ten champion will almost certainly have a place in the College Football Playoff. The conference’s next-best team would then get a second playoff spot or an invite to the Rose Bowl.
So, here’s what Hawkeyes fans should look for as they consider futures wagers:
- Fans should track the AP Top 25 for now. But, starting Nov. 2, rankings reflect the College Football Playoff Selection Committee’s top 25 instead. Sportsbooks will adjust their national championship futures based on the weekly selection shows.
- The committee rankings are announced each Tuesday — usually at 6 p.m. on ESPN. (Nov. 9 is the only exception because of college basketball coverage.)
- The final College Football Playoff Selection Committee top 25 is released Sunday, Dec. 5. That’s when the committee sets the national semifinals, plus the remaining “New Year’s Six” bowls. This season, the Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl are the national semifinals. They’ll be played at 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
- The Peach (Dec. 30), as well as the Rose, Fiesta and Sugar bowls (New Year’s Day), are the other major bowls to bet on.
- Then, 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.
Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta is on the CFP Selection Committee and serves as the committee chairman. He has to step out of the room whenever his colleagues need to discuss Iowa’s merits.
What are the Iowa Hawkeyes bowl projections?
All bowl projections are just guesses at this point, and they change from week to week. The snapshot for Iowa is both clear and promising following the Penn State win. It’s either a CFP semifinal or “The Granddaddy of Them All.” If Iowa loses a game or two, the bowl projections will become more scattered.
Cotton Bowl in Arlington, TX. (4 votes)
- Jerry Palm (CBS) — vs. Oklahoma
- Mark Schlabach (ESPN) — vs. Oklahoma
- Steven Lassan (Athlon Sports) — vs. Alabama
- Kyle Bonagura (ESPN) — vs. Cincinnati
Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA (3 votes)
- Erick Smith (USA Today) — vs. Arizona State
- Stewart Mandel (The Athletic) — vs. Arizona State
- Bill Bender (The Sporting News) — vs. Oregon
National Championship odds
As we mentioned, the conference and national picture will shift each week. Odds below update live:
Live odds for the Big Ten championship race
11 a.m. games
- No. 10 Michigan State at Indiana (FS1)
- Nebraska at Minnesota (ESPN2)
- Rutgers at Northwestern (BTN)
2:30 p.m. games
- Purdue at No. 2 Iowa (ABC)
7 p.m. game
- Army at Wisconsin (BTN)
Live college football odds for other championship contenders
Friday, Oct. 15
- California at No. 9 Oregon (9:30 p.m. ESPN)
- No. 24 San Diego State at San Jose State (9:30 p.m. CBS Sports Network)
11 a.m. games
- UCF at No. 3 Cincinnati (ABC)
- No. 12 Oklahoma State at No. 25 Texas (FOX)
- Auburn at No. 17 Arkansas (CBS)
- No. 20 Florida at LSU (ESPN)
- No. 21 Texas A&M at Missouri (SEC Network)
2:30 p.m. games
- No. 11 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia (CBS)
- No. 19 BYU at Baylor (ESPN)
6:30 p.m. games (unless noted)
- No. 5 Alabama at Mississippi State (6 p.m. ESPN)
- TCU at No. 4 Oklahoma (ABC)
- No. 13 Ole Miss at Tennessee (SEC Network)
- No. 22 North Carolina State at Boston College (ACC Network)
9 p.m. game
- No. 18 Arizona State at Utah (ESPN)