The Iowa Hawkeyes may have had two duds of home games to start the year, but this one is what fans clamor for and should get Kinnick Stadium revved up into a black and gold frenzy.
Iowa, 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten, hosts the Indiana Hoosiers in their Big Ten home opener in a matchup that is going to tell the college football world a lot about these teams. Iowa is playing an offensive-driven brand of football while its defense finds its footing. It isn’t your usual Iowa.
Indiana, well, Indiana is simply playing elite football. Sitting at 4-0 with a 1-0 mark in Big Ten play, the Hoosiers are bulldozing through any team in their path and taking no prisoners.
If you are looking for some betting advice for the matchup, we’ve got you covered. Here are the latest odds for the game, courtesy of BetMGM.
Iowa vs. Indiana game odds
All college football odds via BetMGM, Friday, Sept. 26
Iowa vs. Indiana prediction, pick:
Iowa has to just stay in the fight in this game. Indiana is going to come out looking for the early uppercut to end this fight in a first-round knockout like they did against Illinois last week. If Iowa can survive the initial wave and be in this game, it plays to its strengths.
Iowa will have a loud Kinnick Stadium on its side, and crowd adversity is something Indiana has not had to deal with yet this year, as it opened the season with four home games. The Hoosiers have also not been battle-tested once.
If Iowa can run the ball, get this into the second half close, and drag Indiana into a street fight, that is their key to success. Make Indiana play in uncomfortable situations. Iowa welcomes the tight, pressure-packed, late-game moments. Find out if Indiana is ready for those moments as well.
Prediction: Iowa 26, Indiana 23
Riley’s Best Bet
Best Bet Record: 2-2
Best Bet: Over 47.5 points
Indiana can score. Plain and simple. They are going to get theirs. Iowa may slow them down, but to think that the Hawkeyes’ defense, after letting Rutgers throw for 330 passing yards against them, will stop them entirely is a bit of a stretch.
Fortunately, Iowa can hang a little bit on offense. This isn’t the Hawkeyes of previous seasons that saw them scoring 13 points and holding on for dear life. Mark Gronowski can throw and run the ball, and the offensive line is a group of maulers. Iowa will have to score to win this game, and they know that.
It won’t take much to get to 47.5 total points in this game, and these offenses have the firepower to send this over the top.
Iowa vs. Indiana channel, start time, streaming:
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Live Stream: Peacock
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa vs. Indiana: Week 5 College Football Betting Odds, Prediction, Pick
Reporting by Riley Donald, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
