Big Ten Redemption This Weekend? Week 3 Vegas Big Ten Predictions Here.
Saturday Blitz Vegas Big Ten Predictions Week 3
Iowa State Cyclones at Iowa Hawkeyes
Line: Iowa by 10
This is a fight between two teams who have looked awful so far this year, but one is 0-2 while the other is 2-0 as this rivalry returns Saturday. Iowa had to escape an FCS program in Northern Iowa 31-23 the first game of the year and then had to get by Ball State 17-13 in the second game of the year. Neither one of those are impressive wins, and the Hawkeyes have a lot to worry about on offense. There were 2 costly turnovers that allowed Ball State to stay in the game, and that can’t happen in a rivalry game like this, even if the teams are heading in different directions.
Iowa State, meanwhile, may be happy about the fact that it played Kansas State close, but there’s not much to read into. The Cyclones caught the Wildcats off guard and built a huge lead, but the Iowa State offense then went completely cold and looked like it did when it lost to North Dakota State. To win this game the Cyclones will somehow have to find a way to create turnovers on defense and consistently keep the Hawkeyes out of the end zone while the offense will have to generate some points on a consistent basis. Otherwise, this won’t be a game.
Prediction
Iowa State will not catch Iowa off guard this time around. The Hawkeyes are more focused after struggling with Ball State and seeing how tough the Cyclones played Kansas State, so they’ll be ready. When that happens, Iowa State simply won’t be good enough to make this a close game.
Iowa: 38 Iowa State: 17