The No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes (8-0) look to extend their perfect record as they travel to meet the Indiana Hoosiers (4-4). A player to watch in this matchup is the Big 10’s second-leading passer, Nate Sudfeld (2,049 yards, 14 TDs). It starts at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov 7 and will air on ESPN.
Indiana lost big to Michigan State 52-26 in their last game. Simmie Cobbs had a big game in the loss, totaling five receptions for 108 yards and one TD. Nate Sudfeld also had a big day, contributing 308 yards and three TDs through the air. Iowa is hoping for another victory like last week’s performance, when it beat Maryland 31-15. Matt VandeBerg had a solid game for the Hawkeyes, registering three receptions for 54 yards.
The Hoosiers, an eight-point underdog, will be looking to defend their home field when Iowa comes to town.
The Hoosiers enter the game with a record of 4-4 Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS) this season. In the past five games, Indiana is 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS. The Hoosiers run the ball frequently. They rush 43.8 times per game, which is the 25th best in the nation. Transitioning to the Indiana defense, there are some things to keep in mind when it is on the field. A vital part of the game will be whether the Hawkeyes can secure the ball from Indiana’s hungry defense. It averages the 10th-most fumbles recovered in the nation with one per game. Indiana’s special teams are one of its strengths. They earn 116.1 return yards per game, putting them 18th in Division I.
Across the field, the Hawkeyes have 8-0 SU and 5-3 ATS records this season. The Hoosiers may be catching the Hawkeyes at the wrong time. They have found their groove on the ground, averaging 207.2 rushing yards during the past five games. Switching gears to the Iowa defense, there are certain areas where it measures up well against the Hoosiers. The Iowa defense has allowed just 85.8 rush yards per game this season, fifth in the nation. The Hawkeyes could take advantage of Indiana’s reputation to run out of gas late in games. They are 128th in Division I in fourth-quarter points allowed with 14.2. Iowa doesn’t like to give up the ball. The team has an average time of possession of 33:12 this season, putting them 21st in the country.
Predictions: SU Winner – Iowa, ATS Winner – Iowa
Notes
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games.
Indiana is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Indiana’s last 24 games at home.
Indiana is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Iowa.
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Indiana’s last 9 games when playing Iowa.
Iowa is 7-0 SU when leading at the half this season. Indiana is 1-1 SU when taking a lead into halftime.
Remarkably, Indiana is winless (0-2) SU in games where it comes out ahead in the turnover battle, yet 4-1 SU when losing the turnover battle.
Since the beginning of last season, Iowa is 8-4 SU against Big 10 opponents, while Indiana is just 1-11 SU against conference foes.
