The oddsmakers have Iowa in a spot that still feels a little strange on paper: the Hawkeyes are 5-2, yet they’re opening as underdogs against Northwestern. In a year where the gap across college football seems smaller than ever, that line says plenty about how respected the Wildcats have become.
Northwestern comes into the matchup at 6-1 overall and 3-1 in Big Ten play, and the numbers back up the respect. Iowa, meanwhile, still has Wisconsin coming to Kinnick Stadium this weekend, while Northwestern heads to Oregon for a road test of its own. That matters here, because this spread could move a lot depending on what happens before these teams ever meet.
For now, the opening line has Northwestern at -2.5 (-105) and Iowa at +2.5 (-115). On the money line, Northwestern is listed at -135 and Iowa at +114.
The total sits at 42.5, with the over and under both priced at -110. Those odds are courtesy of DraftKings.
This does not look like a number set in stone. If Iowa beats Wisconsin and Northwestern falls at Oregon, the market could easily treat this game as close to a toss-up. If Northwestern wins on the road, though, the line is likely to stay right where it is, or maybe tick a little higher in the Wildcats’ direction, no matter what Iowa does against Wisconsin.
The series history still tilts Iowa’s way. The Hawkeyes lead the all-time matchup 54-28-3 and have taken six of the last 10 meetings.
The most recent game in Northwestern’s building ended with Iowa winning 10-7, though that one was played at Wrigley Field. Last season’s meeting came on October 26, 2024, when Iowa beat Northwestern 40-14 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City.
There is also the setting itself, which adds a little flavor to this matchup. Northwestern’s new stadium is described as one of the most impressive in college football, with all the bells and whistles and an elite viewing experience. Still, there’s a feeling that some of the old Ryan Field is going to be missed.
And yet the new place fits this version of Northwestern just fine. Iowa and Northwestern, the source notes, belong on soggy grass with a little mist hanging in the air at an 11 a.m. kickoff.
Instead, this one goes indoors to the new Ryan Field, where the Wildcats’ speed should play well. That means Iowa’s defense is once again the unit that will be leaned on.
In Other News...
Iowa Just Made A Big Ten Statement Wisconsin Fans Wont Forget
In a rivalry that has been going on for generations, Iowa delivered a result that will linger in Madison for a while. The Hawkeyes blanked No. 25 Wisconsin 30-0 in the 100th meeting between the programs, leaning on a sharp outing from quarterback Hank Brown, who threw for 222 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense held the Badgers to 235 total yards.
It was Iowas second straight shutout of Wisconsin, and the win pulled the all-time series even at 49-49-2. For Luke Fickells team, the frustration was obvious after a game in which Wisconsin never found any traction, while Iowa walked away with a statement victory that fit the moment and the history attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Sent Wisconsin Another Message Fans Wont Ignore
Iowas latest meeting with Wisconsin looked a lot like the last few, only more lopsided. The Hawkeyes rolled to a 30-0 win, their fifth straight over the Badgers and their second consecutive shutout, with Hank Brown giving the offense a steadier rhythm by completing 20 of 24 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns. It was the kind of performance that let Iowa control the game on both sides, and it also suggested the coaching adjustments made this week were aimed squarely at keeping the pressure on an opponent that has had trouble solving the Hawkeyes.
Even with the defense smothering Wisconsin again, there were still a few loose ends for Iowa to clean up, especially the fumbles from Xavier Williams. Those mistakes did not change the outcome this time, but they remain the sort of issue that can matter more when the games get tighter. For now, though, Iowa has another emphatic result to point to, and Wisconsin has another reminder that this matchup has become a problem it has not figured out how to fix. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Flipped This Rivalry Back In Its Favor
The 100th meeting between Iowa and Wisconsin had the feel of a hinge game, and the Hawkeyes handled it with the kind of balance that has defined their best wins in this rivalry. Hank Brown was sharp throughout, completing 83% of his passes for 222 yards, while Caden Buhr supplied the kind of steady scoring that can quietly swing a tight Big Ten game by drilling three field goals, including a career-long 54-yarder.
Iowa also leaned on the parts of its identity that travel well in November, forcing two turnovers and getting enough on the ground to stay in control with 140 rushing yards and a touchdown. The result evened the all-time series at 49-49-2, a neat marker for a matchup that has spent decades tilting back and forth, and it leaves the Hawkeyes with a little extra leverage the next time this familiar rivalry comes around. [Read more 🡒]