Iowa vs. Nebraska Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 13
By Jovan Alford
The No. 16-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes clinched the Big West title and their spot in the Big Ten championship game last week with a two-point win over Illinois.
The Hawkeyes will try to get to 10 wins and keep Nebraska out of a bowl game as these two Big Ten teams face off in Lincoln, NE, on Friday afternoon. Matt Rhule’s first season at Nebraska has been better than the Scott Frost era, but the Cornhuskers would love to go bowling.
Nebraska hasn’t been to a bowl game since 2016 when Mike Riley was on the sidelines at Memorial Stadium. It will be interesting to see what Iowa team shows up on Friday, especially since they have everything locked up.
Here are the odds and our best bet for Iowa vs. Nebraska:
Iowa vs. Nebraska Odds, Spread and Total
Nebraska vs. Iowa Betting Trends
- Iowa is 5-5-1 against the spread (ATS) this season
- The UNDER is 5-0 in Iowa’s last five road games
- Nebraska is 2-4 ATS at home this season
- The Cornhuskers are 0-5 straight up in their last five home games against Iowa
Iowa vs. Nebraska How to Watch
- Date: Friday, Nov. 24
- Game Time: noon EST
- Venue: Memorial Stadium
- How to Watch (TV): CBS
- Iowa Record: 9-2
- Nebraska Record: 5-6
Iowa vs. Nebraska Key Players to Watch
Iowa
Deacon Hill: Hill took over as Iowa’s starting quarterback in October after Cade McNamara tore his ACL. Hill struggled to complete 50% of his passes in his first four starts, but the Hawkeyes found a way to go 3-1.
The 6-foot-3 QB has played better in the last two games against Rutgers and Illinois, completing 65% of his passes for 390 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Hill nor the Hawkeyes play an exciting brand of offense, but it’s been good enough to help them win the Big Ten West division.
Nebraska
Chubba Purdy: Purdy could end up starting on Friday as the Cornhuskers try to make it back to a bowl game for the first time since 2016. The younger brother of San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy played well in Nebraska’s 24-17 loss last week to Wisconsin.
Purdy completed 15-of-24 passes for 169 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He also had a team-high 105 rushing yards and a touchdown. Purdy stepped in for Heinrich Haarbarg, who suffered an ankle injury on Nov. 11 against Maryland. Haarbarg was listed as questionable for last week’s game but ultimately did not play. Whoever head coach Matt Rhule decides to start will face one of the best-scoring defenses in the country on Friday.
If you want to bet on this Big Ten West battle, check out Caesars Sportsbook by opting in through the link below! All new users will get their first bet up to $1,000 when they sign up!
Iowa vs. Nebraska Prediction and Pick
The Cornhuskers opened up as one-point favorites, but now the line has moved to 2.5 in favor of Nebraska. This game means more to Nebraska, who needs one more win to become bowl-eligible.
The Hawkeyes want to get out of this game healthy, as they will play the winner of Ohio State/ Michigan in the Big Ten championship game. A lot of bettors are paying attention to the total in this game, which opened at 27.5 but dropped to 26.5.
The total has gone under in six straight games for Iowa, while the under is 3-4 for Nebraska this season. Based on these two low-scoring offenses and Iowa’s defense (12.3 ppg allowed), I’ll take the chance on the under. It’s not a pretty play, but I could see a 13-10 game on Friday night.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change