Iowa Football vs Iowa State Prediction: It's a Hawkeye State

The Iowa Hawkeyes are looking to fix things in the Cy-Hawk rivalry this year against the Iowa State Cyclones, and the chance to do so in 2026 is better than it has been in some time.

With kickoff coming under the lights in Kinnick Stadium, the place will be buzzing with electricity as Iowa tries to move to 2-0 on the year.

Iowa State, which went through a complete overhaul this offseason, is coming to Iowa City with absolutely nothing to lose and is playing on house money, trying to pull off the upset.

Iowa vs Iowa State betting odds, spread, total

Spread: Iowa -14
Money Line: Iowa -600, Iowa State +440
Total: 41.5 total points

Iowa was a 12.5-point favorite, moved to a 14.5-point favorite, and has now settled in as an even two-touchdown favorite. It's a large spread for a rivalry game that has seen eight of the last 10 matchups decided by 10 or fewer points.

Odds are courtesy of DraftKings

How to watch Iowa vs Iowa State, time, TV channel, streaming

Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
TV Channel: NBC
Streaming: Peacock

The Cy-Hawk returns to Iowa City this year, but with a very fun change to it. This year's game is set to be played in primetime on national television with the sun setting. The atmosphere is going to be everything that makes college football so special.

Riley Donald's Iowa vs Iowa State Prediction

Prediction: Iowa 30, Iowa State 13

Iowa learned a cautionary tale in 2024 when they hosted Iowa State. The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 13-0 lead at halftime and felt in control. Then, they got cute. They turned the ball over. They cracked the door open for Iowa State to steal it from them.

This year has a similar feel. Iowa is built similarly, with a strong ground game that will see a lot of work through all four quarters, while trusting the defense.

My gut tells me this game is somewhat close at halftime. I like Iowa to take a lead into the break, such as 13-7 or similar, and feel confident but not satisfied.

The second half is where Iowa gets going. The ground game starts working better and better as the game wears on. Iowa forces Iowa State into some passing situations by getting up two scores, and then the avalanche starts with an interception by Iowa to set Kinnick on fire down the stretch.

The Cy-Hawk comes back to Iowa City and reminds everyone that Iowa is a Hawkeye State.

Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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