Iowa Football vs Northern Prediction: New Faces Steal the Day for the Hawkeyes

The hard part of the nonconference slate is out of the way. The Iowa Hawkeyes solved the puzzle against Iowa State this year, and now have a chance to stay unblemished in nonconference action.

Up next for Iowa is a third consecutive home game, as the University of Northern Iowa Panthers are coming to Kinnick Stadium to keep the trend of in-state foes going for another week.

As kickoff looms, it's time to dig into a prediction of how this game will go and what it will look like on Saturday.

Iowa vs Northern Iowa betting odds, spread, total

Spread: Iowa -40.5
Money Line: n/a
Total: 49.5 total points

This is one of the largest spreads I have seen in some time for an Iowa game. It's held around the 40-point mark since the odds were released. It's a large spread for a team like Iowa, which doesn't score 40 all that often based on its style of play and tempo.

Odds are courtesy of DraftKings

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

Time: 3:00 p.m. CT
Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
TV Channel: FS1
Streaming: FOX Sports App

Iowa's final nonconference game should be a fun one for fans to turn out to and tailgate, with a mid-afternoon kickoff setting the stage for a beautiful college football Saturday in Iowa City.

Riley Donald's Iowa vs Northern Iowa Prediction

Prediction: Iowa 41, Northern Iowa 3

Iowa is going to have to get up for this game. It's an emotional valley after all of the intensity and focus that went into beating Iowa State. It just is. That's not a knock on Northern Iowa, but not every game is as intense as others on a college football schedule.

I do predict a slow start for Iowa, with possibly even a few punts to start the game, which will be met with plenty of groans from Kinnick Stadium. The defense will do its job, though, not allowing things to get weird.

As this game goes on, the offense wakes up and gets things going. That means the offensive line gets sustained push, while Iowa starts completing some chunk plays in the passing game, and things start coming easier.

Iowa uses a big second quarter to put this one away with some big plays and good-looking drives to build confidence before entering the half with a comfortable lead. Look for the Hawkeyes to get guys out of this one early to rest them, while also getting valuable reps for young guys.

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.

Add us as a preferred source on Google