Iowa Opens as Underdogs in Biggest Game of Their Season

It's no easy task taking on the No. 6 team in the nation, but the Iowa Hawkeyes know Oregon is the only obstacle in their way. They hung in there with No. 11 Indiana a month ago, a game they lost by just five points due to quarterback Mark Gronowski going down with an injury.

In Week 2, they fell to No. 16 Iowa State, 16-13. Iowa has only two losses this season, both of them being by one-score to a ranked team. Heading into a monumental matchup at Kinnick Stadium on November 8, Oregon comes in as the favorite.

Iowa Opens as 6.5 Point Underdogs

Iowa is a 6.5 point underdog against Oregon per FanDuel.

O/U set at 42.5
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) October 29, 2025

It's not often that the visiting team is the favorite at Kinnick, but there's no denying just how talented the Ducks are. Head coach Dan Lanning has built an absolute dynasty that Iowa will have a hard time competing with. There are plenty of scenarios where Iowa leaves with the win, but it's going to be an uphill battle, to say the least.

The over/under is set at 42.5, a number that favors the Hawkeyes. These teams have two of the best defenses in all of college football, but Iowa's has a slight edge. There's no denying that Oregon has the better offense, but head coach Kirk Ferentz knows that his defense can compete with the best of them.

On September 30, Iowa's defense held Heisman candidate Fernando Mendoza to 13/23 for 233 yards. Not only that, but he threw his first interception of the season against the Hawkeyes. There's something different about playing at Kinnick Stadium, and that's something Oregon will find out the hard way.

Iowa Hasn't Lost by More Than 7 Points Since October 19, 2024

For those interested, @FDSportsbook has Oregon as a 6.5 point favorite over Iowa with a rock fight over/under of 42.5 points pic.twitter.com/U8gkdIYafl
— Paul (@TheCorpatty) October 29, 2025

By the time Oregon comes to town, it'll have been well over a full-year since the last time Iowa lost by more than a touchdown. Their worst loss in recent memory was a 12 point defeat to Michigan State on October 19, 2024.

Other than that, three of their four losses have been by exactly three points. If it weren't for a silly safety as time expired against Indiana, that loss would've also been by three points.

If there's one thing that's been common for Iowa this season, it's either they win big or lose close. It's incredibly hard to imagine a scenario where they run through Oregon and win in convincing fashion, but never say never. The Ducks entering as 6.5 point favorites is completely justified, but being only a one-score favorite against an unranked team shows just how dangerous Iowa can be.

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