Iowa Hawkeyes vs Washington Huskies Prediction: Season Success Hangs in the Balance

Iowa, can you bounce back and prove you want to be serious about making a run to your first College Football Playoff trip? This is the moment when push comes to shove, and you have to prove something to yourself, the college football world, and the College Football Playoff committee.

A short week road trip to Washington is anything but easy, but if the Iowa Hawkeyes can find a way to fly back to Iowa City at 5-1 heading into a bye week, it's time for some serious conversations.

Iowa vs Washington betting odds, spread, total

Spread: Washington -3 (-115), Iowa +3 (-105)
Money Line: Washington -166, Iowa +140
Total: Over 41.5 (-105), Under 41.5 (-115)

This raised my eyebrows when looking at it. Iowa is a 4-1 team against a 3-2 Washington team, which has dropped two straight games. But it makes a bit of sense.

The travel and short week for the Hawkeyes can't be ignored. The Huskies get the home-field bump from Vegas as a three-point favorite.

Odds are courtesy of DraftKings

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

Time: 8 p.m. CT
Location: Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington
TV Channel: FOX or FS1 (pending MLB playoff results)
Streaming: FOX Sports App

After back-to-back weeks commanding the national slot on CBS on Saturday afternoons, the Iowa Hawkeyes once again land in a nationally televised game against Washington that is set to air on one of the FOX networks for a Friday night kickoff.

Riley Donald's Iowa vs Washington Prediction

Prediction: Iowa 23, Washington 21

This game is essentially like watching a cornered snake try to fight back against a hungry and fearless cat. Iowa is yearning to get to 5-1, while Washington is desperate to avoid falling to 3-3. It's two dangerous teams, both knowing what's at stake.

So, what decides this game? First, it's Washington's run game versus Iowa's run defense. The Huskies have been poor at running the ball, while Iowa has been elite at stopping it. That's the first matchup Iowa has to win; otherwise, it's going to be a long day against Demond Williams Jr.

The second matchup for Iowa comes on third downs. Washington seemingly can't convert third downs. Get off the field, force the Huskies' defense to wear down over four quarters, and play classic Iowa football, where the run game gets lathered up in the second half.

I've seen this movie before. Kirk Ferentz has a way of motivating his team when it needs it. This is one of those moments. On the road in a hostile environment, Iowa answers the bell this time around, resurrecting some demons from 2025 when College Football Playoff hopes hung in the balance.

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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