Nick Saban Breaks Down Key Matchup in Oregon vs. Iowa

Ahead of the No. 9 Oregon Ducks' road matchup with No. 20 Iowa, the Hawkeyes have become a popular upset pick. Legendary college football coach turned ESPN analyst Nick Saban gave his opinion on the Big Ten matchup during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Friday.

"I watched Oregon play earlier, and they have some fantastic skill guys, great quarterback. But when they’ve not been able to win on the line of scrimmage and when they’ve not been able to run the ball and have balance, they’ve struggled a little bit," said Saban. "And I think that’s what they’re looking at at Iowa. Because Iowa’s going to be a physical team. They’re like second to Ohio State in total defense or whatever it is."

"So, they’re going to make it tough on them to run and try to make them one-dimensional, and you know that could be a problem. But Oregon does have great skill guys, and if Iowa can’t match up with those skill guys, there are going to be a lot of big plays. But the other thing Iowa’s going to try to do is shrink the game by keeping the ball, which is the way they play. Keep the ball on offense, limit the number of possessions the other team has, run the ball, play good defense," Saban continued.

Nick Saban Oregon Ducks Iowa Hawkeyes Dan Lanning Dante Moore physical defense game prediction Big Ten playoff pat mcafee — Oct. 4, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Pat McAfee takes a cell phone video of former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, now a co-host of the ESPN College GameDay show, as he comes on set on location on the Quad at the University of Alabama before the Alabama versus Vanderbilt game. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oregon's Offense vs. Iowa's Defense

As Saban notes, Iowa is ranked No. 3 in total defense and No. 4 scoring defense, allowing an average of 13.1 points per game. Oregon's defense ranks one spot behind the Hawkeyes in total defense as Iowa's unit surrenders 234.9 yards per game.

In the Ducks' only loss of the season, Indiana's defense held Oregon to 81 rushing yards and had success in pressuring Ducks quarterback Dante Moore. Moore finished the game with 186 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

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The only other game in the season in which Oregon scored under 30 points was against Wisconsin in a rainy Auzten stadium. With weather forecasts looking equally stormy for the Iowa game, what will the Ducks offense look like against the Hawkeyes? Against the Badgers, Oregon relied on freshman running back Jordon Davison, who finished the game with 102 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

In the win over Wisconsin, the Ducks totaled 203 rushing yards compared to 132 yards through the air. Oregon has proven they can win in different fashions, but the Ducks have yet to face an elite defense the likes of Iowa.

Oregon vs. Iowa Betting Odds

While Saban didn't reveal his pick for the Oregon vs. Iowa matchup, DraftKings Sportsbook has the Ducks favored by 6.5 points over the Hawkeyes. The points total is currently set at 41.5 points.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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