After entering the season as the 25th-ranked team in the country, Iowa moved up to 21st in AP rankings following its opening-week 40-0 statement victory over Illinois State. The Hawkeyes remained home for the second consecutive week against cross-state rival Iowa State.
The line closed with Iowa as 2.5-point favorites and -154 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Cyclones were +120 on the moneyline as underdogs and the game’s total was set at 36.5.
The Hawkeyes looked to be establishing their usual impact on the defensive side of the ball early on in the game. They were able to control the pace of play and physically imposed themselves on the Cyclones.
Iowa took a 13-0 lead into halftime looking to be in a good spot. Kaleb Johnson broke things open with a 27-yard touchdown in the opening quarter. He was the biggest bright spot on this Iowa offense, finishing the game with 187 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. The Hawkeyes also left some points on the board. They struggled to finish drives in the red zone and also went for a two-point conversion in the third quarter when they did not need to.
Momentum changed for both teams in the second half.
After producing 196 total yards of offense in the first half, the Hawkeyes were held to just 88 rushing yards and 19 passing yards in the second half. They were held to just one touchdown and were unable to get the two-point conversion.
Iowa State gradually scratched away to put itself in a position to win. It opened the second half scoring with a three-year passing touchdown from Rocco Becht to Jayden Higgins. Later in the third, Jaylin Noel broke free for a 75-yard touchdown in the most explosive play of the game.
The Cyclones held the Hawkeys completely scoreless in the fourth quarter. They also produced 260 yards of second-half offense themselves after just 101 total in the first half. Iowa State connected on a field goal early on in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to a two-point game.
The Iowa State kicker proved to be the MVP of the matchup. Trailing by two points, the Cyclones set up Kyle Konrardy with a 54-year attempt. In his second career game at Iowa State, Konrardy’s kick sailed through the uprights with just six seconds remaining giving his team the victory.
This loss drops Iowa to 1-1 on the year and likely out of the top 25 rankings. While the defense shined for most of the matchup, the Hawkeyes continue to be tripped up by the offensive struggles that they face on a yearly basis.
Headling this was the production of quarterback Cade McNamara in this matchup. The fifth-year senior, who is in his second season at Iowa, completed just 13 of his 29 passes for 99 yards and two interceptions. If it had not been for the explosion of production from Kaleb Johnson on the ground, Iowa may not have been in a position to win the game at all.
Iowa entered the season with +600 odds to qualify for the expanded college football playoff format on DraftKings Sportsbook. This door cannot be fully shut as there is still plenty of football left to be played, but this was an opportunity to stack up a quality win against a cross-state opponent.
Iowa will look to pick up the pieces and produce a victory next week where it will face Troy. On the other side of things, Iowa State will look to remain undefeated next week in its matchup against Arkansas State.
Place your bets at DraftKings SportsBook or by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
