Iowa vs Northwestern prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, November 6
Iowa vs Northwestern How To Watch
Date: Saturday, November 6
Game Time: 7:00 ET
Venue: Ryan Field, Evanston, IL
How To Watch: BTN
Record: Iowa (6-2), Northwestern (3-5)
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Iowa vs Northwestern Game Preview
Why Iowa Will Win
Finally, an offense that’s more to Iowa’s liking.
The Hawkeyes might be having issues, but Northwestern’s defense has gone to another level of mediocre.
It had a moment against Rutgers, and it was good early on against the bad teams – and put up a bunch of meaningless yards in the second half against Northwestern – but it fell off a cliff over the last month.
It all bottomed out last week with just 98 passing yards in a 41-14 loss to Minnesota. Now it gets an Iowa team that’s desperate to do something positive.
It’s going to start with something simple – running the ball.
The Iowa offensive line has been lousy, but it’s about to eat. Northwestern has allowed close to 300 rushing yards in three of the last four games.
Finally, it’s time for the Hawkeyes to line up and blast away and be … Iowa.
However …
– College Football Expert Picks, CFN Week 10
Why Northwestern Will Win
Iowa really, really, really can’t run.
It’s not for a lack of trying, and it’s not like it doesn’t have talented backs to work with, but this thing just isn’t working.
The Hawkeyes are averaging fewer than three yards per carry and haven’t hit the 160-yard mark in any game but easy win over a miserable Kent State defense.
This is a good Iowa team with a great defense, but it needs to be more than that.
Northwestern can’t keep up any sort of a pace with its mediocre offense, but Iowa dead last in the Big Ten in total offense, dead last in yards per play, and it hasn’t shown much hope to bust out of the funk.
So why was Iowa ever thought to be good enough to be the No. 2 team in the country?
– NFL Expert Picks, CFN Week 9
What’s Going To Happen
Takeaways, and oh dear heavens does the Iowa defense need to start coming up with them again.
Iowa was +15 in turnover margin and was 6-0 as the second-best team in the country.
Four turnovers against Purdue and three more against Wisconsin later, and the Hawkeyes lost their last two games by a combined score of 51-14.
Get a few early scores, stuff the run, make Northwestern have to push a little more than it has over the last few blowout losses, and let the D do the work.
This is when Iowa will look like it’s supposed to, even if none of this is pretty.
– College Football Schedule: Week 10 Predictions, Lines
Iowa vs Northwestern Prediction, Lines
Iowa 31, Northwestern 13
Line: Iowa -12, o/u: 40.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Must See Rating: 2.5
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