All eyes are on the state of Iowa today as the two flagship teams meet. Not only are both No. 10 Iowa and No 9 Iowa State ranked, but both are in the AP Top 10, marking the first time both have been ranked for the rivalry game. Kickoff at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames is set for 4:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised on ABC.
The Cy-Hawk rivalry has been dominated by Iowa, especially lately as they are 4-0 against Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell. All-time Iowa leads 45-22, and they haven’t lost in Ames since 2011, going 5-1 in their last six trips. The teams didn’t meet last season, and Iowa won in Ames 18-17 in 2019.
Run Game Key for Iowa
As it usually is under Kirk Ferentz, the Iowa game is all about the run on both sides of the ball. In dominating ranked Indiana last week, Iowa held the Hoosiers to 3.6 yards per play and just 2.5 yards per rush.
Riley Moss led the Iowa defense against Indiana as he returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the 34-6 win. They totaled three interceptions in the win and will look to harass Brock Purdy all day long.
On offense, the Hawkeyes accounted for 158 rushing yards against Indiana. Tyler Goodson ran for 99 yards and a touchdown in the opener. Last year he had 762 yards with seven scores and was an all Big-Ten performer.
Quarterback Spencer Petras didn’t have a great day against Indiana, but he also wasn’t called on the way the defense was playing. He will likely need to be better on Saturday than 13-for-27 for 145 yards. Last season he completed 57 percent of his passes for 1,569 yards with nine scores and five interceptions.
Iowa State Hopes to Get Rolling
The Cyclones offense wasn’t exactly in sync against FCS Northern Iowa last week. Iowa State had to hold on for a 16-10 win. The game was tied 10-10 at half before ISU got a pair of field goals and interceptions in the second half.
Purdy completed 21-of-26 passes but totaled just 199 yards. Last season he threw for 2,750 yards with 19 touchdowns, and he had 27 touchdowns with 3,982 yards in 2019. Overall, Purdy has accounted for 9,181 passing yards and 62 touchdowns as a four-year starter.
Breece Hall ran 23 times against UNI for 69 yards and a touchdown. Those numbers are a far cry from the 5.6 yards per carry he racked up last season while leading the nation at 1,572 yards. He also ran for 21 touchdowns as a sophomore, with nine more as a freshman in 2019.
Campbell hasn’t solved Iowa yet, but they have closed the gap. His first game against the Hawkeyes was a 42-3 loss, while the most recent was 18-17. For this to be a special year in Ames, they have to pull off the win on Saturday.
Betting Analysis
- Iowa State -4.5 (-110) | -200 ML
- Iowa +4.5 (-110) | +170 ML
- Total: 46. Over -110, Under -110
Iowa State had this game in the bag in 2019 before a muffed punt gave Iowa the one-point win. They need to avoid similar mistakes today and take care of the ball against an opportunistic defense. Points will likely be at a premium, with the run game dictating the pace on both sides.
FREE PICK: Under 46 (-110)
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