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College Football Week 2 Odds, Picks & Prediction: Iowa vs. Iowa State (2022)

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Let’s take a look at the College Football Week 2 odds, picks, and predictions for this week’s game: Iowa vs. Iowa State.

And check out our other game previews for Week 2:

Check out Thor Nystrom’s Week 2 College Football Power Rankings >>

College Football Week 2 Odds, Picks & Prediction: Iowa vs. Iowa State

Those who watched Iowa score seven points on two safeties and a field goal in last week’s 7-3 win over South Dakota State would be forgiven for not wanting to invest in the Hawkeyes. But this line is short by any objective measure. It implies these teams are roughly equal in a vacuum, with Iowa only installed as favorites due to the game being played in Kinnick Stadium

But these teams aren’t equal.

Iowa’s offense is horrible. But all the Hawkeyes are asking is that it not turn the ball over, because Iowa has a top-3 national defense/special teams combination.

Just take a look back at last year. Iowa beat Iowa State in Ames 27-17 in a game the Hawkeyes only gained 173 yards of offense. The Hawkes scored 20 points off four forced turnovers. That Iowa State team was better than this one. Over the offseason, the Cyclones lost QB Brock Purdy, RB Breece Hall, TE Charlie Kolar, two OL starters, and eight starters on defense.

Not only that, but ISU didn’t replace the outgoing production with plug-and-play starters from the portal. Per 247Sports, ISU’s transfer crop ranked No. 110 in the nation. Not much could be ascertained about the new cast of characters in ISU’s win over an FCS opponent in the opener. Things won’t be so easy on Saturday.

Iowa’s defense ranked 12th in EPA/rush last season and returned almost everyone in the front-seven. The Hawkeyes also ranked No. 10 in EPA/pass last season despite losing CB Riley Moss to a season-ending injury. Moss is back, now.

Iowa is traditionally money in games with short spreads like this. In its last 16 games with spreads of 3.5-points or less, Iowa is 12-4 ATS. Everyone is concerned about Iowa’s offense. But the bigger question should be: How is Iowa State going to score against this defense?

Bet: Iowa (-3.5)

What is Betting Against the Spread?

Betting “against the spread” refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.

What is an Over/Under Bet?

Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.

What is a Moneyline Bet?

A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.

Prop Bet Analyzer: View top rated props and historical prop performance by player >>

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