Colorado State Rams vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Odds & Game Pick (2021)
Iowa has been one of the most impressive teams to start the 2021 season. They destroyed then-ranked Indiana 34-6 in their opener. The Hawkeyes then beat rival Iowa State 27-17. Iowa kept their winning ways with a 30-7 win over Kent State last week. The Hawkeyes are a perfect 3-0 while ranking sixth in the latest AP poll. Even more important to bettors, Iowa is a perfect 3-0 against the spread as well.
Colorado State’s season hasn’t been as straightforward up to this point. The Rams suffered a bad 42-23 home loss to FCS South Dakota State in Week 1. They dropped another home matchup to Vanderbilt 24-21 in Week 2. However, Colorado State pulled off an impressive 22-6 upset at Toledo last Saturday. The Rams were listed as 14.5 point underdogs heading into that matchup against a Toledo team that took Notre Dame down to the wire. That begs the question: are the Rams trending up, or was last week’s upset a blip on the radar?
Let’s cover all the betting angles of this Saturday afternoon showdown.
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Details
- Opening Line: Iowa -22.5
- Over/Under: 44.5
- Location: Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa
- Kickoff: 3:30 ET
Overview
As mentioned earlier, Iowa is 3-0 against the spread. The Hawkeyes have also hit the under in all three games this season. Their solid defense is to thank, as Iowa has only allowed 10 points per game. There’s a good chance Colorado State doesn’t reach that threshold in this mismatch, hence why the total is so low (44.5) despite Iowa being favored by 23 points.
What can Colorado State do to hang within the number against Iowa? Well, they’ll have to slow down the Hawkeyes’ rushing attack for starters. That seems unlikely, especially considering that Colorado State let South Dakota State run for a combined 245 yards and four touchdowns on 35 carries. That’s 7.42 yards per carry, folks! At the time of writing this, Iowa RB Tyler Goodson does not have a rushing yard prop. I’m guessing it will be north of 100 yards. Goodson ran for a career-high 153 yards last week vs. Kent State, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he topped that total on Saturday.
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Trends
- Colorado State is 1-2 ATS & SU this season.
- Colorado State is 1-2 to the OVER this season.
- Iowa is 3-0 ATS & SU this season.
- Iowa is 3-0 to the UNDER this season.
Bottom Line
Colorado State looked good last week, especially on the defensive side of the ball. You have to give them that. However, playing a talented and focused Iowa team on the road is a tall task. The Hawkeyes have a massive line of scrimmage advantage to wear the Rams down.
Perhaps Colorado State has a little bit of momentum on their side, and the Hawkeyes are feeling proud of themselves with a top ten ranking. That’s the only angle I see where the Rams can cover this number. However, Iowa is a disciplined team that can run the ball and stop the run. Those teams tend to steamroll lesser talent.
The Pick: Iowa -23
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