It is game day in Iowa City once again!
After a 40-0 dismantling of the Northern Illinois Huskies in week one, the Hawkeyes are poised to step up their level of competition as they host in-state rivals Iowa State. The Cyclones come to town 1-0 after they handled Southeast Missouri State in their opener a week ago.
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It’s difficult to take much from either opening game given the level of competition, but both seemed to look better than expected. For Iowa, the offense is as dynamic and explosive as we’ve seen in probably a decade while the defense seems to have reloaded rather than rebuilding.
For the Cyclones, first year head coach Jimmy Rogers appears to have instilled his culture early in Ames. Iowa State held the Redhawks to just 209 yards of total offense in their opener while forcing three turnovers en route to a 38-10 win. Notably, they gave up just 67 yards on the ground – 1.5 yards per carry.
That will be key for tonight’s matchup. As we all know, the Hawkeyes will be looking to establish the run and one of the key takeaways from week one seemed to be the dominance of Iowa’s offensive line. It will be strength on strength there with the Cyclones seeming formidable up front in their new 4-2-5 defense.
On the other side of the ball, Iowa State didn’t light the world on fire, but they did show some colors. Quarterback Jaylen Raynor completed just 50% of his passes, but the Cyclones threw for nearly 200 yards thanks to five completions of more than 20 yards to three different receivers. Iowa State appears content to grind things to a rock fight and take their shots through the air. If Raynor can connect on those, this game will be a nail-biter. If the ball Hawks can turn those deep shots into turnovers, Iowa should be in a good spot.
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The folks in Vegas have been quite confident in an easy Iowa win dating back to the line opening last spring. That seems natural given the turnover in Ames.
But like the staff here at The Pants, the betting public has waivered a bit on this one with the line moving up from 12.5 in the preseason to 14.5 early in the week, and finally back down to 13.5 as of this morning.
The Hawkeyes are 10-2 all-time in this series when favored by at least 13.5, but they’re just 7-5 against the spread so this one could be another squeaker.
As we countdown to kickoff, here’s everything you need to know about today’s matchup.
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Date: Saturday, September 12th
Time: 6:30 pm CT
Matchup: Iowa State Cyclones (1-0, 0-0) at #22 Iowa Hawkeyes (1-0, 0-0)
Location: Kinnick Stadium – Iowa City, IA
TV: NBC
Updated Weather Forecast: sunny with temps in the upper 70s
Updated FanDuel Line: Iowa -13.5, O/U 40.5
If you’re planning on heading to Iowa City today, be aware of the shifting forecast we’ve seen of late in terms of potential for rain. As of this morning, it looks like the chances of precipitation are going to decline throughout the day and we should have clear skies by the evening kick. However, if you’re planning to do some tailgating (*best Kevin McAllister at the Plaza Hotel counter voice* we all do!) it’s probably worth being prepared for some stray showers.
