Indiana Vs. Iowa Betting Odds, Picks, & Predictions (9/4/21)
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Indiana Vs. Iowa Betting Odds
Indiana vs. Iowa betting odds are giving Iowa an edge in this one. This matchup features the return of star quarterback and potential Davey O’Brien finalist Michael Penix Jr. Michael went down with an ACL injury last November against Maryland and has not played since that game.
Additionally, Indiana returns most of its offensive and defensive starters, including Ty Fryfogle, Micah McFadden, and Tiawan Mullen.
Iowa returns many of its players from last year’s squad. Included in that list are quarterback Spencer Petras, running back Tyler Goodson, and tight-end Sam LaPorta. In short, the Hawkeyes are returning a ton of significant pieces from their previous season.
However, they will be missing their top two receivers Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith. Iowa hopes that Tyrone Tracy Jr. can fix these potential issues and catapult the Hawkeyes into an offensive and defensive threat.
This game will be huge for both teams, despite one team being in the Big Ten East and the other in the Big Ten West. Any chance for an undefeated season, or a College Football Playoff berth, starts in the first game. And both of these teams have quite the challenge to start.
Check out the rest of the Week 1 College Football Odds.
Iowa Hawkeyes Odds:
2020 Record: 6-2
This year, one of the big questions surrounding the Hawkeyes is how their starting quarterback Spencer Petras will play. Petras had some accuracy issues last year, especially on seemingly simple throws, but he seems to have winning DNA overall. After an 0-2 start to Iowa’s season, Petras helped the Hawkeyes rattle off six straight wins.
Petras will have to step up and be more efficient, though, because they will be missing their top two receivers in Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Brandon Smith. This could potentially complicate things for an offense that already has had problems getting first downs.
Iowa had a top-ten defense last year, which was even more impressive considering the conference it belongs to. Running backs struggled mightily last year and will continue to this year, but perhaps not to the same level since two of its top defensive linemen are gone.
The Hawkeyes lost linebacker Nick Niemann, defensive end Chauncey Golston, and defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon. Niemann led the team in tackles, and Nixon was a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft. Hopefully, these massive gaps will fill these gigantic gaps, but only time will tell.
Indiana Hoosiers Odds:
2020 Record: 6-2
Indiana had a historic season last year for its program. The Hoosiers went 6-2, with their only two losses coming against No. 3 Ohio State on the road by 35-42 and Ole Miss in the Outback Bowl. Indiana lost its elite quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., to an ACL tear in late November against Maryland; however, he is back and in full health for the beginning of this year.
Penix Jr. was injured the game after an explosive outing against OSU, which saw him throwing for 491 yards and five touchdowns. The Ole Miss game was somewhat of an outlier for the Hoosiers last year. They had proven tough and consistent week-in and week-out but got brutalized by the Rebels.
This year can prove to be the same for the Hoosiers, with the added benefit of a few huge transfers and even more experience. As mentioned, Penix Jr. is back, but they also return most players on offense and defense.
The Hoosiers will lose Stevie Scott, although their running game has been weak for quite a while. Instead, they bring in transfer Stephen Carr, who coaches have been raving about throughout this month.
Prediction & Pick – Indiana Moneyline
I like the Hoosiers Moneyline here. Indiana lost one game while Penix Jr. was on the field, which was to the elite Ohio State Buckeyes. They return most of their starters, including wide receiver Ty Fryfogle, linebacker Micah McFadden, and cornerback Tiawan Mullen. Offensively, the Hoosiers lost Stevie Scott and Whop Philyor. Star running back Stephen Carr will replace Scott, and all signs point to a significant improvement in the running game.
While Philyor will be a little tougher to replace, the Hoosiers have done all the right things in the off-season by bringing in D.J. Matthews to fill the slot. They also return Miles Marshall, who should play opposite Fryfogle.
Indiana’s receiving core will be amongst the best in the Big Ten, outside of Ohio State, and with a much-improved running game and the return of Penix Jr., it will be hard for the Hawkeyes to keep the Hoosiers out of the end-zone.
Indiana could struggle with Iowa’s running game, especially with elite running back Tyler Goodson set to return. We can expect a relatively low-scoring game, with Indiana squeaking out a win because of a slightly superior offense.
