Hawkeyes vs Spartans NCAA Football Spread/Handicapping
This is not a very good Iowa team but they are one of just two teams in the Big Ten Legends division that has yet to lose a conference game (1-0).
Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2) vs Michigan State Spartans (4-2)
Saturday October 13
Spartan Stadium – East Lansing, MI
12:00PM
Moneyline: Michigan State -350, Iowa +290 at Sportsbook.ag
Spread: Michigan State -9.5
O/U: 41
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Iowa
The Hawkeyes went 1-1 against the MAC in September so the odds of them holding that position after this weekend are slim.
They are catching the Spartans at a point where their confidence might be low while their own might be good having won 4 of the last 6 in the series matchup and covered in 8 of the last 10.
Iowa had last week off so maybe they have found some ways to overcome the inconsistency they have shown through 5 games. The most obvious place to look is at senior QB James Vandenberg.
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Yes it has been well documented the lack of depth at running back but Vandenberg has just two TD throws this season.
Against the imposing squad was Howard he still couldn’t get his team into the end zone via the pass.
Iowa struggles to score and Michigan State has one of the better defenses in the nation. That doesn’t sound like an upset formula for a road team. The only way to get comfortable on the Iowa side is if you think they are going to backdoor this one.
I don’t see a close game in the traditional sense.
Michigan State
The Spartans went from dark horse Big 10 challenger to alsoran in a heartbeat but that is what losing to your chief rivals will do. They barely eeked out a win last week against the league’s worst team @ Indiana which has pundits scratching their heads about this squad. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
They are good size favourites at home this weekend and should win easily but it is also possible they are looking ahead to a visit to the Big House next weekend.
That defense has answered the call this year, giving up more than 20 points just twice so far. Unfortunately the offense has been too sporadic. New QB Andrew Maxwell has struggled to continue the level of play established by Kirk Cousins last year leaving big bruising back Leveon Bell to carry too much of the load.
He has carried the rock an amazing 171 times already this season and might be prone to tire down the stretch.
It make me nervous to put two scores down on MSU. They are an even 100th in the nation in scoring averaging a paltry 20ppg.
I am no math major but that would mean they have to hold the Hawkeyes to just 10 points – a possibility but maybe a little too stingy to bank on.
I think you will probably find better value in other places.
Spread Pick: Iowa +9.5
O/U Pick: Over
Score Prediction: Michigan State 27 – Iowa 19
