Come Friday night, the eyes of the college football world will descend on Piscataway, New Jersey, as the Iowa Hawkeyes and Rutgers Scarlet Knights get things underway in Big Ten action.
Iowa, a slight favorite in this matchup, takes on an undefeated Rutgers squad that is playing a confident brand of football on offense that has people asking if this is the same old Rutgers. That question gets answered when they meet the Hawkeyes’ defense, which has been playing at an elite level.
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So, when push comes to shove as far as who to predict to win this game or what to bet on, ESPN has one bet from this game as one of its best bets to make during Week 4.
Iowa at Rutgers
Bet to make: UNDER 45.5
Rutgers has put up flashy passing numbers through three weeks, but I don’t buy that their air attack is truly a tier above what Iowa State showed.
The Cyclones threw it 27 times against Iowa and came away with just 134 yards on 5 yards per attempt. That is the kind of suffocating drag Iowa’s defense creates.
The Hawkeyes are built on a top-10 PFF pass rush grade, generating enough pressure to collapse pockets, force quarterbacks into short throws and take away explosives. That style matches perfectly against a Rutgers offense that has thrived on efficiency and rhythm. Add in Iowa’s red zone defense, where opponents have only five trips all season and three total touchdowns, and it is hard to picture Rutgers lighting up the scoreboard the way they did against Norfolk State or Miami (OH). – Pamela Maldonado, ESPN
The under in this one makes sense with how Iowa’s defense is playing. Also, it is not necessarily a fault of the Hawkeyes’ offense that this may be low scoring, but a product of the game plan they may bring against Rutgers.
Iowa runs the ball really well, and Rutgers does not defend the ground game with much success. If Iowa can get things churning on the ground, they will be glad to keep the clock running.
And okay, maybe I was wrong. Entering the season I was excited about the potential of the Hawkeyes having a new and improved offense. It is what it is, a heavy ground game, over 44 rushing attempts per contest, chewing up clock and leaning on field position. Typical.
That approach limits possessions, slows pace and makes every touchdown feel like a grind. Rutgers’ run defense has not been great, but Iowa is not suddenly scoring 30 points in a Big Ten road game.
The formula is straightforward. Iowa’s pass rush shrinks Rutgers’ passing game, Iowa’s defense holds inside the 20 and Iowa’s offense drains the clock on the ground. This one feels like a rock fight in a phone booth. Punt intended. – Pamela Maldonado, ESPN
Kickoff for this Big Ten matchup is set for Friday, September 19, at 7 p.m. CT from SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. The game is set to air on FOX.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football vs. Rutgers among ESPN’s best bets to make in Week 4
