The Troy Trojans (0-2) aim for their first win of the season against the Iowa Hawkeyes (1-1) on Saturday, September 14 at 4:00 PM ET at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes are expected to perform well, favored with a point spread of -22.0 (-110).
The Trojans had a lot of trouble defending the Memphis Tigers in their latest defeat. They were down 21-7 at the half before losing 38-17. The most significant deficit was at 31-7 in the third before the Trojans made it somewhat respectable.
Matthew Caldwell completed 11 out of 19 passes, which amounted to 113 yards. The run game was nonexistent, as Damien Taylor ran for 33 yards on seven carries. In other words, the team needed a solid passing performance since that is their best effort forward.
The Trojans gained 251 yards and 17 first downs but also had a turnover. They allowed the Tigers to gain 372 yards and 25 first downs. Despite having slightly more possession of the ball, they were unable to make use of their time.
Their offense has been averaging 21.5 points per game and giving up 33.0 points in return to opposing teams. This ratio already puts them at a disadvantage heading into this matchup.
The Hawkeyes were kicked out of the top 25 with a recent 20-19 loss to the Iowa State Cyclones. The Hawkeyes had a 13-0 lead at the half before slipping up and allowing the Cyclones to go on a 14-6 run in the third. The Cyclones would close it out with a 54-yard field goal with six seconds remaining.
Cade McNamara had some issues throughout this game, completing just 13 of his 29 passes for 99 yards and throwing two interceptions. With poor quarterback play, they heavily relied on Kaleb Johnson, who had 25 carries for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
The teams were nearly identical on total yards, turnovers, first downs, and possessions. However, the biggest factor was the quarterback position and the Hawkeyes' lack of a concrete passing game.
They put up 40 points and completely shut out the Illinois State Redbirds in their first battle. They have shown they can move the ball down the field productively with their quarterback but need to get back on track.
MyBookie has you covered for the Troy Trojans vs. Iowa Hawkeyes showdown. Current betting odds show that the Hawkeyes are 22-point favorites to get it done. Looking at market insights, the Hawkeyes have an 84.0 percent chance of winning outright.
The Hawkeyes will make the adjustments necessary to win this game. Based on their play on both sides of the ball, the Trojans have already had a negative output each game.
