Normally, we see the in-state rivalry of Iowa vs. Iowa State at the end of the year but the schedule makers have treated us well and this year, we get it in the 2^nd week of the season! 

The Iowa Hawkeyes started the 2023 college football season off with a 24-14 win at home against the Utah State Aggies, however, the Hawkeyes failed to cover the 24-point spread as a favorite at home in week 1 of the college football season. The Hawkeyes scored 24 points while compiling 269 total yards offensively which included 181 passing yards and 88 rushing yards while allowing 14 points and 329 total yards defensively which included 213 passing yards and 116 rushing yards. 

Cade McNamara led the team in passing, completing 16 of 29 attempts for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Kaleb Johnson led the team in rushing with 19 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown. Luke Lachey led the team in receiving, catching seven of nine targets for 73 yards.

Iowa State also won in week 1 of the college football season by defeating the Northern Iowa Panthers, an FCS team, at home by a score of 30-9 and covering the 7-point spread as a favorite at home in week 1. The Cyclones scored 30 points while compiling a total of 250 total yards offensively which included 116 passing yards and 134 rushing yards while allowing 9 points and 279 total yards defensively which included 173 passing yards and 106 rushing yards. 

Rocco Becht led the team in passing, completing 10 of 13 attempts for 113 yards and two touchdowns while adding ten rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Cartevious Norton led the team in rushing with 11 carries for 49 yards. Benjamin Brahmer led the team in receiving, catching one of two targets for 36 yards and a touchdown.

BookMaker has the Iowa Hawkeyes listed as 4-point favorites on the road against the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday in week 2 of the college football season. Iowa has won seven of the last ten and two of the last three games in the series while going 5-4-1 ATS in the last ten matchups with the most recent game coming last season which resulted in a 10-7 win on the road for the Iowa State Cyclones as well as an outright cover as a 3.5-point underdog. 

The Iowa Hawkeyes are 0-1 ATS overall and 0-1 ATS as a favorite this season after finishing last season with a record of 8-5 ATS overall, 3-2 ATS on the road, and 5-2 ATS as a favorite while Iowa State is 1-0 ATS overall and 1-0 ATS at home this season after finishing last season with a record of 4-8 ATS overall, 3-4 ATS at home, and 1-4 ATS as an underdog.

Iowa is the better team this season and enters this game ranked in the top 25. The Hawkeyes have also been the better team in the series, winning seven of the last ten and two of the last three games while going 5-4-1 ATS in the last ten matchups. I look for those trends to continue on Saturday when the Iowa Hawkeyes travel to take on their in-state rival, the Iowa State Cyclones, which is why I am taking the Iowa Hawkeyes -4 on BookMaker for this matchup in week 2 of the college football season.