NCAAF Odds Preview: Iowa Hawkeyes vs Michigan State

Playoff implications will be all over the place when Iowa and Michigan State clash in the Big Ten Championship Game this Saturday night in Indianapolis. Even though Iowa is 12-0 on the season, while Michigan State is 11-1, the Spartans are still four-point favorites.

Iowa vs Michigan State NCAAF Odds Game Information and Opening Lines

Date/Time: Saturday, December 05, 2015 8:17 PM ET Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium Opening Lines: Michigan State -3 (-110), Iowa +3.5 (-107)

We’re headed to the Big Ten Championship! @HawkeyeFootball and @MSU_Football, bring it. pic.twitter.com/aoCW44EBEl

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) November 29, 2015

Why should you take Iowa to cover (if not win)?

Iowa and Clemson are the two remaining unbeaten teams in FBS football, as Iowa beat Nebraska 28-20 last week. Iowa punched it into the end zone on the game’s first drive and never looked back, holding leads of 21-10 and 28-17 during the game, enjoying four turnovers from the Huskers. Running back Jordan Canzeri galloped for 140 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 68-yard score in the fourth quarter. Over the game’s last period and a half, the Hawkeye defense limited Nebraska to just a field goal, so the Hawkeyes ended up not just winning but also covering. Iowa does their dominating on the ground, having outrushed 11 of their 12 opponents this year by an average margin of 95 yards.

Why should you take the Spartans?

Last week, Michigan State looked like a team on a mission, steamrolling Penn State 55-16, covering that eight-point spread easily. The fourth quarter opened with Michigan State up 34-16, but then the Spartans scored three more touchdowns in two minutes to yield the final margin. Spartan quarterback Connor Cook, whose shoulder had kept him out of the Spartans’ victory over Ohio State last week, threw for three scores and 248 yards, and Michigan State also gained 188 yards on the ground. The Spartan defense added a pair of scores, including a 77-yard touchdown return of a fumble near halftime that broke open the contest.

Key Betting Trends

Iowa is appearing in its first Big Ten Championship and is almost certain to hold its CFP spot with a victory. In the last four Big Ten title games, the underdog has gone 3-1 straight up and 4-0 against the spread. Iowa is 9-3 against the spread in its last 12 meetings with Michigan State. In the last 26 Big Ten games, Michigan State is 24-2 straight up. However, Iowa is 8-0 straight up in its last eight Big Ten games.

Michigan State vs Iowa Final Betting Predictions

Michigan State is showing ten times as much momentum as the Hawkeyes, who haven’t dominated anyone the way that Michigan State shut down Penn State last week. Look for the Spartans to win and cover, as they make their way into the College Football Playoff.