Iowa Hawkeyes vs Nebraska Cornhuskers Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 03/26/26

It wasn’t easy for either team to advance to the Sweet 16, but now the #9 seed Iowa Hawkeyes and the #4 seed Nebraska Cornhuskers are set to face off — with the winner advancing to the Elite Eight. Iowa pulled off a huge upset over the #1 seed Florida Gators in a thrilling matchup. Alvaro Folgueiras knocked down a 3-pointer with 4 seconds left to give the Hawkeyes a 73-72 lead that ultimately sealed the deal. Iowa shot 51% from the floor and did a great job limiting Florida on the glass, which played a key role in the upset. As for Nebraska, it held on against Vanderbilt — with Braden Frager converting a layup with just 2 seconds remaining to secure a 74-72 victory.

The Hawkeyes will need Bennett Stirtz to figure things out in this matchup against Nebraska. Stirtz struggled against Florida, scoring just 13 points while going 0-for-9 from 3 and 5-of-16 from the field. These are 2 Big Ten opponents that are familiar with one another. During the regular season, Iowa defeated Nebraska 57-52 on February 17; Nebraska got revenge on March 8 with an 84-75 overtime win. Both teams rank among the best defensively in their conference, with Nebraska allowing 65.8 points per game and Iowa close behind at 66. The Cornhuskers do hold a slight rebounding edge (37 to 32), but Iowa has been more efficient offensively — shooting 48.9% from the field compared to Nebraska’s 46.6%. This game could go either way, but based on recent form, Iowa looks like the more complete team. The Hawkeyes showed resilience and composure in their win over Florida and are peaking at the right time. Give me Iowa to win a close one and punch its ticket to the Elite Eight.  

Iowa vs Nebraska prediction: Iowa ML (+105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.