Northwestern enters Saturday with the same 6-2 record as Iowa, but the Wildcats have been one of the hotter teams in the conference over the last month. They've won four of their last five games, including impressive victories over Penn State and Rutgers, and even in last week's loss at Oregon, Northwestern showed plenty of fight before falling 34-26. While Iowa's 30-0 dismantling of Wisconsin is certainly noteworthy, there is a chance that performance has inflated the perception of the Hawkeyes heading into this matchup.
One factor that cannot be ignored is Iowa's injury situation in the backfield. Leading rusher Kamari Moulton is out for the season, removing an important piece of an offense that has not always been built to win through the air alone. Northwestern, meanwhile, has found balance on offense behind quarterback Aidan Chiles and a rushing attack capable of controlling possession when needed.
Iowa's defense is good enough to keep this game competitive for four quarters, but Northwestern's ability to create explosive plays gives the Wildcats an offensive ceiling that the Hawkeyes may struggle to match. The Buckeye’s last road trip against the Gophers showed there’s a clear opening for the Wildcats. At home, with both teams entering at 6-2, I'll trust the healthier offense and the team laying less than a field goal. Iowa should keep it close, but Northwestern appears positioned to do just enough to separate late. A final score around 24-20 or 27-21 would be enough to get the Wildcats where we need them.
Northwestern vs Iowa prediction: Northwestern Wildcats -2.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -3 (-115).
