Iowa vs. Iowa State Picks and Prediction, Saturday, September 6, 2025
In this Iowa at Iowa State prediction, the two rivals square off in Ames in an exciting non-conference tilt on Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium. Iowa, out of the Big Ten Conference, comes into this matchup with a 1-0 record. The 22nd-ranked Cyclones, from the Big 12 Conference, are 2-0 on the season. The opening kick is scheduled for 12:00 pm EST. Don’t get sacked this football season! Try our College Football Picks!
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Iowa hits the road
The Iowa Hawkeyes make the short trip to Ames on Saturday after an opening 34-7 win over Albany at home last Saturday. The Hawkeyes now get set to take on Iowa State in the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk game, with the winner taking home the coveted Cy-Hawk Trophy. Iowa also has a chance to knock off a Top-25 team, hopefully resulting in a top-25 spot for the Hawkeyes. They hope to bring a more balanced offense this season into the heralded matchup.
"It's exciting right now just because the team has a chance to have a little bit more balanced offensive football team than we've had over the last several years, really, probably going back to '20". Head coach Kirk Ferentz said.
The Hawkeyes rolled to a season-opening 34-7 win last Saturday night at Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium thanks to a dominant ground attack. The Hawkeyes finished with 358 total yards of offense, including 310 on the ground. Running back Xavier Williams led the way with 122 yards rushing on just 11 attempts, including a touchdown. Terrell Washington Jr. chipped in with 69 yards and Jaziun Patterson finished with 47 yards rushing. Quarterback Mark Gronowski had an easy night’s work, completing 8-of-15 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown, adding a running touchdown as well.
Defensively, the Hawkeyes held Albany to just 177 yards of total offense. Albany ran for just 43 yards, good for a paltry 2.0 yards per carry. Through the air, the Hawkeyes gave up 134 yards. TJ Hall and Zach Lutmer had five tackles apiece to lead Iowa. The Hawkeyes also had two sacks in the game, one each by Max Llewellyn and Aaron Graves.
Key Injuries: WR Jarrett Buie is questionable. WR Reece Vander Zee is out.
Iowa State looks to stay perfect
The Iowa State Cyclones remained undefeated after taking down South Dakota at home, 55-7, on Saturday afternoon. They improved to 2-0 with the victory as they return home this weekend to battle natural rival Iowa in Ames. Iowa State has won two of the last three meetings, including a 20-19 win over Iowa last season on the road.
"I think you're still not gonna know where this team is 'till you get to the midpoint of the season," Campbell noted, emphasizing the unique challenges of the season ahead and the need for the team to show mental and physical toughness.” Head coach Matt Campbell said about his team in the early going.
The Cyclones picked up their second straight win on Saturday, in a one-sided 55-7 victory over South Dakota. Quarterback Rocco Becht threw three touchdowns, all to tight ends, and kicker Kyle Konrardy hit a school-record 63-yard field goal as the 22nd-ranked Cyclones cruised to their first home win of the season. Becht finished 19-of-20 for 278 yards without an interception before being replaced halfway through the third quarter. The game started with a bang after Becht found tight end Brett Eskildsen for a 66-yard score on the first play of the game. He said a school record with his 95 percent completion percentage in the game. It also marked the 20th straight game that he has thrown for a touchdown pass, the longest streak in FBS. Tight end Benjamin Brahmer had a career-high seven catches for 47 yards.
Iowa State’s defense held South Dakota to just 211 total yards of offense, including just a 3.8 yards per carry average on the ground. Iowa State forced four turnovers in the game, including interceptions by Jamison Patton and Nick Reinicke. Patton led the team in tackles with six, and the Cyclones had four tackles for loss in the game overall. In two games, the Cyclones are 51st in the country against the run, 74th against the pass, and 47th in sacks per game.
Key Injuries: WR Daniel Jackson, RB Jayden Jackson, WR Michael Parkes, RB Ryver Peppers, and WR Sam Zelenovich are questionable.
Iowa vs. Iowa State Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Earle Sports Bets | +2,298.00 |
| 2 |  Ross Benjamin | +1,840.00 |
| 3 |  Rob Vincilleti | +1,757.00 |
| 4 |  David Hess | +1,745.00 |
| 5 |  Dan Kaiser | +987.00 |
Spread Pick for Iowa vs. Iowa State
- Iowa State -3.5 (4 units)
This represents the Cyclones' best chance to pick up two straight wins in this series for the first time since winning two straight in 2011 and 2012. The key will be the effectiveness of Becht against the Iowa secondary. The Hawkeyes held Albany to just 5.2 yards per catch on Saturday, but the Cyclones are an entirely different situation. They’ll likely have to throw the ball in this one, averaging just 2.8 yards per carry on the ground through two games. Defensively, the Cyclones need to slow down the Hawkeyes' ground game. The Hawkeyes ran up over 300 yards on the ground in week one, while throwing for just 48 yards. That wasn’t an indication of the balanced attack that was promised before the season. The Cyclones are the more explosive of the two teams and will take shots down the field early. Of the two teams, Iowa has much less margin for error on Saturday, and that will be its undoing.
Take the Cyclones -3.5
Over/Under Pick for Iowa vs. Iowa State
- Under 41.5 (4 units)
These two teams have combined for under 40 points in each of the last three meetings, two of which were one by the Cyclones. The Hawkeyes know that their best road to victory will be on the ground. They averaged just three yards per catch in the win over Albany in week one. Iowa State has held each of its first two opponents under 20 points. Expect that to be the case again on Saturday in this rivalry matchup. Both teams know each other well, and this one should be dominated by the defenses.
Take the under.
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