We're back once again with another College Football Week 8 betting prediction and pick as we head to the Big Ten Conference for a clash between classic rivals. The Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2) will visit the Michigan State Spartans (3-3) for a close matchup from East Lansing. It is time to continue our college football odds series with an Iowa-Michigan State prediction and pick.

The Iowa Hawkeyes 2-1 in conference play following a win over Minnesota, a blowout loss to Ohio State, and a dominant win over the Washington Huskies in their most recent game. They scored their highest total of the season with 40 points and they'll be looking to ride that momentum on the road as betting favorites by a touchdown.

The Michigan State Spartans are 1-2 in the Big Ten and have lost three consecutive games to Boston College, Ohio State, and Oregon. After a perfect start to the season, they're back to .500 and will hope to find themselves in the win column for the first time in a month as they host the Hawkeyes.

Here are the Iowa-Michigan State College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Football Odds: Iowa-Michigan State Odds

Iowa: -5.5 (-114)

Moneyline: -215

Michigan State: +5.5 (-106)

Moneyline: +176

Over: 40.5 (-112)

Under: 40.5 (-108)

How to Watch Iowa vs. Michigan State

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT

TV: NBC

Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)

Why Iowa Could Cover The Spread/Win

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The Iowa Hawkeyes lit up the scoreboard against the Washington Huskies defense last week and it was another surprising performance from the Hawkeyes on offense. While they typically play a grind-it-out style of football, they've been consistent in putting up high scoring totals behind their aggressive rushing attack and conservative movement through the passing game. Junior running back Kaleb Johnson has emerged as one of the nation's best ball carriers with 937 yards for 12 touchdowns. He's averaging 7.9 yards per carry and trails only Boise State's Ashton Jeanty in total rushing in the country.

The Iowa Hawkeyes will face a stern defensive front in this Michigan State Spartans that has been one of the Big Ten's best through this point of the season. Quarterback Cade McNamara hasn't been as active this season due to Johnson's successful campaign on the ground, but he could offer a decent amount of help in this matchup if he's able to spread the defense and complete passes downfield. Either way, expect this to be another run-heavy attack from the Hawkeyes as they look to get Johnson in the endzone.

Why Michigan State Could Cover The Spread/Win

The Michigan State Spartans began their season at 3-0 thanks to their strong defensive efforts and ability to turn the ball over. However, over the last three games, the Spartans have been the ones giving the ball up on offense with eight total turnovers over their last three games. While they had to face Ohio State and Oregon in back-to-back weeks, they'll come into this matchup at home following a bye week and should be fully rested to host the Hawkeyes. The defensive line will once again be the focal point for the Spartans as they try to stop one of the nation's leading rushers.

Michigan State is led by quarterback Aidan Chiles who is the offensive motor that drives this team. He has a very talented arm and a knack for extending plays, but his decision-making has put the Spartans in a number of tough spots this season with eight interceptions to just five passing touchdowns. They'll need to cut down on turnovers and focus on running the ball in order to slow the game down and keep the ball out of Iowa's hands on offense.

Final Iowa-Michigan State Prediction & Pick

While both of these offenses are capable of putting up big numbers, we may be in for another classic Big Ten defensive battle given both teams' strengths on that side of the ball. Iowa is certainly the rightful favorite given their consistency and with Kaleb Johnson in the backfield, they'll always stand a chance with the high probability of him breaking a long run.

Michigan State will have a chance to keep this game close if they're able to cut down on turnovers and end each of their drives with a kick. While their offense has had trouble moving the sticks against tough defenses, they should have some room to air things out against the Iowa secondary.

Ultimately, we have to favor Iowa's ability to run the ball in this matchup, but the Michigan State defensive line has held tight against top teams like Ohio State and I expect them to give Iowa some trouble here. While we favor Iowa to win the game, the Spartans should be able to keep this within a field goal as we're expecting to see a defensive showdown on our hands.

Final Iowa-Michigan State Prediction & Pick: Michigan State Spartans +5.5 (-106)