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The Utah State Aggies kick off their 2023 season with a visit to the Iowa Hawkeyes. This game will continue our college football odds series as we hand out a Utah State-Iowa prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Utah State is coming off a 6-7 season, and they made a bowl game. To end the season, the Aggies won five of their last seven games, and that really helped their bowl game push. Utah State was solid in 2021, but as you can see, 2022 was not the same. They do return some experience, and have some decent transfers making their way to campus, so Utah State has some optimism heading into this game.
Iowa is in a very winnable division, and could easily see the BIG-10 championship game with a good season. Iowa finished 5-4 in the BIG-10 West division last season and just missed out on the championship game. Their 7-5 record did lead them to a bowl game in which they beat Kentucky 21-0. Iowa returns some very good players, and a few key transfers should help them battle for a BIG-10 West title.
Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Utah State-Iowa Odds
Utah State: +23.5 (-105)
Iowa: -23.5 (-115)
Over: 43.5 (-110)
Under: 43.5 (-110)
How to Watch Utah State vs. Iowa
TV: FS1
Stream: Fox Sports app
Time: 12:00 PM ET/9:00 AM PT
*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Utah State Will Cover The Spread
Utah State returns a lot of experience. Despite losing some good receivers, the Aggies should feel confident in their offensive abilities. Cooper Legas returns from 2022, and he had some turnover trouble, but he showed some ability to make plays. He is pretty good at using his legs, as well. Utah State also returns their second-best rusher in the offense. They will need to be at their best against a tough Iowa team, but there is reason for excitement against the Hawkeyes.
The Aggies do have a pretty easy matchup defensively. There are a lot of unknowns with the Utah State defense, but Iowa is a great place for them to figure out who they are. As mentioned Iowa was pretty bad offensively last season, and besides a new quarterback, not much has changed. If Utah State can just player their game and force Iowa to make their own mistakes, they will cover the spread.
Why Iowa Will Cover The Spread
One thing Iowa needs to upgrade is their offense. They were brutal last season as they averaged just 17.7 points per game, and they were dead last in total yards per game in the BIG-10. Iowa thinks they found the answer with Michigan transfer, Cade McNamara, though. McNamara has CFP experience, and he was on a very good offensive team, though run-heavy, in Michigan. However, it was clear how well McNamara led the offense. He will look to do the same for Iowa, and he has a pretty good running back to help him out. Iowa returns their leading rusher in Kaleb Johnson, so there is a lot to look forward to in the Hawkeye offense.
The bright spot was their defense. Iowa allowed the third-fewest yards in the BIG-10, and teams scored just 14.4 points per game against them. Iowa should be able to shut down the Utah State offense pretty easily. Iowa is always pretty good offensively, so they are pretty consistent in that aspect. If Iowa can hold the Aggies to below 10 points, they might be able to cover the spread.
Final Utah State-Iowa Prediction & Pick
This is a tough pick. I do like Iowa's new quarterback, but can the offensive coordinator be trusted to call the right plays this season? I am not sure. Iowa does not cover spreads often with their low-scoring games, and I do not think they cover this one. I will take Utah State to keep this game within 24 points.
Final Utah State-Iowa Prediction & Pick: Utah State +23.5 (-105), Under 43.5 (-110)
