Week 6 of the college football season is officially here! Get ready for a gritty and physical Big Ten matchup as the Purdue Boilermakers make the trip to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes. Let's check out our college football odds series where our Purdue-Iowa prediction and pick will be made.

Fresh off of a convincing 44-19 beatdown against Illinois a weekend ago, the Boilermakers have the utmost of confidence heading into this matchup with Iowa. Despite being only 2-3 overall, Purdue has been playing better ball of late which could help them pull off a much-needed victory in only their second road test of the season-long campaign.

Meanwhile, Iowa flirted with a ranking among the AP Top 25 before falling short against Penn State in a 31-0 loss, but the Hawkeyes were at least able to showcase their resiliency by bouncing back and edging Michigan State by a score of 26-16. Through five games, Iowa is a flawless 3-0 at home and are a dead-even 1-1 when it comes to conference play.

Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Football Odds: Purdue-Iowa Odds

Purdue: +1.5 (-102)

Iowa: -1.5 (-120)

Over: 39.5 (-105)

Under: 39.5 (-115)

How to Watch Purdue vs. Iowa Week 6

TV: Peacock

Stream: Peacock

Time: 3:30 ET/12:30 PT

*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why Purdue Will Cover The Spread

If Purdue is going ton replicate their last dominant performance a weekend ago and cover the spread in doing so, then making a continued effort to present a balanced attack on the gridiron will be vital.

At first glance, the Boilermakers did exactly that in their statement victory over the Fighting Illini as they went on to pass for 217 yards and also mass a healthy 189 yards on the ground. Simply put, this is a guaranteed recipe for success barring if the defense can also take care of business and accomplish what they need to on Saturday.

Speaking of defense, it is hard to ignore how poorly the Boilermakers have played on that side of the ball so far in 2023, but rest assured that it appeared that made healthy strides to becoming competent. Overall, a big reason why Purdue comes into this one with a losing record is because of there defense, as they haven't even been able to stop a nosebleed none the less a productive offense. Taking a closer look, the Boilermakers have been getting gashed for 35 points in three of their first four games on the season. Regardless, it is slightly encouraging that Purdue strung together their best defensive outing of the year last week, and there's no debating what some extreme confidence and belief can do for a team that so desperately needs to reverse the tide of their season.

Why Iowa Will Cover The Spread

Don't look now, but Iowa is quietly and surely having their best start to a season since the 2021 campaign when they reeled off a ten-win year and were West Division champs. Remarkably enough, head coach Kirk Ferentz is in his 24th season as the Hawkeyes head coach and is one of the longest-tenured coaches in all of college football. Can his added experience and quick start to the season be just what the doctor ordered for Iowa?

Above all else, the biggest reason why Iowa will have what it takes to cover the spread will be due to the fact that whenever they suit up for play at Kinnick Stadium, they seem to be at their very best. For example, the Hawkeyes have boasted their three highest-scoring performances all at home this year, and there is no debating that Iowa is a dangerous squad within the confines of their home stadium.

Not only will the Hawkeyes use their fierce home-field advantage to the best of their abilities, but can Iowa find the answer under center after former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara's season was lost with a devastating ACL tear? Simply put, the Hawkeyes must out together a next-man-up mentality and rally around backup signal caller Deacon Hill who certainly struggled in the win versus Michigan State. After completing only 41% of his passes and throwing for a measly 115 yards through the air, running the football efficiently will become that much more important for the outcome of this matchup. Critically enough, avoiding lengthy third downs and staying ahead of the chains on early downs by running the rock could prove to be the difference-maker in this one.

Final Purdue-Iowa Prediction & Pick

Serving as the third conference game for both sides, it doesn't get much more important this! Certainly, Purdue has some added belief after dismantling Illinois in impressive fashion, but Iowa is simply a different beast at home. This one could be close, but it is probably wise to side with the Hawkeyes to get the job done.

Final Purdue-Iowa Prediction & Pick: Iowa -1.5 (-120)