Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Deacon Hill. Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa-Minnesota game could set historic college football betting mark

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated 10/20/23

Those who enjoy watching two defenses battle it out will not want to miss Saturday’s game between Minnesota and Iowa.

Las Vegas oddsmakers do not expect many points to be scored when the Gophers and Hawkeyes square off in Iowa City. As of Friday morning, the betting total for the game was just 30.5. For those of you who are unfamiliar with sports gambling, that is the total number of points that both teams are expected to score combined. Bettors can wager that the game will go over or under that total.

As Brett McMurphy of Action Network notes, 30.5 points would be the lowest gambling total for a college football game in two decades. It is even lower than last year’s Iowa-Minnesota total, which closed at 31.5.

Historic low! Over/under total for Minnesota at Iowa is now down to 30½ or 31 points, the lowest in college football in past 20 years surpassing two previous Iowa games in 2022. Those games had totals of 31½ points: Iowa-Kentucky (Iowa won 21-0) & Iowa-Minnesota (Iowa won 13-10)

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) October 19, 2023

The point total can change leading up to kickoff depending on how much money has come in on either side, so the figure will not be final until Saturday.

Iowa and Minnesota stayed well under the 31.5-point total last season. The Hawkeyes won the game 13-10.

Through seven games this season, Iowa has averaged just 247.4 yards of total offense. That ranks dead last among FBS schools. Minnesota has averaged 313.3 yards per game, which is 13th-worst in the nation.

Both schools have become known for trying to grind out wins and putting very few points on the board. Iowa ranks in the top 10 in the country with just 14.9 points per game allowed. The Hawkeyes are 6-1 and ranked No. 24 in the nation, so the formula has worked on some level.

Iowa’s offensive struggles are so notorious that the program made an embarrassing change to offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz’s contract last offseason. Ferentz, whose father Kirk has been the head coach at Iowa since 1999, could certainly use some points on Saturday.

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This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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