Iowa vs Rutgers Prediction: Can the Scarlet Knights Break the Hawkeye Hex?

Originally posted on College Football News
By Pete Fiutak | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 11:33 PM ET

It’s been a good start for Rutgers, but we’ve seen this before.

It starts well against its always-cushy non-conference slate - it started 3-0 in each of the last three seasons - and then it’s time to party.

Last year’s team started 4-0 and went 3-6 the rest of the way. The same thing happened in 2023, and in 2022, it started 3-0 and finished 4-8.

Beating Iowa wouldn’t make it time to book Big Ten Championship tickets, but it would be a big moment on a national stage.

Iowa is Iowa. It rocked Albany and UMass, played like it was scared to win against Iowa State, and lost, and now it has a shot to do something big with a win. It gets Indiana at home next, and then Wisconsin, before dealing with Penn State.

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Friday, September 19, 2025
Game Time: 8:00 PM ET
TV: FOX
Location: SHI Stadium, Piscataway, NJ
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Why Iowa Will Win

Rutgers has found an offense with more of a passing game than normal, but outside of being pushed early by Ohio, it hasn’t been close to stress-tested.

It’s winning by keeping things moving, efficient passing, and controlling the clock and the tempo. Rutgers, meet Iowa.

No one controls games like the Iowa Hawkeyes. Rutgers has been better in the time of possession battle game than Iowa so far, but that will change in this.

Iowa’s defense has been tremendous, and the ground game got into a lather against the two paycheck teams, destroying Albany and UMass. It wasn’t awful against Iowa State, either. It should rumble against a Rutgers defense that’s been way too much against the run so far, allowing 5.6 yards per carry, and …

Why Rutgers Will Win

This isn’t the Rutgers team you’re used to.

It’s throwing the ball more, the downfield shots are hitting, and the offense should be able to open it up just enough to drag Iowa out of its shell.

For good and, in big games, for bad, Iowa refuses to bust out. Oh sure, getting the passing attack moving against UMass was enjoyable, but that’s not going to be the norm.

Again, Rutgers has been strong at controlling the clock, so if this does bog down into a defensive slugfest, it’ll be about the mistakes. Rutgers has yet to turn the ball over, Iowa has forced just one takeaway, and …

Will Rutgers Score Against Iowa?

The two programs have played four times since 2016. You know that offense thing the kids are all into? No, there hasn’t been a lick of that in the meetings.

Iowa won 14-7 in 2016, 30-0 in 2019, 27-10 in 2022, and 22-0 in 2023. No, these aren’t the same Rutgers Scarlet Knights, but Iowa is still Iowa, so …

Iowa vs Rutgers Prediction, Betting Lines

Iowa 24, Rutgers 20
Line: Iowa -2.5, o/u: 45.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Must See Rating: 3

Consensus Line from BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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This article first appeared on College Football News and was syndicated with permission.

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