Betting Prediction For Iowa-Purdue

Happy prediction Friday, Hawkeye fans! 

We began one of the best days of the week with our prediction for Saturday's primetime clash at Kinnick Stadium between Iowa and Purdue, but now it's time to see what the numbers have to say. 

We don't mean numbers as in statistics relevant to the contest, we mean its time to take a look at something everyone loves to hate – the sportsbooks. The 15th-ranked Hawkeyes (7-2, 4-2) will likely be pegged as a heavy favorite over the struggling Boilermakers (3-6, 2-4), but what do the betting lines actually say? 

We take a look at all of your Iowa-Purdue betting lines and share our betting prediction for this game. Let's get into it. 

*All betting lines courtesy of DraftKings and as of Thursday, Nov. 13. Call 1-800-BETS OFF if you live in Iowa (1-800-MY-RESET is the national line) and are struggling with gambling.  

Spread pick: Iowa -17.5 

Picking Iowa, a program that is used to playing in close, low-scoring games every weekend is a bit of a risk, but this is November. Kirk Ferentz and Co. just always seem to find a way to play their best football in the month before Christmas, and I don't see that changing here against Purdue. You've already seen my score prediction so you knew this was coming, but the Hawkeyes are playing too well offensively right now and could've easily scored 40+ points against both Wisconsin and Northwestern if Ferentz didn't call the dogs off in the second half. That could be a dangerous factor for those that decide to bet on this game, but the Hawkeyes should be leading by enough points to cover the spread without any cosmetic touchdowns. 

Total pick: Over 47.5 

Speaking of late touchdowns, that's where this pick comes in. It's going to be a bit of a challenge to hold a good Purdue offense at bay for 60 minutes, and though I expect Phil Parker's crew to play very well in front of the Hawkeye faithful, I think the Boilermakers push this total over with some late points. Iowa of course has to hold up its end of the bargain, but I think Hank Brown continues to sling the rock and hit some explosive plays to light up the Kinnick Stadium scoreboard. 

Iowa -185 to get 180+ rushing yards: I've said it before and I'll say it again: L.J. Phillips is finally morphing into the version that everyone saw at South Dakota last season. With Phillips now taking over as the lead back after Kamari Moulton's unfortunate season-ending injury against Minnesota, he has shined, tallying 128 yards against a much better Northwestern defense last week. There's a chance for Phillips to do the same against a struggling Purdue defense on Saturday. Taking Iowa to get at least 180 rushing yards seems like a safe bet.