Iowa State – (16) Iowa
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Spread: IOW -15
M/L: IOW -650, IOST +475
Total: 51
Betting odds c/o 5dimes
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IOWA
C.J. Beathard had a big season last year. He carried Iowa to a 12-2 mark and an appearance in the Rose Bowl against Stanford. The Hawkeyes averaged 219.6 passing yards per game while averaging 386.1 yards total offense and 30.9 points per game.
Beathard threw above 60 percent completions when the team was in third-and-10 or longer, and he was strong in the fourth quarter for the Hawkeyes, who boasted a virtual stable of capable receivers to bolster Beathard’s arm strength.
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In Week 1, Beathard threw 13 of 20 for 192 yards with one TD. He lost 20 yards on his two rush attempts, but the Hawkeyes did generate 212 rushing yards. Arkum Wadley went for 121 yards on 12 carries with two TDs.
In the backfield Iowa will rotate a number of backs through as ball carriers.
Senior LeShun Daniels will get 20 to 25 touches a game, and he has the strength and frame to really move the chains. Daniels had 10 carries in Week 1 for 83 yards and two TDs, while also recording the long run of the day with a 43-yard rush.
The Hawkeyes were superb on the ground last season, rushing for 2,544 yards and 35 TDs. The OL had a lot to do with that, of course, and it returns three starters from last season’s squad.
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What may be in question for the Hawkeyes is who will make the majority of the big plays, though that may be clear as the season goes on. WR Matt VandeBerg is one option for this role, and he caught 65 passes last year which was the most for a Hawkeyes WR since 2011. TE George Kittle caught 20 passes last year and six TDs, and he is a great red zone target.
VandeBerg caught four passes for 99 yards including a long pass of 36 yards. Jerminic Smith caught three passes for 51 yards. Iowa had 192 passing yards on the 13 receptions, averaging 14.8 yards per attempt. Desmond King returned two kicks for 70 yards, and he had one punt return for 15 yards. Keith Duncan hit a 22-yard field goal and all six of his extra point attempts, and Ron Coluzzi averaged 41.7 yards per punt on three attempts with a long of 50-yards.
IOWA STATE
Iowa State lost 25-20 to Northern Iowa in Week 1. Joel Lanning threw 18 of 28 for 256 yards with three TDs, but he had two interceptions and rushed for just 11 yards on 10 attempts.
The Cyclones managed just 51 yards on its 25 attempts, just two yards per carry and no one had an attempt over 12 yards of gain. Allen Lazard caught six passes for 129 yards, but no other receiver had more than 39 yards (Dondre Daley) and the Cyclones 256 passing yards only gave them 307 total yards in the game.
Kene Nwangwu returned two punts for an average of 26.5 yards per. Trever Ryen returned three punts for an average of 13.3 yards per, and Lazard returned one for four yards. Colin Downing punted seven times for an average of 39.1 yards per punt but did show promise with one 51-yard punt.
The Cyclones are in a world of trouble the week as 15-point underdogs, and a defense that is going t have its hands full with Beathard and Daniels.
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