Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Ohio State Buckeyes prediction: odds, expert tips, player news, betting trends and stats

In the offseason, Ohio State decided they had had enough of the loss to Michigan and added QB Will Howard, OC Chip Kelly, S Caleb Downs, RB Quinshon Judkins and perhaps the greatest freshman WR in modern history, Jeremiah Smith, to their roster to strengthen to take part in the CFP National Championship. Through four games, the results were overwhelming, with OSU throttling its helpless opponents by a combined score of 195-27. Their only P4 opponent, Michigan State, totaled an anemic 246 yards and averaged just 1.9 yards per carry in the lopsided 38-7 loss. The Buckeyes rank 9th in SP+ offense and 2nd in defense, which puts OSU currently No. 1 in the country according to the numbers.

It's hard to argue with the decision to abandon Nepo-hired OC Brian Ferentz in favor of former Western Michigan HC Tim Lester, as the Hawkeyes are averaging twice as many points (30.7) in four games in 2024 as they did in the last season (15.4). . In fact, Iowa has already exceeded the 30-point barrier three times this season, which is the sum total of 30-plus point performances from the last three years combined! HC Kirk Ferentz's team is 3-1 and loses a 20-19 decision to arch-rival Iowa State thanks to some late-game heroics from QB Rocco Becht.

NBC Sports has all the latest information and analysis you need, including kick-off information, BetMGM odds, player news and updates, and of course our predictions and best bets for the game from our team of experts.

Listen to this B1G Talk Podcast with Todd Blackledge and Noah Eagle for the most compelling storylines in all of college football, featuring the biggest teams up and coming and the latest rankings!

Match details and how to watch Iowa @ Ohio State 2024 live

· Date: Saturday, October 5, 2024
· Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
· Website: The Horseshoe
· City: Columbus, OH
· TV/Streaming: CBS

Want to check out the other games on the? College football schedule this week? We'll provide you with all the matchup, venue, game time and TV/streaming information here on NBC Sports so you don't miss any of the action!

Iowa @ Ohio State Game Odds – Week 6

The latest odds from Friday morning:

• Money line: Ohio State (-1200), Iowa (+750)
• Spread: Ohio State -19.5
• Over/Under: 45.5 points

This game started with OSU at an aggressive -24 and has since been steadily lowered to the current -19.5/20 mark we are seeing at press time. The same goes for the money line, with Ohio State cratering from -2100 to a tempting -1,100. Iowa ML has fallen from +1,100 to a high of +950. However, the spread-related market fluctuations had little impact on the total, it opened and is currently in the 44.5-45.5 range.

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

NBC Sports Betting Analyst Eric Froton (@CFFroton) believes there will be plenty of points to be had in this contest:
“With Iowa currently batting .1000 going 4-for-4 to the over, and Ohio State hitting the over at a 75% rate this year, I'm following the trends and making a case for an OVER 45.5 point game.”

Listen to the Bet the Edge podcast As hosts, Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick provide listeners with sharp, actionable insights, market analysis and statistical data to help bettors gain more information before placing their bets.

From the Trading Desk at BetMGM Courtesy of John Ewing: Week 6 Insights

Most betting games (tickets)

1. Syracuse-UNLV
2. Michigan State-Oregon
3. Tennessee-Arkansas

Most betting teams (tickets)

1. Tennessee -13.5
2. UNLV -6.5
3. Michigan +1.5

Most Betting Teams (Handle)

1. Navy -9
2. Alabama -23.5
3. Tennessee -13.5

Most Bet Overruns (Tickets)

1. Michigan State-Oregon 52.5
2. Iowa-Ohio State 45.5
3. Syracuse-UNLV 57.5

Most betting unders (tickets)

1. Baylor-Iowa State 44.5
2. Indiana Northwest 41.5
3. USC-Minnesota 49.5

Most people bet that underdogs will win (tickets)

1. Michigan +100
2. Missouri +115
3. Michigan State +1200

Quarterback matchup for Iowa @ Ohio State

• Ohio state: While importing several impact transfers, HC Ryan Day made improving the QB position his top priority in the portal this offseason. The choice was Kansas State transplant quarterback Will Howard, which has paid off so far as Howard increased his completion percentage from 61% to 69% for a ratio of 8 to 2. It's nice to see an improvement in turnovers, there He threw ten interceptions last year and reducing errors was a focus for new OC Chip Kelly. Howard has recorded just one sack and currently has a passer rating of 117.9, which is the highest mark of his five-year college career. With a weak non-conference slate behind him, Howard now faces a gauntlet of strong defenses at Iowa/@Oregon/Nebraska/@Penn State.
• Iowa: Does the Hawkeyes' 86th SP+ offense strike fear into opposing DCs after already scoring over 30 points this year? Well, not quite yet, as their boring passing game still ranks 133rd in passes over 20 yards, 128th in explosiveness, and 120th in yards per dropback. However, QB Cade McNamara looks like Iowa's all-time leader Nathan Stanley, with a respectable PFF overall grade of 73.8 compared to former oversized starter Deacon Hill. OC Lester has McNamara make 63% of his throws thanks to a conservative ADOT of 6.8 to get the ball into the hands of the playmakers quickly and efficiently. Well, as efficient as one could reasonably expect Iowa's passing game to be. As long as McNamara can be an accurate short-area distributor to offset a potentially very good Iowa run game, he should be effective.

Trends and current statistics

• Iowa is 8-3 ATS when intercepting more than 1 pass and 8-4 when allowing fewer than 3 sacks since 2023. Conversely, they are also winless (0-3) ATS when allowing 22 or more points
• Iowa's running game has improved significantly from last year, ranking 18th in yards per successful rush, 15th in YPC and 7th with a robust 3.8 yards after contact. They averaged 3.3 YPC in 2023 and a meager 2.9 YPC in 2022, which is a big positive development.
• Despite some pretty aggressive totals, OSU is 3-1 in the over so far this season. Despite boasting an average scoring edge of +42 points (2nd in FBS), the Buckeyes are just 2-2 ATS.
• The Ohio State University defense has become a premier unit under the guidance of DC Jim Knowles as teams are very afraid of throwing as OSU is ranked No. 1 nationally defending 45% of its passes for 0 or fewer air yards . Of course, it helps to have a defensive line that has a sack rate of 11.3%, third best in the country.

College football talk takes over Bet the Edge every Thursday throughout the season. PAY FOR THE ADVANTAGE is your source for everything related to sports betting. Get all the insights from Vaughn Dalzell, Eric Froton and Brad Thomas Thursdays at 6pm ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Follow our experts on social media to stay up to date with the latest staff content:

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
• Eric Froton (@CFFroton)