Saturday, Oct. 12
12:05 p.m. Eastern, 9:05 a.m. Pacific
Fox
The Fox Big Noon Saturday game is not a matchup of top-tier teams. Iowa just got blasted by Ohio State, and Washington recently lost to Rutgers. Both teams have two losses this season, and the loser here can pretty much kiss goodbye any hope of making a New Year’s Six bowl game.
Washington is coming off a solid win over Michigan, but did that game reveal how good the Huskies are, or was it merely confirmation of how limited Michigan’s offense is without a top passing quarterback under coach Sherrone Moore? The Big Ten is filled with and dominated by parity right now. There’s Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State at the top of the conference, but after those three teams, what is the balance of power in the Big Ten? It’s really hard to pin down. Washington and Iowa can very reasonably be seen as part of a very big jumble of teams with no real separation among them. The Vegas oddsmakers seem to agree with this larger line of thought. They have not established a large point spread or a clear-cut favorite in this game.
Washington Huskies-Iowa Hawkeyes Odds
Spread: Washington +2.5 (-110), Iowa -2.5 (-110)
Total: 42.5 (Over -110, Under -110)
Underdog moneyline: Washington +115
Hear T.J.’s Underdog thoughts on all the prominent action and his picks this week on the “3 Dog Thursday Podcast” by clicking play below,
Can Huskies Follow Up Michigan Upset?
The Washington Huskies have been an exasperating team to bet on this season. Let’s explain: They outgained Rutgers by more than 200 yards and lost, 21-18. They didn’t commit a turnover. How does that happen? For one thing, Washington missed multiple field goals. Also, Washington was just 2 of 12 on third downs in that game. Washington has been a team which piles up yards and moves the ball between the 20s but fails to finish drives. It’s why UW lost to Rutgers. It’s also why UW lost to Washington State in the Apple Cup game, 24-19. Washington should be scoring in the 30s given how many yards it is gaining every game, but it is instead scoring in the high teens and the 20s. The issues in play could not be clearer for first-year head coach Jedd Fisch.
Iowa has not gotten the offensive production it was hoping for this season. Quarterback Cade McNamara made the College Football Playoff in 2021 at Michigan and was looked at as a source of hope for the Iowa offense, which has struggled in recent years. Iowa had nothing to offer against Ohio State this past weekend. It couldn’t do much of anything in the second half of a stinging loss to Iowa State several weeks ago, in which Iowa blew a 13-point lead. Iowa’s offense has had some good moments, though. It beat Minnesota 31-14 and has shown at times that it can score, but that hasn’t been consistent this season. Iowa has been a hit-or-miss team whose offense comes and goes.
This game figures to go down to the wire, making it the kind of game in which you’ll want to make a live in-game bet in the second half as opposed to a pregame or early-game bet.