Penn State Nittany Lions (3-3) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2)
October 18, 2025 7:00 pm EDT
The Line: Iowa Hawkeyes -2.5 / Penn State Nittany Lions 2.5; Over/Under: 39.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Penn State Nittany Lions and Iowa Hawkeyes meet Saturday in college football action at Kinnick Stadium. Here’s a Iowa vs Penn State Prediction. This article will include a Iowa vs Penn State Pick.
Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Preview
The Penn State Nittany Lions lost to UCLA and Northwestern, and they play Ohio State next. Penn State has lost 3 straight games and will play its first game without James Franklin. Ethan Grunkemeyer is completing 72.7 percent of his passes for 105 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Devonte Ross and Kyron Hudson have combined for 458 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, while Trebor Pena has 20 receptions.
The Penn State Nittany Lions ground game is averaging 169 yards per contest, and Kaytron Allen leads the way with 467 yards and 7 touchdowns. Defensively, Penn State is allowing 18.5 points and 302.2 yards per game. Amare Campbell leads the Penn State Nittany Lions with 50 tackles, Zuriah Fisher has 2 sacks and Alonzo Ford Jr. has 1 interception.
Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Preview
The Iowa Hawkeyes beat Wisconsin, lost to Indiana, and they play Minnesota next. The Iowa Hawkeyes have won 12 of their last 19 games. Mark Gronowski is completing 65.4 percent of his passes for 743 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Jacob Gill and Sam Phillips have combined for 318 receiving yards on 23 catches, while Dayton Howard has 5 receptions.
The Iowa Hawkeyes ground game is averaging 184 yards per contest, and Kamari Moulton leads the way with 261 yards and 2 touchdowns. Defensively, Iowa is allowing 13 points and 246.7 yards per game. Karson Sharar leads the Iowa Hawkeyes with 36 tackles, Max Liewellyn has 5 sacks and Zach Lutmer has 1 interception.
Why the Iowa Hawkeyes will win
- Penn State has lost each of its last 10 games as an underdog.
- Iowa has won each of its last seven home games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- Penn State has failed to cover the spread in each of its last seven games.
- Iowa has covered the spread in each of its last four games.
Why the Penn State Nittany Lions will win
- Penn State has won 34 of its last 36 games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- Iowa has failed to cover the spread in four of its last five home games against teams from Pennsylvania.
Total Points Facts
- Six of Penn State’s last seven games against conference opponents have gone OVER the total points line.
- Four of Iowa’s last five games in Iowa have gone UNDER the total points line.
Iowa Hawkeyes Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 8, Kaden Wetjen is the only player in the FBS to have both a punt and kick return touchdown this season.
Penn State Nittany Lions Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 8, Kaytron Allen leads Penn State for touchdowns (7) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- Iowa ranks T1st among FBS teams for Q3 opponent points per game this season (0.0).
- Iowa ranks T1st among FBS teams for H2 opponent points per game this season (3.3).
- Penn State has recorded the equal-most home wins by a margin of 30+ points of any FBS team this season (3).
- Penn State ranks 3rd among FBS teams for Q4 points per game this season (13.2).
Iowa vs Penn State Prediction
This line is incredibly surprising. Yes, Iowa is still limited offensively and is a sitting duck for decent teams. Penn State also has the chance to surprise, like most teams, after firing a coach. The players rally around each other and put together a strong performance. We’ve seen it a lot.
However, Pen. State is down its head coach and quarterback in Drew Allar. Grunkemeyer has just 13 career pass attempts, and now he’s on the road against one of the best defenses in the country. Uh, good luck, kid. Penn State is also 0-6 ATS on the season. We’re not being asked to lay much. Give me Penn State and the small number.
