Betting lines, game preview, and prediction for Iowa vs. UCLA

Iowa quickly got over its shocking loss to Michigan State by beating three teams by a huge margin in a row.

It is not completely out of the running for the Big Ten title, but it is also not in it either. In the best case, it will probably end up in a top non-CFP bowl game. After this, the Hawkeyes play at Maryland, and then they end the season against Nebraska.

UCLA, on the other hand, went from having a terrible season with a five-game losing streak to shockingly good with road wins over Rutgers and Nebraska, ending those teams’ seasons and starting the dream of getting to six wins and a bowl game.

With games against Washington, USC, and Fresno State coming up, the Bruins need to win three of their last four games to finish the season.

Iowa vs UCLA: How to Watch and Game Preview

Date: Friday, November 8, 2024
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET
How to Watch: FOX
Venue: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Teams: UCLA (3-5), Iowa (6-3)

Why Iowa Will Win

It is true that the Iowa defense works.

In the last four games, it scored 40 points or more three times, and in five games, it scored 38 points or more. This team is 6-0 when its offense scores 31 points and 0-3 when it doesn’t.

The first step is to keep the chains moving. Iowa is good at stopping offenses on third downs, converting 45% of the time and holding them to 32%. UCLA is the worst team in the country at stopping offenses on third down.

Still, the Hawkeyes’ run defense is great, UCLA is last in the country in running, and

Why UCLA Will Win

UCLA does a great job stopping the run.

Sometimes Iowa’s passing game works, but it only threw ten passes in the win over Wisconsin and is not even close to reliable. The Hawkeye’s ground attack is the most important part.

When running for 220 yards or more, Iowa is 5-0. When running for 200 yards or more, Iowa is 6-1.

The UCLA defense has not let anyone run for more than 153 yards.

UCLA’s passing game has been great, they have cut down on turnovers, and

Iowa vs UCLA: Who Will Win?

The Iowa running game will not be as strong as it needs to be, but it will move the chains and keep the game and clock under control enough to win. Sometimes the Hawkeyes have a lot of wins and sometimes they don’t. Lately, their big wins have come in Iowa City.

The Hawkeyes lost badly at Michigan State, badly at Ohio State (no shame), and badly at Minnesota. They will have a hard time putting this away in Pasadena because their passing attack is not working well.