Nebraska vs Iowa Prediction, Preview, Betting Lines: A New Big Rivalry for Thanksgiving Weekend

Okay, fine. Is it really a rivalry if one team keeps hitting the other?

When these two teams started playing around Thanksgiving weekend, Nebraska won three of the first four games. But Iowa has won eight of the last nine, including a 13-10 thriller last year that kept the Huskers out of a bowl game once more.

Before that, the Huskers shocked everyone by beating Iowa in 2022 and then beating them again in 2023.

This time, neither team has to worry about winning the Big Ten title, and Nebraska does not have to worry about a bowl game for the first time since 2016—it beat Wisconsin last week to finally finish with six wins.

Now it is up to these two teams to get into the bowl game and be the first to win one of the newest and most fun rivalries in college football.

Nebraska vs Iowa: How to Watch and Game Preview

Date: Friday, November 29, 2024
Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
How To Watch: NBC
Venue: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
Teams: Iowa (7-4), Nebraska (6-5)

Why Nebraska Will Win

That is the way things should work, though.

Who cares if Wisconsin is not great? It looked like Nebraska had a real offense, and new offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen ran it all.

It had been a long time since the team scored 473 yards, which was the most since their big win over UTEP in the first game of the season.

The most important thing last week was a strong, physical ground game that kept Dylan Raiola from having to do too much. They are 5-1 when they run for more than 4.3 yards per carry, but…

Why Iowa Will Win

Iowa is good at bashing away on teams that aren’t used to being bashed on.

It ripped through the Badgers for 329 rushing yards, ran through Minnesota and Washington, and on the year Kaleb Johnson and the Hawkeyes rumbled for 200 yards or more in every game but three – Iowa lost all of them.

The Huskers have an active defensive front that’s great at getting around the ball, but the team is 6-0 when running for 220 yards or more.

Nebraska vs Iowa: Who Will Win?

Can Iowa’s running game really get going?

It is still easy for Iowa’s defense to force turnovers. They will get at least two, and most likely three, and Johnson will handle the rest.

This game will stay close, but once more, it will come down to the last five minutes and a big kick. The Hawkeyes will put in the hard work they need to win this game.