SportsLine badge

Minnesota vs. No. 24 Iowa Big Ten Week 8 college football odds: Total of 32.5 points among lowest in years; Hawkeyes lose leading receiver for season

Minnesota visits No. 24 Iowa in Big Ten action on Saturday and not many points are expected.

Matt Severance

Every year in college football, the oddsmakers put a remarkably low total on a game or two, which usually involves the Big Ten and one of Iowa, Minnesota or Wisconsin from the West Division. On Saturday, the Golden Gophers visit the No. 24 Hawkeyes, and the total of 32.5 points is the lowest of the season and second-lowest since 2006. Iowa is a 3.5-point favorite on the SportsLine consensus despite some bad injury news.

Per KillerSports.com, there have been nine previous FBS games with a total of 35.5 points or lower since 2006 and the Under is 8-1 in those nine. The lowest was at 31.5 in last year's game between these two teams in Minneapolis, with the Hawkeyes winning 13-10, their eighth straight win over the Gophers for the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy. Drew Stevens made a 21-yard field goal with 28 seconds left.

A few weeks ago, Iowa lost starting quarterback Cade McNamara to a season-ending injury. He plans to redshirt and return in 2024. Iowa is 3-0 with backup Deacon Hill under center. Hill entered in relief of McNamara on Sept. 30 in 26-16 victory over Michigan State. That was followed by a 20-14 win over Purdue on Oct. 7 and a 15-6 upset at Wisconsin this past Saturday to give Iowa early control of the Big Ten West and a crucial tiebreaker over the Badgers.

However, starting tight end Erick All, a transfer from Michigan, had to be helped off the field late in the first quarter against Wisconsin after taking a hit to the knee from C.J. Goetz following a reception, and it has been confirmed that All tore his ACL.

One thing Iowa is known for is sending good tight ends pipeline to the NFL. TJ Hockenson and Sam LaPorta are two recent examples. All leads the team with 21 receptions, 299 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Not huge numbers, but Iowa is a bad offensive team. The team's other very good tight end, Luke Lachey, was lost for the season in the same game McNamara was.

Minnesota comes off its bye week but could be without a few key offensive players as well in No. 1 running back Darius Taylor and wideout Chris Autman-Bell after neither played in the team's 52-10 loss vs. Michigan on Oct. 7. Taylor, who has missed the past two, is one of the best backs in the Big Ten with 87 carries for 532 yards and four scores. He has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after three of his four games. Iowa's rushing defense has allowed just one touchdown on the ground in 2023, which is tied for the national lead.

The Gophers haven't won at Kinnick Stadium since 1999. During Iowa's overall eight-game winning streak in the series, five games have been decided by a touchdown or less. As noted, this is for the Floyd of Rosedale Trophy, and the Hawkeyes are 2-0 in trophy games in 2023, winning the Cy-Hawk Trophy and Heartland Trophy in victories over Iowa State and Wisconsin. Leading into Saturday, Floyd of Rosedale will have resided in Iowa City for 2,898 consecutive days.

Minnesota is only school that Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has squared off against every season during his Hawkeye tenure as both an assistant coach (1981-89) and head coach (1999-present).

Get more out of your SportsLine subscription! 

Qualifying SportsLine members receive a 30-day free trial of Paramount+ premium. Sync your account right here.