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No disrespect to a couple of awesome SL fans who live in Iowa, but I'd rather use a Flowbee (and I mean on everywhere) than watch this game. The total might get to 35 and I can't even justify the Over. They might as well be playing in a briar patch. Although it is the most betting-relevant Cy-Hawk game ever if you know what I mean. Iowa has not lost in Ames since 2011 and maybe still won't but I'll take 4 in a rivalry game with the better-coached team.
Analyze this matchup in a vacuum, and the conclusion might be the winner is the first team to reach double digits. Yet it's difficult to overlook the weirdest known clause in any assistant coach's contract: Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Frerentz loses his job if the team does not average 25 points per game. Iowa State's nasty defense poses a skyscraper challenge, but you'd think the son of the head coach will pull out all stops to help the Hawkeyes finagle their way into the end zone three times minimum.
The Iowa Hawkeye's come into this rivalry game with home revenge from last year. Iowa also has the better offense, the better defense and the better QB by far because Iowa State starter QB Hunter Dekkers because of betting on sports. There is a three point dropoff. I'm taking the better team with revenge.
The tough-luck Cyclones are coming off a season in which they went 4-8, with four losses by 4 or fewer points. Optimism was high for a bounce-back season with plenty of experienced returnees, but then QB Hunter Dekkers and handful of teammates were cited for underage gambling and suspended. Even so, Iowa State looked improved in Week 1, while the Hawkeyes muddled their way past Utah State. In what is almost always a tight, low-scoring rivalry game, the points loom large.
Team Injuries
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