Cy-Hawk Showdown Headlines Week 2: Experts Split on Iowa vs. Iowa State
The second week of college football brings the annual Cy-Hawk rivalry to the forefront for Iowa fans, with the Hawkeyes hosting Iowa State as a 13.5-point favorite. The College Football News expert panel is nearly unanimous in picking Iowa to win, but the spread has them more divided.
Iowa is coming off a strong season opener and looks to continue its dominance in the in-state rivalry. The consensus line from major sportsbooks has the Hawkeyes favored by 13.5 points, and 13 of 14 experts are picking Iowa to win outright. However, only six of those experts believe Iowa will cover the spread, suggesting the game could be closer than the line indicates.
What the Experts Are Saying About Iowa vs. Iowa State
Big Game Ben, Riley Donald, Pete Fiutak, Jackson Langendorf, Andrew Margolick, and Jake Margolick all pick Iowa to win and cover the spread. The rest of the panel, including Andre Cherry and Clucko the Chicken, see Iowa State keeping it competitive, with Clucko the Chicken actually picking the Cyclones to win outright.
This split reflects the uncertainty surrounding a rivalry game where records and expectations often go out the window. Iowa State has shown resilience in recent years and will look to spoil the Hawkeyes' momentum in front of a hostile crowd in Iowa City.
Big Ten Matchups Draw National Attention
Beyond the Cy-Hawk game, Week 2 features several marquee matchups with Big Ten implications. The biggest game of the weekend pits Ohio State against Texas in a battle of college football bluebloods. Texas is a slim 1.5-point favorite, but the experts are backing the Buckeyes, with 10 of 14 picks going to Ohio State.
Penn State travels to Temple as a 23.5-point favorite, with all 14 experts picking the Nittany Lions. Meanwhile, Minnesota hosts Mississippi State in a tight matchup, with the Gophers favored by just 1.5 points and 13 of 14 experts picking them to win.
Oklahoma at Michigan Highlights Non-Conference Slate
One of the most intriguing games of the week features Oklahoma traveling to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. The Sooners are 5.5-point road favorites, and the experts are firmly behind them, with 13 of 14 picks going to Oklahoma. Only Nick Shepkowski is picking Michigan to pull off the home upset.
This game carries extra weight as both programs look to establish themselves as national contenders early in the season. Oklahoma's high-powered offense will test a Michigan defense that has questions to answer after a shaky opener.
SEC Powerhouses Look to Roll in Week 2
Alabama hits the road to face Kentucky as a 10.5-point favorite, with all 14 experts picking the Crimson Tide. Georgia hosts Western Kentucky as a massive 40.5-point favorite, and LSU is a 35.5-point favorite over Louisiana Tech. The experts are unanimous on all three games.
Texas A&M hosts Arizona State as a 14.5-point favorite, with the entire panel picking the Aggies. However, several experts note that Texas A&M may not cover the spread, suggesting the Sun Devils could keep things interesting.
Expert Picks Results So Far
The College Football News panel has been sharp through the first week of the season. Riley Donald, John Kennedy, and Doug Millen lead the way with a 24-4 record straight up and a 17-11 record against the spread. The consensus pick has gone 23-5 straight up and 15-13 against the spread.
Clucko the Chicken, the panel's coin-flip mascot, has struggled at 10-18 straight up but has managed a respectable 15-13 record against the spread.
Week 2 College Football Picks at a Glance
Here are the consensus picks for the top games in Week 2:
- Missouri at Kansas: Missouri (-6)
- Oregon at Oklahoma State: Oregon (-22.5)
- Arizona State at Texas A&M: Texas A&M (-14.5)
- Washington State at Kansas State: Kansas State (-18.5)
- Oklahoma at Michigan: Oklahoma (-5.5)
- Penn State at Temple: Penn State (-23.5)
- Western Kentucky at Georgia: Georgia (-40.5)
- Rice at Notre Dame: Notre Dame (-44.5)
- Alabama at Kentucky: Alabama (-10.5)
- Mississippi State at Minnesota: Minnesota (-1.5)
- Duke at Illinois: Illinois (-6.5)
- Tennessee at Georgia Tech: Tennessee (-12.5)
- San Diego State at UCLA: UCLA (-11.5)
- Ohio State at Texas: Ohio State (+1.5)
- Louisiana Tech at LSU: LSU (-35.5)
- Texas Tech at Oregon State: Texas Tech (-3.5)
- Iowa State at Iowa: Iowa (-13.5)
- Arkansas at Utah: Utah (-12.5)
- Louisiana at USC: USC (-30.5)
- New Mexico State at Hawaii: Hawaii (-7.5)
Consensus lines are based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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This article was adapted from a report by Yahoo Sports Canada.