Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats odds, spread & prediction
Iowa Hawkeyes5-2
Northwestern Wildcats6-1Northwestern hosts Iowa at Ryan Field on Saturday riding a four-game winning streak, while the Hawkeyes arrive having dropped two of their last three.
See the full college football board & lines →Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats prediction: who is favored
The market favors the Northwestern Wildcats at -138 on the moneyline, a 57% implied chance to win.
BettorEdge community odds as of Oct 30. This is what bettors are pricing, not a pick, and it moves as money comes in.
At a glance
- Northwestern is the favorite at home; the fair price in the markets is -138
- Iowa enters 5-2, Northwestern 6-1 overall
- Iowa has won five of the last six meetings, including a 40-14 blowout in 2024
Lines at a glance
Where this game is priced right now. Every number is peer to peer, so there is no house margin in it.
No spread is shown for this game. The market has not settled on one number yet, and a spread we cannot confirm against the moneyline is worse than none at all.
Iowa vs Northwestern preview
Set Your Own Number on BettorEdge
The fair price in the markets is +127 for Iowa and -138 for Northwestern. That is exactly where peer-to-peer trading pays off: post the number you believe is right, and let the community trade against it. No vig means every cent of edge stays with you.
Form and Scoring
Northwestern is 6-1 with four straight wins, averaging 34.7 points per game and allowing 16.6. Iowa is 5-2 but has lost two of its last three, including a 13-10 defeat at Minnesota most recently. The Hawkeyes do have a strong defensive profile at 14.3 points allowed per game, and they did beat Michigan on the road earlier this season. Northwestern's only loss came at Indiana.
Recent Meetings at Ryan Field
Iowa has won five of the last six meetings between these programs. The most recent game was a 40-14 Iowa win in 2024, and Iowa also won at Ryan Field in 2019 by a 20-0 score and in 2021 by 17-12. Northwestern's lone win in that six-game window came in 2020 at Kinnick, 21-20. The Wildcats have home field Saturday, but this series has leaned heavily Iowa in recent years.
How the Game Sets Up
Northwestern's home-field advantage and four-game winning streak give the market reason to favor them, but Iowa's defensive numbers and head-to-head history make them a live underdog at +127. Price it yourself, get the number you want, and let the open interest tell the story as orders come in.
How to play it
Iowa at +127 is the contrarian play given the series history and a defense that holds opponents to 14.3 points per game. The smart move is to get on the board early and set the number before the community does. Watch the open interest once orders post; that lean will be the clearest signal this game produces.
2026 season so far
Every result both teams have posted this season, with scoring averages.
- vs Northern IllinoisW 40-0
- vs Iowa StateW 16-13
- vs Northern IowaW 55-0
- at MichiganW 20-19
- vs Ohio StateL 14-31
- at WashingtonW 41-24
- at MinnesotaL 10-13
Went 9-4 in 2025. Current streak: L1. Home: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA.
- vs South Dakota StateW 34-18
- vs ColoradoW 41-7
- at IndianaL 23-29
- vs Penn StateW 34-13
- vs Ball StateW 45-14
- at Michigan StateW 24-21
- vs RutgersW 42-14
Went 7-6 in 2025. Current streak: W4. Home: Ryan Field, Evanston, IL.
Matchup history
Iowa Hawkeyes and Northwestern Wildcats last played on Saturday, Oct 26, 2024, when the Iowa Hawkeyes won 40–14. Over the last 6 meetings: Iowa Hawkeyes 5, Northwestern Wildcats 1.
NUNorthwestern Wildcats@IOWAIowa Hawkeyes14–40IOWAIOWAIowa HawkeyesvsNUNorthwestern Wildcats10–7IOWANUNorthwestern Wildcats@IOWAIowa Hawkeyes13–33IOWAIOWAIowa Hawkeyes@NUNorthwestern Wildcats17–12IOWANWNorthwestern Wildcats@IOWAIowa Hawkeyes21–20NWIOWAIowa Hawkeyes@NWNorthwestern Wildcats20–0IOWAMeetings from the last 8 seasons, from ESPN.
Preseason scouting report
Iowa Hawkeyes
- Starting QB from last season is gone, so backup QB Jeremy Hecklinski (2 for 2, 8 yards, 0 TDs in 2 games played)
- Kamari Moulton returns at RB after a sophomore season of 878 yards and 5 TDs. South Dakota transfer Lendon Phillips Jr is expected to split carries (1,920 yards - led FCS, 19 TDs)
- Top player in terms of receiving yards returns in DJ Vonnahme (434 yards, 3 TDs). Two transfers are expected to start at WR in UT-Rio Grande Valley transfer Tony Diaz (881 yards, 11 TDs) and Furman WR Evan James (796 yards, 7 TDs)
- Returning two starting offensive lineman
Northwestern Wildcats
- New offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly (Las Vegas Raiders Offensive Coordinator)
- Starting QB from last season is gone. Michigan State transfer Aidan Chiles is expected to start (1,392 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs; 227 rushing yards, 6 rushing TDs)
- Caleb Komolafe returns at RB after a sophomore season of 941 yards and 11 TDs
- All three starting WRs return in Griffin Wilde (880 yards, 8 TDs), Hayden Elgon II (521 yards, 3 TDs), and Drew Wagner (172 yards, 2 TDs)
The rest of the slate
Every other Power 5 game with a live market right now.
More college football odds
Frequently asked questions
What time does Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats start?+
Iowa Hawkeyes at Northwestern Wildcats kicks off Saturday, Nov 7, 1:00 PM ET at Ryan Field in Evanston, IL. Start times are listed in Eastern; check your own zone if you are watching from elsewhere.
Who is favored in Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats?+
The Northwestern Wildcats are favored at -138 on the moneyline in prediction markets. Prices move as money comes in, and on BettorEdge you can set your own number on either side.
What is the spread for Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats?+
No spread is posted for this game yet. College markets open later and move more than NFL markets, and we would rather show you nothing than a number we cannot confirm.
What are Iowa and Northwestern's records in 2026?+
The Iowa Hawkeyes are 5-2 and the Northwestern Wildcats are 6-1 this season. Iowa is scoring 28 points a game and allowing 14.3; Northwestern is scoring 34.7 and allowing 16.6.
When did Iowa and Northwestern last play?+
They last met on Saturday, Oct 26, 2024, when Iowa Hawkeyes won 40-14 at Kinnick Stadium. Over the last 6 meetings in the past 8 seasons, Iowa has won 5 and Northwestern 1.
What is the "community lean" on this game?+
It is the share of real money posted on each team on the BettorEdge peer-to-peer order book. Because every price is backed by another bettor, the open interest is a genuine read on what the community believes.
When do the lines lock?+
Markets lock at kickoff, Saturday, Nov 7, 1:00 PM ET. Prices move as money comes in beforehand, so the community lean and the best number can shift right up until the game starts.
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