The No. 16 Iowa Hawkeyes will line up against the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines in this year’s Big Ten championship game. The action will get underway at a neutral site, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis — but the books aren’t keen on the scoring, especially not for Iowa’s offense — Iowa’s team total is hilariously low. Let’s dive into the Big Ten championship odds and total for Saturday’s Iowa-Michigan game. If you’re hungry for more college football picks, check out our lock for conference championship week or our college football betting tools.
Big Ten Championship Odds: Will Iowa Even Score on Michigan?
Big Ten Championship Odds
Odds via bet365
Iowa: +1250 | Michigan: -2500
Iowa +23: -110 Michigan: -23: -110
Over 35.5: -110 | Under 35.5: -110
When: Saturday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. ET
Iowa’s Team Total Against Michigan: 6.5
Yes, you read that right. With the spread trading at 23 for Michigan and the total trading at 35.5, Iowa’s team total at bet365 is just 6.5. They are priced at -115 to go over or stay under that number. Essentially, the sportsbooks are saying it’s 50/50 whether Iowa will even put up the equivalent of a touchdown in the Big Ten championship game.
Iowa’s offense has been a laughingstock of the college football world for several seasons now with offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz at the helm, and this weekend’s action is just another embarrassing story for the Hawkeyes.
So will the Iowa Hawkeyes even score on Michigan this week? At some books, their first-half team total is trading at 0.5 with the juice on the under — essentially, the books are saying that it’s likelier than not that Michigan will hold Iowa scoreless for a half. It makes sense — the Hawkeyes rank 120th in points per game (18) and 117th in points per first half (8.9), while the Wolverines rank first in points allowed per game (10.3) and third in points allowed per first half (5.4).
Bettors considering a wager (or two!) on the under should know a few things about Iowa’s offense. First, the quarterback they poached from Michigan in the offseason, Cade McNamara, is out for the season with a knee injury. Star return specialist and defensive back Cooper DeJean is also done for the year. McNamara had thrown for four passing scores on 90 attempts before his injury. His backup, Deacon Hill, has thrown for five touchdowns on 201 attempts while running for another two, scoring at least once in each of his last five games. DeJean had one return touchdown on the year (and another that was controversially ruled a fair catch).
Iowa is 10-2 to the under this year despite embarrassingly low totals. They went over just once in Big Ten play, surpassing the closing number of 36.5 against Michigan State. They also went over the 43 — their second-highest total of the season — against Western Michigan. But since the Michigan State game, which took place back in late September, Iowa has yet to cash an over. That is despite closing numbers of 34.5 against Wisconsin, 30.5 against Minnesota, 31.5 against Northwestern, 27.5 against Rutgers, and, most recently, 26 against Nebraska.
If you’re looking to get some skin in the game on Iowa-Michigan because of the odds, bet365 has got you covered. Want to fade Iowa’s historically terrible offense? Consider buying the under on their team total of 6.5 for -115. Expect some positive regression from their offense — or, you know, want to root for a classic Iowa defensive touchdown? Consider buying the over for the same price. New users can choose between two fantastic special offers: $150 in bonus bets after placing a $5 wager or your first bet paid back up to $1,000 in bonus bets. New users in Louisiana can even get $365 in bonus bets just for wagering $1!
