Northwestern looks to end Iowa's four-game run in Big Ten play

Iowa has the long view in this series, leading 10-8 across 18 meetings since 2007 and riding a four-game winning streak that includes Northwestern's inability to beat the Hawkeyes since November 2021. Northwestern hasn't even scored more than 14 points against Iowa since October 2020, a number that hangs over this year's matchup even with both teams arriving at 6-2.

Versus sees this one as close to even, projecting Northwestern 24, Iowa 23, with the Wildcats favored at 52 percent. Iowa carries the better defense on paper, graded A+ and ranked 9th in FBS, against an A- offense ranked 32nd, while Northwestern is more balanced with an A- offense at 22nd and an A- defense at 25th. Iowa holds a slight edge in power rank, 16th to Northwestern's 20th, though neither team's strength of schedule rank stands out, Iowa at 33rd and Northwestern at 27th.

Northwestern brings a nine-game home winning streak into the day and is off to its best eight-game start since 2020. Iowa, meanwhile, has strung together 14 straight winning seasons and climbed as high as 10th in FBS this year. Both of those are the kind of form the history between these two has rarely let Northwestern turn into results.