| MATCHUP | Northern Iowa Panthers | Iowa Hawkeyes |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 1-1 | 2-0 |
| Where | Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | |
| When | Saturday, September 19, 2026 | |
| Time | 04:00 PM EDT | |
| TV | FS1 | |
Iowa Hawkeyes Preview
Iowa has a 2-0 record this season and are coming off a 16-13 home win against Iowa State. They will face Michigan and Ohio State next. Offensively, Iowa averages 28 points per game, ranking 85th in the nation, while defensively, they allow 6.5 points per game, which is 5th. Iowa averages 395.5 total yards per game (204.5 passing and 191 rushing), while allowing 187.5 total yards per game (72.5 rushing and 115 passing).
Hank Brown leads Iowa with 320 passing yards with 66% completed passes and one touchdown. Kamari Moulton leads the team in rushing yards with 240, while Tony Diaz has a team-high 15 receptions for 179 receiving yards. Defensively, Cam Buffington has a team-high 21 total tackles (13 of them solo), while Joseph Anderson leads the team with 1.5 sacks.
Northern Iowa Panthers Preview
Northern Iowa has a 1-1 record this season and are coming off a 56-14 home win against Drake. They will face Illinois State and North Dakota next. Offensively, Northern Iowa averages 40 points per game, while defensively, they allow 24 points per game. Northern Iowa averages 396.5 total yards per game (264.5 passing and 132 rushing).
Jaxon Dailey leads Northern Iowa with 529 passing yards with 3 touchdowns. Christian Collins leads the team in rushing yards with 49, while Brady McCullough has a team-high 8 receptions for 123 receiving yards. Defensively, John Powers has a team-high 17 total tackles, while Franz Reisz leads the team with 2 sacks.
Northern Iowa Panthers @ Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Trends: Week 3
Why the Iowa Hawkeyes will win
- Iowa has won each of its last 12 games against non-AP-ranked teams.
- Iowa has covered the spread in four of its last five games in September.
- Iowa has won the first quarter in four of its last five home games against teams from Iowa.
- Iowa has won the first half in seven of its last eight games as an AP-ranked team at Kinnick Stadium.
Why the Northern Iowa Panthers will win
- Iowa has failed to cover the spread in three of its last four home games against teams from Iowa.
Total Points Facts
- Each of Iowa’s last four home games have gone UNDER the total points line.
Iowa Hawkeyes Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 3, Caden Buhr ranks T8th amongst FBS players for made field goals (5) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- Iowa ranks T1st among FBS teams for Q1 opponent points per game this season (0.0).
- Iowa ranks T1st among FBS teams for Q4 opponent points per game this season (0.0).
Northern Iowa vs Iowa Prediction
In this Northern Iowa vs Iowa Prediction, Iowa is coming as -40.5 home favorites. Both teams are coming off wins in their previous games but Iowa has been undefeated and has the 5th-best defense in the entire country, while Northern Iowa is just 1-1 against FCS competition. Iowa has won all of its four meetings against Northern Iowa and is 3-1 against the spread in those 4 games and will be playing its third straight game at home court to start the season. Take Iowa for a blowout win to cover the -40.5 spread in this one.