Iowa vs Northwestern Prediction: College Football Playoff Elimination Game
· Yahoo Sports
Iowa is 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten, with wins over Michigan and Washington on the road, and with a 30-0 domination over Wisconsin last week. It might not make the Big Ten Championship with four more wins – the loss to Ohio State is a problem – but it’ll be a mortal lock to make the College Football Playoff at 10-2.
Northwestern is 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten, with a win over Penn State and close-call losses to Indiana and Oregon. Like Iowa, it might not make the Big Ten title game if it wins out – the loss to Indiana is a problem, and it doesn’t play UCLA – but it’ll almost certainly be in the CFP at 10-2.
The winner moves on, the loser is done – at least for the CFP – and the stakes are high for a big game being played at the same time as Miami vs Notre Dame and Georgia vs Ole Miss.
Iowa vs Northwestern: Quick Hits
- Iowa gets two of its last three games at home, hosting Purdue and Nebraska, with a date at Illinois in between.
- Northwestern goes to Ohio State and then Minnesota before closing out at home against Illinois.
- The two teams haven’t played since 2024 – a 40-14 Iowa win. The Hawkeyes have won the last four since 2020.
How To Watch Iowa vs Northwestern
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Game Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV: FOX
Location: Ryan Field, Evanston, IL
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Why Iowa Will Win
Iowa’s run defense is strong enough to keep Northwestern from getting things going. The Wildcats are at their best when they’re in control, and the backs get room to move in space, but Iowa’s run defense has kept everyone but Ohio State, Michigan, and Iowa State under 75 yards.
Offensively, the more time the Hawkeyes get to work, the more effective they are. The passing game has worked great all year, consistently hovering somewhere between 195 to 220 yards. Northwestern doesn’t have the pass rush to be much of a bother.
Why Northwestern Will Win
No turnovers, not enough penalties to matter, owning the time of possession battle and turnover margin – no, not Iowa, Northwestern.
Yeah, the Hawkeyes are good at all of that, too, but the Wildcats are special at keeping the mistakes to a bare minimum, with just three turnovers on the year – they’re fifth in the nation in turnover margin. They can out-Iowa, Iowa.
The Hawkeyes are 0-2 when turning it over multiple times. The swarming Cats will get one turnover, and if they get a second, look out.
Iowa vs Northwestern Prediction, Betting Lines
The quarterback situation for both sides will matter.
Iowa’s Hank Brown was brilliant against Wisconsin, completing 20-of-24 passes for 222 yards and two scores. He doesn’t have to take over the game, but he should be consistently decent without much pressure to deal with.
On the other side, Northwestern star Aidan Chiles is questionable with an undisclosed issue after struggling against Oregon – but expect him to go. No matter what, the Iowa defense should be able to hold up against the Wildcat running game, and its own offense will avoid the mistakes Northwestern will need.
Iowa 26, Northwestern 23
Latest Consensus Line: INorthwestern -2.5, o/u: 45.5
ATS Confidence (out of 5): 2
Must See Rating (out of 5): 4.5
Consensus line based on BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.