Iowa vs. Iowa State: Hawkeyes open as 4-point favorite vs. Cyclones

Following Week 1 both Iowa and Iowa State will go into the annual rivalry game unbeaten, setting up a showdown that should be fun to watch.

Iowa’s offense came to life in a game against Utah State that proved tough to pull away in despite the strong play from quarterback Cade McNamara. McNamara, who was initially listed as questionable for the game, threw for two touchdowns without an interception, a successful debut for the Michigan transfer.

McNamara was able to lead the Hawkeyes to a 24-14 win in the opener.

Iowa State, meanwhile, won big over Northern Iowa, securing a 30-9 result to open the season.

But it’s Iowa that Las Vegas likes as a 4-point favorite heading into the annual rivalry game between the two schools, according to FanDuel. Iowa had won six games in a row in the series before Iowa State snapped that streak with a 10-7 win in last season’s game.

Fans of both programs will probably be hoping the season-opening results are more indicative of the kind of offense they’ll see than last year’s game.

McNamara showing impressive grit

McNamara has been battling through much of his collegiate career, from his days as a Michigan Wolverine to now, proving that he is one of the better quarterbacks in college football today. And according to Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, that natural competitive spirit of his is what will help McNamara bounce back from his injury quickly.

“He’s just wired that way. It’s natural. He’s a very competitive guy; he’s a very positive guy and very strong-willed,” said Ferentz. “Going back to the nature part, I always felt like you can only do so much. Like if you got a broken bone, it’s gotta heal. I totally get that.

“But from my experiences with guys, mental toughness really helps guys get back to the field faster. And some are more wired that way than others. So that’s certainly not something he’s lacking, and there’s no question he wants to be out there.”

McNamara transferred to Iowa in the offseason after spending the first three years of his college career at Michigan. He led the Wolverines to a Big Ten championship and a College Football Playoff berth as the starting quarterback in 2021 but was bested by J.J. McCarthy for the starting job in 2022.

With the Wolverines, McNamara was controlled and poised in the pocket, throwing for 3,181 yards, 21 passing touchdowns, and seven interceptions, while completing 63.1 percent of his pass attempts.