JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Some early season football point spread are out, and Ken Miller of KXNO tweeted earlier this week that Iowa has been installed as a 7.5 point favorite by one of the Vegas bookmakers for this year's Cy-Hawk Rivalry game.
Not that such a number has anything to do with what is going to take place on the field, which history has certainly shown.
First off, I don't wager on games. Not that I have some moral objection to people making friendly wagers, however there are people that have a sickness associated with gambling and put their families at risk with their behavior.
For me, point spreads are fun part of the game...I like to make predictions based off point spreads, as it's a form of competition...so with that caveat out of the way, I will continue.
Here are point spreads I have found related to the Iowa-Iowa State game going back to 1998, the year that Iowa State snapped a 15-game Iowa winning streak in the series and made it a rivalry:
2010: Iowa -13.5
2009: Iowa -6
2008: Iowa -13
2007: Iowa -17
2006: Iowa -13
2005: Iowa -9
2004: Iowa -23
2003: Iowa -4
2002: Iowa -2
2001: Iowa -5
2000: Iowa +2
1999: Iowa +3
1998 Iowa -28
ISU has been the overwhelming 'beat your man' pick against the number in this series, covering the spread in 10 of the last 13 meetings. The Hawks have some momentum here, easily covering the spread in their last two meetings as Kirk Ferentz's squad has beaten Paul Rhoads' Cylones by a combined 70-10, and ISU hasn't scored a touchdown against Iowa's first or second team defense since 2006.
Given Iowa State's numerous question marks on offense heading into the 2011 season, multiple touchdowns seem a challenge for this year, too...However, Iowa's biggest unknowns for 2011 are mostly on the defensive side.
Since 1998, Iowa is 6-7 straight up against ISU. You can see the history and scores of the series since 1998 at this link.
ISU got 28 points in 1998 and beat Iowa 27-9.
The 2004 line was also quite different than the final score. Iowa was a 23 point favorite and won 17-10. In 2005, the Hawks came into Ames as a 9 point favorite and lost 23-3.
Right now, if I were forced to make a point spread pick on this year's game between the teams, I'd pick Iowa to cover the 7.5.
I wonder how Vegas has fared on this game through the years, however? I would guess a number of Hawkeye fans that like to make plays on this game have gone against their heart and put their green down on the Clones, cheering for an Iowa win but collecting at the gate. On the other side, I am guessing more than a few Cyclone fans who like to put action down on games have fared real well with this series through the years...
Which is why I just don't put money down on games...even if there were a legal Sports Book at Prairie Meadows, I don't think I'd do it because so much emotion goes into this game that certain reliable factors can get caught up in the emotional wash, especially when the game is at Jack Trice, which it is this year.
Not that such a number has anything to do with what is going to take place on the field, which history has certainly shown.
First off, I don't wager on games. Not that I have some moral objection to people making friendly wagers, however there are people that have a sickness associated with gambling and put their families at risk with their behavior.
For me, point spreads are fun part of the game...I like to make predictions based off point spreads, as it's a form of competition...so with that caveat out of the way, I will continue.
Here are point spreads I have found related to the Iowa-Iowa State game going back to 1998, the year that Iowa State snapped a 15-game Iowa winning streak in the series and made it a rivalry:
2010: Iowa -13.5
2009: Iowa -6
2008: Iowa -13
2007: Iowa -17
2006: Iowa -13
2005: Iowa -9
2004: Iowa -23
2003: Iowa -4
2002: Iowa -2
2001: Iowa -5
2000: Iowa +2
1999: Iowa +3
1998 Iowa -28
ISU has been the overwhelming 'beat your man' pick against the number in this series, covering the spread in 10 of the last 13 meetings. The Hawks have some momentum here, easily covering the spread in their last two meetings as Kirk Ferentz's squad has beaten Paul Rhoads' Cylones by a combined 70-10, and ISU hasn't scored a touchdown against Iowa's first or second team defense since 2006.
Given Iowa State's numerous question marks on offense heading into the 2011 season, multiple touchdowns seem a challenge for this year, too...However, Iowa's biggest unknowns for 2011 are mostly on the defensive side.
Since 1998, Iowa is 6-7 straight up against ISU. You can see the history and scores of the series since 1998 at this link.
ISU got 28 points in 1998 and beat Iowa 27-9.
The 2004 line was also quite different than the final score. Iowa was a 23 point favorite and won 17-10. In 2005, the Hawks came into Ames as a 9 point favorite and lost 23-3.
Right now, if I were forced to make a point spread pick on this year's game between the teams, I'd pick Iowa to cover the 7.5.
I wonder how Vegas has fared on this game through the years, however? I would guess a number of Hawkeye fans that like to make plays on this game have gone against their heart and put their green down on the Clones, cheering for an Iowa win but collecting at the gate. On the other side, I am guessing more than a few Cyclone fans who like to put action down on games have fared real well with this series through the years...
Which is why I just don't put money down on games...even if there were a legal Sports Book at Prairie Meadows, I don't think I'd do it because so much emotion goes into this game that certain reliable factors can get caught up in the emotional wash, especially when the game is at Jack Trice, which it is this year.
