Iowa football: Vegas win total is perfect betting line

Las Vegas Sportsbook has the 2019 Iowa football team pegged for 7.5 wins. Here’s why that’s the perfect over/under projection.

After a 9-4 season capped off with an Outback Bowl victory over Mississippi State last year, expectations are higher for the Iowa football team this season. However, the Westgate Las Vegas Sportsbook has the Hawkeyes win total over/under betting line set at just 7.5. Now before we dive into the numbers, Iowa is long been known for producing out 8-4 seasons like an assembly line.

The projection set by Vegas is perfect for the 2019 squad because of the road schedule. Iowa’s home schedule this year is pretty weak. There’s no dancing around it. The toughest opponent is going to be Penn State and the Hawks are debuting their gold uniforms for that one.

The road schedule consists of visits to Iowa State, Michigan, Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Nebraska. It’s going to be the toughest road schedule Iowa has had in quite some time. Just straight up, if Iowa wins all their home games and loses all of their road games, that’s good for a 7-5 record.

Obviously, if they steal a couple of road games and perhaps drop one home, it’s an 8-4 record. That’s exactly why 7.5 is the perfect betting line set by Vegas. So much hinges on the Hawkeyes road schedule this year and the outcomes of those games.

Look back to 2009 when Iowa was in a similar situation. Coming off a 7-4 record in the 2008 regular season, Iowa beat South Carolina in the Outback Bowl to give them an 8-4 overall record. With several players coming back the next season, the Hawks rattled off road victories over Iowa State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan State, but fell at Ohio State.

If Kirk Ferentz can replicate those results on the road this season, it will go a long way towards having that special season that the Hawks have been flirting with the last couple of seasons. Look for Iowa to make some noise in their white jerseys in 2019.