Iowa Hawkeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats Preview & Odds — November 7, 2026
IOWAOffense2026 regular season to dateNU
IOWADefenseNUIOWARecent formNUIOWAHome and roadseason to dateNUIOWALast 10 gamesNURest & travelrest and travel
IOWARest & travelNUAbout these numbers
2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.
Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.
Margin of each of the last 8 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.
Distance is a straight-line estimate from each team's home arena, not the team's actual itinerary; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game this season (7 = a normal week); preseason games do not count. Schedule facts only: no fatigue adjustment is applied.
Matchup preview
Iowa (5-2) visits Northwestern (5-2) on Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 PM ET.
Iowa has the 68th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 26th-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Northwestern has the 5th-ranked offense and the 66th-ranked defense. When Iowa has the ball, a 68th-ranked offense (+0.060 EPA per play) meets a 66th-ranked defense (+0.062 allowed); when Northwestern has it, a 5th-ranked offense (+0.307) meets a 26th-ranked defense (−0.063 allowed).
By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Iowa offense is at 43.3% (108th) and the Northwestern offense at 52.3% (12th). Iowa scores 24.4 points per game (75th) and allows 14.3 (8th); Northwestern scores 33.6 (22nd) and allows 18.9 (23rd).
Iowa is 6-2 and 5-3 against the spread; its last game was a 30-0 win over Wisconsin. Northwestern is 6-2 and 5-3 against the spread; its last game was a 34-26 loss to Oregon.
Northwestern is a 2.5-point favorite at home against Iowa. The spread opened at Northwestern -1.5. The total is 45.5, up from 43.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the moneyline (Iowa +115, Northwestern -137) prices Iowa at 45% and Northwestern at 55%.
Built from public team and player data; ranks are league-wide and update daily until kickoff.
Market
Odds and line movement
Iowa +1.5 (-112)
Iowa +2.5 (-105)
Northwestern -117 52%
Northwestern -137 55%
Consensus of US sportsbooks. The Now column updates from our odds board. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.
Best available prices on Nov 5
- Iowa +2.5+100Novig
- Northwestern -2.5-102Novig
- Over 45.5+100Novig
- Under 45.5-104Novig
- Iowa+117Novig
- Northwestern-119ProphetX
Members
G&W Line
G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics
Matchup
Players to watch
- Attempts169
- Completion %64.5%80th
- Passing yards1,190193rd
- Yards per attempt7.0149th
- TD–INT8–3
- Rushing yards54165th
- Season line86 carries, 541 yds, 4 TD
- Receiving yards46190th
- Season line33 catches, 461 yds, 2 TD
- Tackles7035th
- Attempts202
- Completion %68.8%24th
- Passing yards1,89862nd
- Yards per attempt9.415th
- TD–INT13–1
- Rushing yards61843rd
- Season line104 carries, 618 yds, 5 TD
- Receiving yards76114th
- Season line44 catches, 761 yds, 5 TD
- Tackles6743rd
Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 264 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured November 4, 5:38 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.
Success by situation
| Situation | Iowa | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| Early-down success rateIowa offense vs Northwestern defense | 40.2%105th | 43.9%86th |
| Early-down success rateNorthwestern offense vs Iowa defense | 44.3%93rd | 47.8%15th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateIowa offense vs Northwestern defense | 43.0%45th | 41.7%80th |
| 3rd-down conversion rateNorthwestern offense vs Iowa defense | 33.3%17th | 48.7%20th |
| Explosive play rateIowa offense vs Northwestern defense | 5.6%108th | 7.5%91st |
| Explosive play rateNorthwestern offense vs Iowa defense | 5.9%45th | 9.0%8th |
| Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks | 53.0%47th-highest | 45.5%109th-highest |
On 3rd down Iowa converts 43.0% (45th) against a Northwestern defense allowing 41.7% (80th).
On 3rd down Northwestern converts 48.7% (20th) against a Iowa defense allowing 33.3% (17th).
2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.
Coaching staff
| Staff | Iowa | Northwestern |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Kirk Ferentz | David Braun |
| Tenureat this school | 28th season | 4th season |
| Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below | 219–130 | 25–21 |
| Career recordas an FBS head coach | 219–130 | 25–21 |
| Offensive coordinator | Tim Lester | Chip Kelly |
| Defensive coordinator | Phil Parker | Tim McGarigle |
Staff list as of November 3, 6:50 a.m. ET.
Head-to-head
The teams have met 4 times since 2021: Iowa won 4 and Northwestern 0.
| Date | Score | Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 26, 2024 | Northwestern 14, Iowa 40 Iowa won | ||
| Nov 4, 2023 neutral | Iowa 10, Northwestern 7 Iowa won | ||
| Oct 29, 2022 | Northwestern 13, Iowa 33 Iowa won | ||
| Nov 6, 2021 | Iowa 17, Northwestern 12 Iowa won |
Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.
Result
After the final: score vs the closing line, Drive X-Ray and the graded official play, if there was one, appear here on this same page.
Teams
Iowa Hawkeyes
- Iowa Hawkeyes team stats
- Wisconsin Badgers 0, Iowa Hawkeyes 30 (Oct 31)
- Iowa Hawkeyes 10, Minnesota Golden Gophers 13 (Oct 24)
- Iowa Hawkeyes 41, Washington Huskies 24 (Oct 9)
Northwestern Wildcats
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