Iowa's defense has given up just 87 points all season, and that number gets a real test against a Minnesota team trying to snap a one-game skid.
Iowa Hawkeyes (5-1, W1) travel to Huntington Bank Stadium to face Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-2, L1) on Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 3:30 PM ET, airing on FS1.
Iowa has outscored opponents 186-87 this season, while Minnesota sits at 173 points for and 131 against.
Game details
| When | Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 3:30 PM ET |
| Where | Huntington Bank Stadium |
| TV | FS1 |
| Line | Iowa Hawkeyes -7 | O/U 40.5 (market view) |
| Iowa Hawkeyes record | 5-1 |
| Minnesota Golden Gophers record | 4-2 |
The matchup
Iowa's only blemish this season came against Ohio State Buckeyes, a 14-31 loss in week 5, but the Hawkeyes bounced back with a 41-24 win over Washington Huskies in week 6 to push their streak to W1. Before that stretch, Iowa handled Michigan Wolverines 20-19, blew out Northern Iowa Panthers 55-0, and edged Iowa State Cyclones 16-13.
Minnesota enters on a different note, having dropped its most recent game 13-41 to Purdue Boilermakers after wins over Michigan Wolverines (20-14) and Washington Huskies (27-24). The Gophers also beat Akron Zips 41-7 and lost 13-38 to Mississippi State Bulldogs earlier in the year, leaving them at L1 heading into this one.
Key matchups
This one comes down to whether Minnesota's offense can find consistency against an Iowa defense that has allowed only 87 points through six games. Iowa's own offense, which has put up 186 points this season, will lean on that scoring pace against a Minnesota defense that has given up 131 points.
With no individual injury designations or depth-chart notes in the data, the matchup reads as strength on strength: Iowa's defensive numbers against Minnesota's attempt to replicate the offensive success it had against Michigan and Washington.
The pick
Iowa gets the edge here. The Hawkeyes are favored by 7.0 points with a market score of Iowa 24, Minnesota 17, and a season-long scoring margin that backs up the number.
Minnesota has shown it can hang with ranked-caliber competition, beating both Michigan and Washington, but the L1 skid and the gap in points allowed make Iowa the side to trust on the road.
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Iowa Hawkeyes | Wk6 W 41-24 vs Washington Huskies, Wk5 L 14-31 vs Ohio State Buckeyes, Wk4 W 20-19 vs Michigan Wolverines |
| Minnesota Golden Gophers | Wk6 L 13-41 vs Purdue Boilermakers, Wk5 W 20-14 vs Michigan Wolverines, Wk4 W 27-24 vs Washington Huskies |
Written by Cole Saturday, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores and box scores), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.