It won't decide the Big Ten West or the College Football Playoff race. It won't even be broadcast on national television. But No. 17 Iowa and Nebraska still have plenty to play for on Black Friday. The two programs find themselves in different spots. The Hawkeyes have put together yet another solid, consistent season. Say what you will about Kirk Ferentz's group, but it has an identity and the wins have generally followed.
Nebraska, meanwhile, hasn't had nearly the same kind of success. As the Cornhuskers prepare to wrap up Scott Frost's second year in Lincoln, it seems the preseason hype was just too much to live up to as the team is fighting for bowl eligibility in its finale.
What can you expect from this Big Ten showdown on Friday afternoon? Let's take a closer look at this matchup and make some picks both straight up and against the spread.
Storylines
Iowa: The Hawkeyes are 17 points away from being undefeated. And, to be sure, there's nothing wrong with losing to Michigan, Penn State and Wisconsin, all of which are 9-2. If Iowa's offense was even a little more productive -- see the first half of the win over Minnesota -- it might be unbeaten and we'd be talking about this team in a very different light. Instead, Iowa is averaging just under 2.5 touchdowns per game and leaning heavily one of the best defenses in the nation. There's a bit of an Auburn factor here, though with more stability at quarterback. What that means for its season-ending game against Nebraska is that we could be talking about a quiet 9-3 team that could go to a semi-decent bowl with a chance to win 10 games.
Nebraska: Even if you weren't on the Nebraska hype train before the start of the year, getting to a bowl game felt like a foregone conclusion for this team. And, yet, it's late November and the Huskers are a touchdown dog to even get to .500. OK, so coach Scott Frost didn't have the massive turnaround in Year 2, but he recently agreed to a two-year extension and the university still has a lot of confidence in him. Getting those extra bowl practices make a big difference. That can be especially true for the offense and quarterback Adrian Martinez. The sophomore has been banged up, but he's also been hesitant. Maybe those things, coupled with other problems around him, are one and the same. At this point, anything positive goes a long way in building for the future. Frost is clearly still working on that.
Viewing information
Date: Friday, Nov. 29 | Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Memorial Stadium -- Lincoln, Nebraska
TV: Big Ten Network | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Game prediction, picks
There are a couple of factors for a spread this size. One is Nebraska's desperation to get back to a bowl game while playing in front of a home crowd. That's worth a few points, maybe even a little more. There's also the matter of whether Iowa can create enough separation to win by a comfortable margin. The Hawkeyes have actually been a decent team against the spread this year, both on the road and as a favorite. One thing you can say about them is they've been pretty reliable. Each game has more or less gone the same. You know who they are. Nebraska? If they're not turning a corner by now, it's probably not happening at all. I'd usually take a home dog here, but Iowa's defense has been so dominant and I think they find a touchdown to cover. Pick: Iowa (-6.5)
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November 29, 2019 at 09:15AM
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Iowa vs. Nebraska: Prediction, pick, odds, line, point spread, football game, kickoff time, preview - CBS Sports
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