The Iowa Hawkeyes are 0-4 straight up and 1-3 against the spread in their last four bowl game appearances. The Hawkeyes will try to snap that losing streak against the Florida Gators in the Outback Bowl on Monday afternoon.
2017 Outback Bowl odds: Iowa a field goal underdog against Florida
The Iowa Hawkeyes will try to win their first bowl game since 2010 on Monday as they take on the Florida Gators as small underdogs in the Outback Bowl.
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Iowa is a 3-point underdog in Tampa at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. In their last 13 games coming off a loss in the previous game, the Hawkeyes are 10-2-1 ATS.
Just one season removed from a 12-2 SU and 7-6-1 ATS record in 2015, Iowa’s bowl eligibility was still in question in November after a 5-4 SU and 3-6 ATS start. The Hawkeyes earned bowl eligibility with one of the biggest upsets of the year, stunning Michigan 14-13 as a 24-point home underdog. Iowa followed up that win with a 28-0 road win over Illinois and a 40-10 win over Nebraska, ending the regular season with a 3-0 SU and ATS run fueled by some outstanding defense.
The Hawkeyes are a respectable 9-6-1 ATS in their last 16 games as an underdog, but they have only five outright upsets over that stretch per the OddsShark College Football Database.
Betting Line / Total: Florida -3 / 40.5 Points
Trend: The total has gone over in five of Iowa’s last seven games against the SEC.
Trend: Florida is 5-2 SU and ATS in its last seven games in January.
Florida ranked sixth in the nation in yardage surrendered, allowing 299 yards per game, and 10th in the country in scoring defense, allowing 17.9 points per game. That elite defense led the Gators to the SEC East title, but an abysmal offense left the Gators desiring more with an 8-4 SU and 5-7 ATS campaign. The Gators’ 345 yards per game ranked 115th in the nation and left Florida with little chance in games where the defense didn’t play perfectly. Florida is 5-2 SU and ATS in its last seven games in January.
Monday’s total is set at 40.5 points. The UNDER is 5-1 in Florida’s last six games.
Barring any major surprises, points figure to be extremely hard to come by in the Outback Bowl. Florida holds the slight edge on defense and Iowa holds the slight edge on offense, making this game a tough one to predict as the low spread indicates. Big plays on defense and special teams will likely decide this defensive battle between these two fairly even teams.
Florida Gators vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
When: Monday, Jan. 2, 1 p.m. ET
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
