The upcoming clash between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday is the traditional “Heroes Game,” with both teams entering at 7-4. Iowa is coming off a 20-17 win over the Michigan State Spartans, while Nebraska is trying to rebound from a 37-10 loss at Penn State. The winner of this game will end the season ahead of the loser in the Big Ten standings. For a full breakdown of this contest, including my Iowa vs Nebraska prediction, you’ve come to the right place.
Our Iowa vs Nebraska Pick
- Pick: Over 38.5
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Iowa Hawkeyes vs Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Date & Time: Friday, November 28, 2025, 12:00 PM Eastern
- Venue: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE
- Broadcast: CBS
Key Storylines
- Rivalry and momentum: This is the 56th meeting between these programs and the 15th since Nebraska joined the Big Ten. While Nebraska leads the all-time series, Iowa holds a 10-4 advantage in conference play. The Hawkeyes have won the last two, both by narrow margins with game-winning field goals. The road team has won 9 of the last 13 meetings between these teams.
- Big Picture for Nebraska: A win would send Nebraska to an eight-win regular season, its best mark since 2016. That’s a key incentive, especially with Matt Rhule’s future in Lincoln seemingly secured for now.
- What Nebraska needs to change: After allowing 37 points to Penn State, the Cornhuskers must shore up their tackling and maintain their gaps, particularly against the run. Iowa’s run game and physical front are tailor-made to test those weaknesses.
- Bowl positioning: The winner of this game will finish the season 8-4 and the winner will go into bowl season with a record of 7-5. This game will likely determine which of these teams gets a better bowl game assignment, meaning there are still stakes for both sides.
Quarterback Play
Iowa’s offense is led by senior signal-caller Mark Gronowski. He has passed for 1,363 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. He also has 427 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Gronowski’s ability to keep drives alive on the ground and stay efficient enough through the air gives Iowa a balanced offensive attack has usually been enough to get them by in their games.
Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola is unavailable after a season-ending injury, placing pressure on freshman backup quarterback TJ Lateef. Given the strength of Iowa’s pass defense, Nebraska’s passing game could struggle. But if Lateef can be productive, the Cornhuskers could pull off the upset of the Hawkeyes.
Betting Trends
- Iowa has covered the spread in 7 of their 11 games this season. Nebraska has gone 4-7 against the spread overall.
- Iowa has had 4 of their first 11 games stay under their totals. Nebraska has seen 8 of their first 11 games go over their totals.
Iowa vs Nebraska Model Projection
Score Projection: Iowa 24 – Nebraska 17
Win Probability: Iowa 62%, Nebraska 38%
Final Thoughts
Iowa should be able to get the win in this contest on Friday. But my best bet for this matchup is for the over to cash. Iowa should be able to chew up some yardage on the ground throughout this contest to put points on the board and Nebraska should do just enough from an offensive standpoint to push this game over the total.
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