The UMass Minutemen will face the Iowa Hawkeyes in Week 3 of the college football season on Saturday. UMass grades out as one of the worst teams in FBS football going into this week. They will have their hands full against an Iowa team hungry to bounce back after losing a rivalry game last week. Here, I break down this matchup and give you my UMass vs Iowa prediction from Iowa City.
Our UMass vs Iowa Pick
- Pick: UMass +34.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
- Get Your Bonus Bets: Use the bet365 promo code ATSBONUS to bet $5 and get $300 in bonus bets guaranteed when betting this game!
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+ 
4.8/5
✓ Early Payouts
✓ 100% Parlay Boost
✓ Daily LineUps
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
✓ Early Payouts
✓ 100% Parlay Boost
✓ Daily LineUps
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: UMass Minutemen vs Iowa Hawkeyes
- Date & Time: Saturday, September 13, 2025, 7:30 p.m. EDT
- Venue: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
- Broadcast: Big Ten Network
UMass vs Iowa Odds
| Spread | Total |
|---|---|
| Iowa -34.5 | 43.5 |
Key Storylines
- UMass Struggles: The Minutemen are 0-2 and have a combined record of 26-122 since moving to the FBS ranks in 2012. Their last game was a 27-26 loss at home to FCS Bryant. That does not bode well going into a matchup against a Big Ten opponent.
- Iowa’s Offensive Woes: Iowa enters the game with a 1-1 record. They lost 16-13 to Iowa State in their annual rivalry game last week. The Hawkeyes’ offense has been inconsistent. Quarterback Mark Gronowski completed only 13 of 24 passes for 83 yards and an interception in the loss to Iowa State. The Hawkeyes didn’t look all that impressive on offense against FCS UAlbany in their opener and that will need to change to prevent this game from getting interesting.
Quarterback Play
- Mark Gronowski (Iowa): The sophomore quarterback has shown flashes of potential but has struggled with consistency. He has completed just 21 of his 39 pass attempts for the season for 127 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. He has to be better for Iowa to have success this season. But the Hawkeyes should be fine no matter how he performs in this game.
- Brandon Rose (UMass): UMass’ starting quarterback is Brandon Rose. Rose has struggled early in the season and has failed to throw a touchdown pass in 2025. Better quarterbacks than Rose have struggled against the Iowa defense and just avoiding a shutout might be considered a win for the Minutemen.
Betting Trends & H2H
- UMass is 0-2 against the spread this season.
- Iowa is 0-1-1 against the spread for the year.
- Both of UMass’ games have gone over their totals.
- Both of Iowa’s games have gone under their totals to begin this season.
- This is the first meeting between UMass and Iowa.
UMass vs Iowa Model Projection
- Score Projection: Iowa 41 – UMass 10
- Win Probability: Iowa 98%, UMass 2%
Final Thoughts
I am going to take the points with UMass against Iowa on Saturday night. The Minutemen are pretty dismal on both sides of the ball. But we saw Iowa fail to cover as a huge favorite against the UAlbany Great Danes and I think we see something similar here. Iowa should win comfortably, but not by enough to cover the spread.
