Missouri vs. Iowa in the Insight Bowl official betting preview. Missouri is a 2.5 point favorite with a total of 46.5. They are laying three-points in some Las Vegas and offshore sportsbooks.
Mizzou is 10-2 straight up and 7-5 to the number. They’ve gone under 8-of-11 this season. Iowa is 7-5 straight up, 5-6 against the spread, also going under 8-3.
Missouri gets 4.8 yards per rush to squads usually permitting 4.3, 6.6 yards per pass to 6.7, 5.7 yards per play to 5.4. On defense they allow 3.9 yards per rush versus teams normally getting 4.1, 5.8 yards per pass to 6.8 and 4.9 yards per play to 5.3.
The Hawkeyes get 4.1 yards per rush to squads usually permitting 4.4, 8.5 passing yards per attempt to 7.3 and 6.1 yards per play to 5.7.
Iowa allows 3.3 yards per rush to versus squads that earn 4.3, 6.1 yards per pass to 7.4 and 4.8 yards per play to 5.7.
Spread betting trends (all records are against the spread): The Tigers are 5-12 to teams with a winning record, 0-5 after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
Iowa 9-2 after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game, 24-9 after accumulating less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game, 21-8 after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
Over/under trends: Missouri under 8-1 to conference. Iowa under 22-5 after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game, under 7-0 to Big 12.
Top expert pick on this game: What a great night of betting. The ESPNU Big East O/U of the Year Providence/Syracuse is one of the strongest bets all season. The Insight Bowl late night game between Missouri and Iowa is also a whopping Level 5. If that’s not enough, yes week 16 in pro football closes out with what may be the strongest game side yet. Click now to purchase
Matt Rivers free pick winner Tuesday is on Missouri -2.5 over Iowa.
When this matchup first came out I was all over Kirk Ferentz’ experienced and senior laden Hawkeyes. I believed that with a month to prepare Iowa would prove to be the better team and outclass a good but not great Missouri team as they did last year against Georgia Tech. But then Johnson-Koulianos was suspended and Adam Robinson was deemed out and I did an about face and for good reason.
I still think Iowa is a solid enough team but the season was underachieving and now without two of their main cogs things just cannot come all that easy today. Blaine Gabbert and the Tigers were not a fluke at all this season and at full strength should be able to prevail here. The Tigers’ defense is certainly much improved from what it had been for years and the offense is high flying at times and at the very least extremely capable. Gabbert is a guy who could potentially be playing on Sundays and will make his share of plays today.
Gary Pinkel has been around the block awhile and quite possibly has his best team to date, even including the team led by Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin from a few seasons back.
Ferentz’ will have his team fired up but they are shorthanded and very possibly not as good as some people, including myself, believed they were earlier in the season.
The pick: Missouri -2.5.
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