Iowa football vs. Minnesota: Who wins? Final score predictions

After a much-needed bye week, No. 14 Iowa returns to the gridiron. And it’s only fitting that the Floyd of Rosedale will be on the line.

The Hawkeyes travel up north for a road matchup at Minnesota on Saturday. The Gophers enter this game at 4-2 (2-1 Big Ten), and with a similar resume to Iowa. They’ve also beaten Michigan and Washington in Big Ten play this season. P.J. Fleck’s team is coming off a bye week where they had to sit in the stench of a 41-13 loss to Purdue. They’ll be ready to go on Saturday.

Iowa heads into this game at 5-1 (2-1 Big Ten), with a home loss to Ohio State as its only blemish. Kirk Ferentz’s team is getting healthier and will turn to third-year Jeremy Hecklinski for a second-straight start at quarterback. He was great in the 41-24 road win at Washington a few weeks ago.

With the coveted Floyd of Rosedale trophy on the line, it’s time to predict who’s going to win this game. Here are the Hawkeyes Wire staff’s official predictions for Iowa at Minnesota:

Iowa vs. Minnesota: Hawkeyes Wire staff predictions

Josh Helmer: Iowa has owned this series under Kirk Ferentz, winning 10 of the past 11. The lone game the Hawkeyes didn’t win during that span came with plenty of controversy (it wasn’t a fair catch). Iowa has played well in Minneapolis, winning five straight there dating back to 2016.

A lot of the numbers say to pick Iowa as well. Minnesota really struggles to run the ball, ranking 131st nationally in rushing offense (104.8 rushing yards per game). That’s not a great recipe against a Phil Parker-led defense that ranks No. 7 nationally in rushing defense (84.7 rushing yards allowed per game) and No. 9 in scoring defense (14.5 points allowed per game).

Meanwhile, Iowa appeared to take a major step forward with its run game the last time we saw the Hawkeyes. Kamari Moulton ran for a career-high 208 yards in the 41-24 win at Washington.

Iowa also turned to third-year quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski in the win over the Huskies. Hecklinski completed 14 of 19 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns against Washington, and he adds a more explosive dimension to the passing offense for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa’s the better football team. Give me the Hawkeyes to handle their business.

Prediction: Iowa 31, Minnesota 17

Scout Springgate: Minnesota has been a difficult team to measure this season: they’ve had impressive wins over Michigan and Washington, but they also got blown out at home by Mississippi State and suffered an inexplicable thrashing at the hands of Purdue.

Offensively, quarterback Drake Lindsey is the key to the Golden Gophers‘ success. If he gets in a rhythm, then Minnesota can compete with the best. However, if he is off, the entire team struggles immensely.

With that in mind, expect Phil Parker to scheme aggressively, putting heavy pressure on Lindsey, and force mistakes. He does have five interceptions this season. While running back Darius Taylor has struggled this season, he’s still a talented back who will draw a lot of attention.

Minnesota defends the pass very well, allowing just 159.7 passing yards per game. However, they struggle against the run, giving up 129.2 rushing yards per game. This should help Iowa, especially after Kamari Moulton’s big day at Washington. It should give Tim Lester a chance to focus on the run game and to help Jeremy Hecklinski avoid mistakes.

This rivalry is usually closely contested, with last year’s 41-3 Iowa win being an outlier. While Iowa faces a tough road game against a Minnesota squad looking to capture its second rivalry trophy of the season, the Gophers haven’t beaten Iowa at home since 2014 and have lost 10 of the last 11 games against the Hawkeyes.

Give me the Hawkeyes as Kirk Ferentz continues to outcoach P.J. Fleck in this rivalry series.

Prediction: Iowa 34, Minnesota 20

Zach Hiney: Minnesota is a hard team to get a gauge on this season. They looked legit in wins over Michigan and Washington. But, they also got blown out by Mississippi State at home and suffered a baffling blowout loss to Purdue. This team seems to be very Jekyll-and-Hyde through six games.

Offensively, quarterback Drake Lindsey runs the show. When he’s playing well, the Gophers can hang with anyone. When he doesn’t, they really struggle. Expect Phil Parker to put a lot of pressure on Lindsey to try to force a mistake. He does have five interceptions this season. Running back Darius Taylor has struggled massively this year, rushing for just 154 yards and 2.4 yards per carry. Regardless, he’s a talented back who requires a lot of attention.

Defensively, Minnesota is stout against the pass. They only allow 159.7 passing yards per game. But they’ve had a lot of problems containing the run game. Opponents are rushing for 129.2 yards per game against the Gophers. That bodes well for an Iowa offense that just saw Kamari Moulton rush for 208 yards against Washington. Tim Lester will need to make sure he establishes the ground game and limits mistakes from Jeremy Hecklinski.

Ultimately, this is a rivalry game that’s usually decided by thin margins. Last year’s blowout win for Iowa is the exception. Iowa will be walking into a very hostile environment that’s ready to see a win. And Minnesota will be desperate to claim a victory over their hated rivals. But, Minnesota hasn’t beaten Iowa at home since 2014.

Kirk Ferentz has dominated the coaching matchup with P.J. Fleck. He’ll do so again on Saturday. Give me the Hawks to improve to 6-1.

Prediction: Iowa 27, Minnesota 17

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football vs. Minnesota: Who wins? Final score predictions