Handicapping The Iowa, Rutgers 'Toilet Bowl' Betting Total
The Iowa Hawkeyes (2-1) meet the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-0) in a Big Ten rock-fight and sportsbooks aren't expecting a barn burner. In fact, the most intriguing matchup in Iowa-Rutgers is between the punters.
Iowa-Rutgers' total, which is touching 33.5 at some shops, is the lowest betting total of any two FBS programs since 1995. The total is currently 34 at DraftKings Sportsbook with the Under juiced up to -115. But, the betting public isn't scared off by the low total.
According to VSIN, roughly three-fourths of the money is on the Under at DraftKings. Despite the one-way action heading south, oddsmakers have lowered the Iowa-Rutgers total down from the 35.5-point opener, per Pregame.com.
There's really no case to be made for the Over 34 here, aside from a fade the market angle. Iowa averages the fewest yards per game out of 131 FBS schools. Rutgers ranks third in offensive efficiency by ESPN's Bill Connelly. The Hawkeyes have the fourth-best defensive efficiency per Connelly.
Also, the other five college football games with a similar total since 1995 are 1-4 to the Under, according to the Action Network. Not so coincidently, three of those games were Big Ten matchups.
Iowa is 3-0 to the Under this season and has scored just 41 combined points in those three games. Rutgers is 1-2 to the Under the Scarlet Knights only Over was in a 66-7 win over the FCS Wagner Seahawks.
That said, I can only lean to the Under 34 (-115) at DraftKings Sportsbook because it's hard to win sports betting when you follow the herd.
Despite what promises to be a boring game with nearly 0 people watching on TV, Rutgers has sold out the stadium.