Florida Gators vs. Iowa Hawkeyes – Outback Bowl Predictions, Odds, Picks and NCAA Football Betting Preview – January 2, 2017

Florida Gators vs. Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Preview

Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa

When: Monday, January 2, 1:00 PM ET

Line: Florida Gators (-3) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (+3); total: 40.5 – view all NCAA Football odds and lines

Betting on the Florida Gators (-3)

The Gators’ defense is no joke. And on Monday, Florida intends to show Iowa why so many teams have found its defense as nothing to laugh about.

The Gators got massacred by Alabama in its latest outing, losing to Nick Saban’s boys, 54-16. There’s no shame in losing that big to the Crimson Tide, who look like they belong in another football dimension. Despite the loss, it was nice to see quarterback Austin Appleby have some measure of success against the Crimson Tide’s vicious defense. While he threw three interceptions, he was able to pass for 261 yards and found eight different targets.

The one constant thing for Florida has been its defense and regardless of how Appleby and the team’s offense will play, the Gators’ stop unit will have to show its fangs. Sure it sucked against Alabama, but then again, that’s Alabama. The Gators should have an easier time dealing this time around against Iowa’s anemic offense that is ninth worst in the nation in terms of total offense, generating just 333.3 total yards per game.

The under is 5-1 in the last six games of the Gators, who are allowing just 17.9 PPG.

Betting on the Iowa Hawkeyes (+3)

Momentum is on the side of Iowa, which is riding a three-game win streak on its way to Tampa this coming Monday.

The Hawkeyes were last seen on the field wrapping No, 16 Nebraska an unpleasant present in the form of a 40-10 win at home on November 25. The Hawkeyes rushed for 264 yards against Nebraska and you could expect them to go heavy on the ground again versus Florida.  Quarterback C.J. Beathard has been decent but the Hawkeyes’ passing attack that ranks 115th in the nation can’t be relied on versus Florida’s might pass defense that allows just 156.3 yards per contest.

That means a heavy workload for the pair of LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley, who have 1,013 and 966 rushing yards on the season, respectively, with 10 rushing scores apiece. The two also combined for 263 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in the Nebraska game.

The Hawkeyes are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall.

Writer’s Prediction

Florida (-3) wins, 21-16.

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