At long last, the final home game of the 2025 season for the Iowa football (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) team has arrived. It's been an up-and-down season, with some electric moments and heartbreaking finishes sprinkled throughout. Regardless of the 6-4 record entering this weekend, this matchup with Michigan State (3-7, 0-7 Big Ten) is still hugely important.
It'll be Senior Day at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as dozens of seniors will get one more chance to play in front of the Hawkeye faithful. And there's nothing they'd love to do more than to beat up on the Spartans and exit Kinnick with one final victory swarm. Michigan State is one of the worst Big Ten teams this season, sitting at 3-7 overall and 0-7 in conference play. The opportunity is right there for the Hawkeyes.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWill Iowa take care of business at home on Senior Day? Or will the Spartans come into Iowa City and rain on that parade? Here are Hawkeyes Wire's official predictions for Iowa vs Michigan State.
Iowa vs. Michigan State predictions
Oct 19, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans running back Nate Carter (5) runs against Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Jay Higgins (34) and defensive lineman Ethan Hurkett (49) in the fourth quarter at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn ImagesRiley Donald: This is the perfect game for Iowa to exercise the demons of the close losses this year. It’s a sold-out Kinnick Stadium on Senior Day. It’s late November. I mean, this is what Iowa football is all about. The Hawkeyes can turn around & run the ball upwards of 40 times, play suffocating defense, and turn back the clock a bit with an old school offense. That said, be ready for some early fireworks with shot plays to let Mark Gronowski air it out. Nonetheless, the defense will be swarming and stonewall Sparty. Iowa gets back on track with a fun, vintage win at home.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIowa 31, Michigan State 10
Scout Springgate: After a soul-crushing 21-26 loss against the Trojans last week in Los Angeles, the Spartans will be the perfect ‘Get right’ for the Hawkeyes. Michigan State is currently on a seven-game losing streak, winless in the Big Ten, and guaranteed to miss the postseason for the fourth consecutive year.
With MSU mind-bogglingly inconsistent on the offensive side of the ball through poor offensive line protection and injuries at the quarterback position, Phil Parker should be able to cause havoc against the Spartans.
If Iowa can stick to its fundamentals on offense and avoid taking unnecessary losses on crucial plays, it should be able to tire out the MSU defense. Expect the Hawkeyes to win BIG.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIowa 42, Michigan State 9
Zach Hiney: The last two games have been heartbreaking failures for Iowa, coming up just short against Oregon and USC. This weekend provides a great opportunity to get back on track. Michigan State is truly awful on the field and is dealing with huge problems off of it. It seems likely that head coach Jonathan Smith will lose his job at the end of this season.
That could make the Spartans dangerous, with nothing to lose and everything to gain here. Expect to get everything plus the kitchen sink from Michigan State in this game. Whether it's trick plays or aggressive fourth-down decisions, the Spartans will try to do everything they can to pull the upset. The keyword there is try.
I don't see them having a lot of success with that strategy. Iowa is the flat-out better team, and they're coming in angry and with something to prove after two losses in a row. It may be close for a quarter, but I expect the Hawkeyes to run away with this game in the end and send the seniors out on a high note.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIowa 38, Michigan State 13
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football vs. Michigan State: Who wins? Final score predictions
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