The Kentucky Wildcats (7-5) and the Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5) meet up in the 2022 Music City Bowl on Saturday. This will be the second consecutive bowl matchup between these programs with Kentucky winning 20-17 in the Citrus Bowl last season. Kentucky owns a 12-9 record in bowl games. Meanwhile, Iowa sits at 17-16-1 in bowl matchups. This contest features a pair of elite defenses. Iowa ranks sixth in the nation in points allowed (14.4) and Kentucky is 11th with 19.08 points given up per game. The Wildcats won't have quarterback Will Levis or running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. due to NFL opt-out decisions. Iowa is down to third-string quarterback Joe Labas, so points could be at a premium in this one.
Kickoff from Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., is set for noon ET. The Hawkeyes are 3-point favorites in the latest Iowa vs. Kentucky odds from Caesars Sportsbook. The over/under for points is set at just 31, the lowest total of the 2022-23 bowl season. Before locking in any Kentucky vs. Iowa picks, make sure you check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has locked in on Kentucky vs. Iowa and just revealed its Music City Bowl 2022 predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see the model's picks. Here are the CFB odds and betting lines for Iowa vs. Kentucky:
- Iowa vs. Kentucky spread: Hawkeyes -3
- Iowa vs. Kentucky over/under: 31 points
- Iowa vs. Kentucky money line: Hawkeyes -160, Wildcats +135
- IOWA: Hawkeyes are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four bowl games
- UK: Wildcats are 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 non-conference games
- Iowa vs. Kentucky picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Iowa can cover
Iowa hasn't allowed teams to be effective through the air. The secondary is very disciplined and aware, ranking third in the Big Ten in passing yards allowed (173.8). Sophomore defensive back Cooper DeJean is an agile and instinctive playmaker. DeJean is a secure tackler, fourth on the team in total stops (68). The Iowa native has seven pass deflections with a team-high four interceptions and two touchdowns. On Nov. 12, he finished with 10 total tackles and one interception returned for a 32-yard score.
Iowa has question marks on offense, but the Hawkeyes give up very little defensively, which should give them a shot to cover against a Kentucky team that has struggled to score and is missing key pieces on offense. The Hawkeyes gave up just 277.9 total yards and 14.4 points per game this season, both ranking in the top four of the Big Ten.
Why Kentucky can cover
The Wildcats will turn to freshman quarterback Destin Wade, a Nashville-area native. He'll lead a group that features some other young playmakers looking to generate offense for the Wildcats. Freshman receiver Barion Brown is the go-to option in the passing game. Brown runs crisp routes with the ability to do damage in the open field. The Tennessee native has caught 45 passes for 604 yards and four touchdowns. He's surpassed 60 receiving yards in four games this season. On Nov. 19, he reeled in 10 receptions for 145 yards and a score.
Freshman Dane Key is a big-body weapon (6-foot-3) on the outside. Key has a huge catch radius and brings down those contested grabs. The Kentucky native tracks the ball well downfield and changes directions in a hurry. He has caught 31 passes for 472 yards and a team-high six touchdowns. In his last outing, he snagged three passes with 37 yards and one touchdown.
How to make Kentucky vs. Iowa picks
The model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 35 combined points. It also says one side of the spread as all the value. You can see who to back at SportsLine.
So who wins Iowa vs. Kentucky? And which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread to back, all from the advanced model that has been crushing its top-rated college football picks, and find out.
