Rutgers hosts Iowa on Friday Night, with CFB player props now live
The Hawkeyes and Scarlet Knights begin Big Ten play against each other
See my Iowa vs Rutgers player props and parlay picks for this Friday night Big Ten matchup
Friday night football brings us the Big Ten opener for both the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Lucky for us, sportsbooks are rolling out plenty of Iowa vs Rutgers props to give us plenty to wager on.
Coach Greg Schiano’s squad enters conference play at 3-0, looking to start 4-0 for the second straight season. Iowa makes the trip to New Jersey with a 2-1 record, picking up wins over Albany and UMass. Their lone setback came in the CyHawk rivalry, a narrow 16-13 loss at Iowa State.
Which Big Ten team comes out on top, and where can we find an edge in the betting props market? Let’s dive into my Iowa vs Rutgers player props and parlay picks.
Iowa vs Rutgers Player Props
| Passer | Pass Yds | Pass Attempts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Gronowski (IOWA) | 135.5 (O -115 | U -115) | 20.5 (O -115 | U -115) | |
| Athan Kaliakmanis (RUTG) | 211.5 (O -115 | U -115) | 26.5 (O -120 | U -110) | |
| Rusher | Rush Yds | Rush Attempts | |
| Mark Gronowski (IOWA) | 34.5 (O -115 | U -115) | 9.5 (O -105 | U -125) | |
| Jaziun Patterson (IOWA) | 44.5 (O -115 | U -115) | OFF | |
| Athan Kaliakmanis (RUTG) | 6.5 (O -115 | U -115) | OFF | |
| Antwan Raymond (RUTG) | 69.5 (O -115 | U -115) | 15.5 (O -115 | U -115) | |
| Receiver | Receiving Yds | Receptions | |
| Seth Anderson (IOWA) | 21.5 (O -115 | U -115) | 2.5 (O +115 | U -145) | |
| Jacob Gill (IOWA) | 30.5 (O -115 | U -115) | 2.5 (O -150 | U +120) | |
| Zach Ortwerth(IOWA) | 5.5 (O -115 | U -115) | 0.5 (O -190 | U +155) | |
| Sam Phillips (IOWA) | 21.5 (O -115 | U -115) | 1.5 (O -190 | U +155) |
Iowa vs Rutgers player props as of Sep. 19, 2025, at Bet365 Sportsbook.
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Iowa vs Rutgers Same-Game Parlay Pick #1: Iowa ML
Backing an Iowa football team is never easy. They still haven’t figured out what an efficient quarterback looks like, let alone how to run a competent offense.
Yet somehow, the Hawkeyes continue to grind out wins. Kirk Ferentz doesn’t care how it looks – as long as the win column grows, he’s satisfied. That’s exactly what I expect him and his crew to do here.
Transfer quarterback Mark Gronowski, the former FCS standout from South Dakota State, has fit right into the brutal Iowa QB tradition. Through three games, he’s completed just 37 of 63 passes (58.7%) for 306 yards with one touchdown and one interception. His low point came in the opener against Albany, where he went 8-for-15 for just 44 yards. To put up numbers that bad against Albany almost takes effort.
Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski has broken the record for fewest passing yards (127) by a Big Ten QB through the first two games of a season (minimum 35 attempts, since 1995). Kain Colter previously held the record with 177 yards through two games in 2012.
— Arbitrary Analytics (@arbitanalytics) September 6, 2025
He did show some life last week against UMass, finishing 16-for-24 with 179 yards and two touchdowns – his best game to date. But the Hawkeyes won’t need Gronowski to be spectacular here. They just need him to connect on a few timely throws while leaning on the ground game and defense.
The backfield takes a hit with leading rusher Xavier Williams sidelined, but the rotation stays intact with Kamari Moulton returning after missing the last two games. That’s a timely boost against a Rutgers run defense ranked 128th in yards per carry allowed (6.0) and 94th in EPA per rush attempt.
Pair that with Iowa’s typically stout defense, and the Hawkeyes have the edge. Rutgers may be averaging 46.3 points per game, but that’s been inflated by matchups against Ohio, Miami (OH), and Norfolk State. I’m not sold on the Scarlet Knights’ offense holding up against a disciplined Ferentz-led defense.
Look for Iowa to control the game with the ground attack, force Athan Kaliakmanis into uncomfortable spots, and capitalize on his mistakes. It won’t be pretty – it never is – but expect Iowa to drag Rutgers into the mud and escape with another ugly win.
Iowa Hawkeyes Moneyline (-125 at Bet365)
Hawkeyes vs Scarlet Nights SGP Pick #2: Mark Gronowski 30+ Rushing Yards
Let’s continue to hone in on the Iowa ground attack with a prop on Gronowski’s rushing yards. He’s been inefficient in the passing game, but has found ways to make an impact with his legs, totaling 88 yards on 33 carries with three rushing touchdowns.
He’s cleared this mark in two of their three games so far. As mentioned, Rutgers’ run defense is the weaker part of that unit, and they’ve also struggled against mobile quarterbacks. They allowed Parker Navarro to scramble nine times for 93 yards and a score, Dequan Finn 11 carries for 85 yards, and Otto Kuhns 15 yards on five attempts.
This is where Gronowski can make his impact in Friday night’s game.
Mark Gronowski 30+ Rushing Yards (-145 at Bet365)
Friday Night Big 10 CFB SGP Pick #3: Antwon Raymond Under 69.5 Rushing Yards
The sophomore has put together a strong stat line through three games, rushing for 248 yards on 43 carries with five touchdowns. That said, the level of competition has been soft — Ohio, Miami (OH), and Norfolk State don’t exactly stand out as tough tests.
Antwan Raymond just punched it in for 6️⃣ 👊
This is the 5th straight game with a rushing TD for the @RFootball sophomore RB 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Mc3TAKULOH
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 13, 2025
Iowa’s defense, on the other hand, has held top opposing running backs to just 35 rushing yards per game. Not only should Raymond struggle against this stout front, but if the Hawkeyes control the matchup as expected, it will likely force Rutgers to lean more on the passing game than the run.
Antwon Raymond Under 69.5 Rushing Yards (-115 at Bet365)
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