Las Vegas may view the Iowa Hawkeyes as ten-point favorites in their game against the odds-on Big Ten West champion Northwestern Wildcats, but many Iowa fans are struggling to muster that same sense of optimism about their team. After two consecutive losses functionally eliminated the Hawkeyes from contention in the divisional race, the Iowa program must now adjust to a new set of expectations as they prepare to take on a formidable Northwestern team looking to spoil Iowa’s return to the friendly confines of Kinnick Stadium.
The 2018 Northwestern football team is arguably the most “Fitzgeraldian” team fielded during head coach Pat Fitzgerald’s tenure in Evanston.