Upset special? National experts make predictions for Oregon Ducks vs. Iowa Hawkeyes

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

There have only been a couple of games for the Oregon Ducks this year that carried real intrigue as far as the overall outcome goes. In Week 5 against the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Ducks were underdogs on the road in Happy Valley, and they managed to get a win in double overtime. Two weeks later, against the Indiana Hoosiers, Oregon entered as a favorite, but lost its home-winning streak to the now No. 2-ranked team in the nation.

Now, they go on the road against the No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes in Kinnick Stadium, and there is some speculation as to whether or not they can win this game. With two great defenses going up against each other, and one bad offense against another offense that is deserving of some questions, this will be one of the best games of the weekend.

So who is going to come out on top? That is a matter of opinion, at this point. The Ducks are favored by 5 1/2 points according to FanDuel Sportsbook, but they are one of the most popular upset picks in the nation this weekend, according to college football experts.

A handful of analysts have dived into this contest and forecast what's to come either straight up or against the spread. Here's what we've found so far from the top guys:

Joel Klatt

Pick: Oregon 17, Iowa 13

"So Iowa +6.5. What do we do with that? After everything that I just said, Well, you know what? You take the points. I think Oregon wins the game. Oregon is going to find a way to win the game, with its sheer grit and determination. With their head coach, Dan Laning, and their quarterback, Dante More, they win it 17-13, but I'm taking the six and a half with Iowa."

Kirk Herbstreit

Pick: Iowa

"Oregon loses Saturday. We all love Dan Lanning, we all love the Ducks and their potential, but there's just something about certain teams at Iowa when you go into November."

Josh Pate

Pick: Oregon -6.5

"Oregon is a six-and-a-half-point favorite at FanDuel. We've got it at Oregon -6. This was the one I wrestled with the most all day. From the examples of these teams I've seen so far this year, not only would I pick Iowa to cover, I would just pick them to win the game. So there is, there's that part of me. The part of me that's going to go on the record here is the part of me that thinks Oregon learned a lot from going wire to wire undefeated last year, but then fizzling in the playoff. And I think a lot of their offseason focus there was what it was a year ago in Columbus, Ohio, and that was, let's make sure we peak at the right time, and Ohio State mastered it. I think Oregon has invested a ton of energy and focus into making sure they peak in November. They're coming out of a bye week. If I'm right, then that should begin here. So I'm going to take Oregon very hesitantly to win and cover, because I'm banking on a different gear they're able to hit that they haven't hit yet. This is going to be a very difficult game. I will take Oregon to win and cover. I will not bet a penny on it."

Will Compton

Pick: Oregon

"You can't afford to lose anymore. This has got to be pedal to the metal, fly out to Iowa City and beat some ass. This feeling is there. They're coming off a bye week. They're getting to sit back and watch all of it. And, you know, Lanning is gonna have those boys motivated and Lanning is gonna have those boys ready to go."

Taylor Lewan

Pick: Oregon

"I'll take Oregon. But I'm a little nervous about it."

Dan Rubenstein

Pick: Oregon 20, Iowa 14

"I think they might struggle some for a stretch in this game against the running game, but I just think it's too much to ask that Iowa can win this game, and like be confident that this is going to be a 13-10, game, because I think that's the only way Iowa truly wins this game. So I think I'm going to take Oregon winning and not covering. … I have the final score something very similar to what the Indiana game was 20-14, 18-13, something like that."

Ty Hildenbrandt

Pick: Oregon 24, Iowa 14

"I've got Oregon winning by a 24 to 14 score, and let's lock it up."

David Pollack

Pick: Oregon 27, Iowa 24

"I'll go with the Ducks. But I do think this is a close, lower-scoring game. I think this is like a 27-24."

Greg McElroy

Pick: Oregon

"I think Oregon can score. I think they can get past 20, and if they can break that threshold, they should feel pretty good. Part of me wants to take Iowa here. I really do. I like Iowa a lot. I just can't, I don't think Iowa is going to be able to manufacture enough points to pull the outright upset. I do think they can make it interesting for a while before Oregon secures what should be a very close and hard-fought win on the road."

JD Pickell

Pick: Oregon 27, Iowa 17

"I think Oregon covers. final score, Kinnick Stadium, Oregon, 27, Iowa, 17"

George Wrighster

Pick: Oregon -5.5

"I am going to take the Oregon Ducks -5.5. I believe that Dan Lanning, Will Stein, and Tosh Lupoi, that this team is ready to come out and make a statement as they head into what appears to be the toughest part of their schedule. So I'm going to take the Oregon Ducks -5.5, and Iowa will perform admirably. But I do believe that this will be a statement game for the Ducks."

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: National experts make predictions for Oregon Ducks vs. Iowa game

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos