Cyclones May Slip in Early NCAA Football Betting. Iowa State is a three-point favorite against Northern Illinois in NCAA football betting season on Thursday, September 2nd. Gamblers can make a college football bet on the first week of the season with games beginning on September 2nd. Choosing to make a wager on Iowa State might be risky considering all that has happened to the Cyclones recently.
NCAA football betting a year ago was very successful on Iowa State as they went 8-4 against the spread and they even won a bowl game. They may have a lot more trouble this season. The team lost all three starting linebackers from last season and their best defender won’t play due to suspension in the opening game against Northern Illinois. Head coach Paul Rhoads did a great job last season but he is really going to be challenged in year two. The Cyclones do return 14 starters including eight on defense but the schedule for Iowa State is brutal. Some experts have said that Iowa State plays one of the toughest schedules in the country in 2010. They have a three-game stretch in October against Utah, Oklahoma and Texas.
The Cyclones will not have safety David Sims who was the Big 12 defensive newcomer of the year in their opening game. The offense also suffered a loss as starting right tackle Scott Haughton was dismissed from the team. The offense returns quarterback Austen Arnaud and he will need to be better this season as the Iowa State offense was just 103rd last season in scoring. Alexander Robinson returns after rushing for 1,195 yards.
The defense has some talented newcomers like Anthony Young but the Big 12 is loaded with talent and winning in 2010 is going to be tough. The Cyclones are not getting much help from the weather as they prepare for the season. There has been serious flooding in central Iowa and Iowa State has missed time in camp because of the problems. The Iowa State campus has been surrounded by water and the team has been unable to practice. The Cyclones need all the time they can get as they start the season early on Thursday, September 2nd against Northern Illinois. Iowa State is not likely to win many games in 2010 so they really need to win their opener with games against Iowa, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska and Utah on the schedule.