Author: Eternity Lab

This is the last weekend before the first official College Football Playoff rankings are revealed. 

Which teams will get into the win column at this pivotal time?

Here are the college football Week 9 five must-watch games (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of Oct. 30).

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Spread: Notre Dame -30.5
Moneyline: Notre Dame -6500, Navy +2000
O/U: 56.5

What To Know: The last game for the Irish ended in a shocking 28-24 loss to BYU. Now the Irish are huge favorites against a Navy team that’s a dismal 2-5 straight up (SU) on the season. Notre Dame has managed a 4-3 record against the spread (ATS) in 2026, while Navy’s record ATS is just 2-5. 

Spread: Texas Tech -3.5
Moneyline: Texas Tech -166; Arizona +140
O/U: 54.5

What To Know: Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita has passed for 2,064 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season. Now he leads his Wildcats into Lubbock for a Big 12 battle against Texas Tech. Both squads are 6-1 SU and 3-4 ATS. Which team gets the edge in this pivotal Top 25 matchup — especially with the Red Raiders coming into the weekend after suffering a stunning 37-24 upset at Cincinnati? FOX Sports college football writer Ben Portnoy noted that, “After last week’s debacle at Cincinnati,” he is “skeptical” that Texas Tech has enough offensive firepower to compete against Arizona.

Spread: Oregon -3.5
Moneyline: Oregon -175; Northwestern +145
O/U: 47.5

What To Know: With three losses this season, Oregon has officially fallen off the trail. And this was a Ducks team that was near the top of the oddsboard at the beginning of the year to win it all. Now Oregon is +40000 to win the CFP. Northwestern, on the other hand, has been somewhat of a surprise, with a 6-1 overall record and sitting right behind Oregon at +45000 to take the college football crown. In the Ducks’ defense, their offense has struggled in the wake of starting quarterback Dante Moore’s absence, who’s been ruled out for the rest of the year. Despite all of Oregon’s setbacks this season, the Ducks are still favored in Week 9, but some experts aren’t buying it. “The Ducks are in the midst of a lost season and a slew of off-the-field issues have vibes at the lowest they’ve been in years around the program,” Portnoy wrote. “Give me the ‘Cats to keep in the mix for a CFP berth.”

Spread: Georgia -12.5
Moneyline: Georgia -470; Florida +360
O/U: 56.5

What To Know: When Georgia last took the field, the Dawgs were upset at home by Auburn 27-24. Now the No. 3 team in the nation faces one of its biggest foes in No. 17 Florida. Bettors eyeing the double-digit spread might want to note that Georgia is 5-2 ATS and Florida is 4-3 in this spot and that Florida’s offense is banged up. “The Bulldogs are rejuvenated after a bye week following their first loss of the season,” FOX Sports college football writer Laken Litman wrote. “[Georgia] will leave no doubt in this rivalry matchup.” When these two teams faced each other last season, Georgia got the 24-20 win.

Spread: Ohio State -6.5
Moneyline: Ohio State -245; USC +200
O/U: 51.5

What To Know: The Buckeyes go into Troy as 6.5-point favorites, and that’s without starting quarterback Julian Sayin. At 6-1, Ohio State’s only blemish this season was its Week 2 loss to Texas. In its last contest, Ohio State barely got past Indiana 19-15. At 6-2, USC’s two losses came to Oregon and to Wisconsin. Nationally, Ohio State’s offense ranks 10th, while the Trojans are 25th. Against the spread this season, SC is 2-6, while the Buckeyes are 5-2.

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Lamar Jackson vs. Josh Allen is on!

“We do think we’ll have Lamar next week,” Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter said about Jackson at a press conference on Friday afternoon. “I’m excited about that. He’s had a really good week of practice. It’ll probably end up showing that he was a full participant in practice this week. …

“A credit to him and the work that he put in dealing with an injury and putting himself in a position to be back, and that’s obviously exciting for our team.”

Jackson hasn’t played since suffering an ankle injury in the second quarter of the Ravens’ Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans, and will return in time for the team’s Week 8 showdown on the road against Allen and the Buffalo Bills (Sunday at 1 p.m. ET).

Baltimore rolled with Tyler Huntley at quarterback in Jackson’s absence, going 1-2 in the three starts he made.

Last week, Baltimore was outscored at home in the second half by the Cincinnati Bengals 35-0 after taking a 13-0 lead into halftime and has dropped two consecutive games in AFC North play; the Ravens lost on the road to the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 18. They’re in last place in the division at 4-3.

“The sense of urgency is extremely high,” Jackson expressed in a Friday press conference. “Divisional game didn’t go the way we wanted to last week. Guys have been hitting the ground running, just trying to get back to where we should be in all phases; special teams, defense and offense.”

Prior to the ankle injury, Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP in 2019 and 2023, totaled 967 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, one interception and a 119.6 passer rating, while completing 70.8% of his passes. He also rushed for 144 yards and one score.

In all, Baltimore’s offense is fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (141.7 per game), eighth in total yards (366.4 per game), 12th in points (24.1 per game) and 18th in passing yards (224.7 per game). With that said, star running back and five-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry, who has logged an NFL-high 147 carries, is rushing for a career-low 3.9 yards per carry.  

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The NCAA was denied emergency relief by a Kentucky Court of Appeals judge Friday, leaving eligible a host of college athletes as the basketball season is about to begin until a panel of three judges can consider the governing body’s request for relief.

The 30 athletes involved, including Missouri basketball player Mark Mitchell and LSU’s Skyy Clark, received a temporary injunction Oct. 16 to compete while the NCAA appealed a ruling that allowed members of the 2022 high school graduating class to play a final season in their respective sports under the NCA’s new five-for-five model.

Kentucky judge Sara Walter Combs wrote in her decision that the NCAA failed to prove that the injunction created “imminent, ruinous and incalculable injury,” and that it serves no purpose “to flip-flop repeatedly as our courts work through the underlying issues.”

Skyy Clark played for UCLA last season, and is attempting to play with LSU in 2026-2027. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Along with allowing the basketball players involved in the case to begin their seasons next week, the ruling allows football players Alex Afari Jr. of Kentucky, Texas Tech quarterback Thomas Castellanos and Louisville football players Jabari Mack and Kalib Perry — all of whom are also involved in the litigation — to continue to compete while the case plays out.

Multiple lawsuits filed in several states have focused on the NCAA’s new eligibility model due to be implemented next fall. It allows athletes five years of eligibility beginning when an athlete turns 19 or graduates from high school, whichever is earliest.

But the implementation excluded athletes who began college careers during the 2022-23 season and completed four years. And those athletes, including some who have played for professional teams, are now suing to play their fifth season in college.

The ruling in Kentucky came one day after the Ohio Supreme Court kept in place a ruling from earlier this month allowing two dozen players involved in an eligibility case there to remain available for their teams. The lead plaintiff is Filip Borovicanin of Xavier, which opens its season Monday, while other basketball players involved include Gonzaga’s Javon Bennett and MJ Collins of Cincinnati.

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The NCAA legal office sent a memo to its members late Thursday saying it was “deeply disappointed” by the outcome in Ohio.

“Every minute played by an ineligible player is an opportunity deprived to an eligible student-athlete — sometimes in the pinnacle events of a season,” the NCAA’s letter said. “And it provides a significant competitive advantage to schools rostering experienced players who exhausted their eligibility.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Ah, Halloween. The season of spooky mischief and relentless candy-driven aggression. A holiday of dark creativity where costumes adorn every street just like one of the witches in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth said — “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes…” — this is a time for deviously good fun. It’s also a time to cuddle up in the comfort of your own home and watch scary movies. 

I love being scared. It’s a feeling that is an alarming reminder to the soul, evoking my senses and telling me once again that I am indeed alive. Horror movies, therefore, to me — are therapeutic. Halloween, just like Clare Dunphy said in Modern Family, is “MY HOLIDAY” and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

From a footballing perspective, this weekend’s action during Halloween also brings some eerie drama as some of the themes that are currently affecting certain clubs will be highlighted this weekend. And just like Linus skipped trick-or-treating in order to wait for the mythical Great Pumpkin in the 1966 classic It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, we will also wait and hope for some unsettling drama. 

Here are some of the most notable matches for the weekend and, in the spirit of the holiday, I have given each fixture a Halloween theme with a horror movie twist. 

Enjoy and most importantly, Happy Halloween. 

   A Nightmare At Old Trafford

There is a creepy desperation with Manchester United right now, and it permeates throughout the club, not just because of the results, but due to the management, ownership and personnel. After losing 3-0 to Bournemouth, it is now going through a seven-match winless run and has not won in the Premier League since August 30th (3-2 against Ipswich Town). 

Chelsea 4-1-3 (W-D-L)

VS

Manchester United 1-4-3 (W-D-L)

5th5th

League standing

16th16th

 Tap to play

United is a club with incredibly important history but one that cannot escape the ghosts of the past. Old Trafford is known as the Theatre of Dreams, but right now, it feels more like A Nightmare on Elm Street. Man United fans keep being chased and stalked by an ownership that won’t let them move on with their lives. 

Michael Carrick needs a win, otherwise his tenure is effectively over. However, I think not even this fixture can save him from the inevitable.

Will Manchester United show the door to Michael Carrick? (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

As for Chelsea, a club which has spent a tremendous amount of money (more than a billion dollars in the last few seasons) to build a squad that is both dynamic and full of power (Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer) is very much Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein where Xabi Alonso’s creation is made up of an assembly of offensively-friendly parts but together, it still needs discipline.

Cole Palmer received a red card against Tottenham in League Cup action. (Photo by Steve Bardens – AMA/Getty Images)

That particular loss, coupled with the one against Liverpool in the fourth round of the League Cup, showed that Chelsea’s creation needs self-control. It needs to be stronger defensively if it has any hope of Champions League football this season. And to be honest, there are no excuses because the Blues have only domestic football to worry about.  

Otherwise, Chelsea’s project, just like the creature, will eventually vanish and fail once again from looking to earn European football. This is a very important fixture for both sides.

   Can Arsenal Exercise Anfield Demons?

There is a powerful energy that comes from Anfield whenever Arsenal visits Liverpool’s stadium. In fact, Arsenal’s win rate at this ground is the worst in club history as the Gunners have only won six times in the last 34 trips. 

Liverpool 4-3-1 (W-D-L)

VS

Arsenal 7-0-1 (W-D-L)

4th4th

League standing

2nd2nd

 Tap to play

So for Arsenal, very much like Jordan Peele’s 2017 psychological masterpiece Get Out (starring Daniel Kaluuya, who happens to be a diehard, lifelong Arsenal fan), Mikel Arteta’s side has to withstand the pressures of a very eerie and hostile environment and escape Anfield with three points. 

Alexander Isak is finally turning a corner at Anfield. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

As for Liverpool, using Peele’s 2019 follow-up Us where scary doppelgangers terrorized a family, I am beginning to think that Liverpool’s team has more than one face and what was first thought as an inconsistent side under new manager Andoni Iraola. It is now more confident where Alexander Isak is finally delivering on a consistent basis. The Swedish striker has six league goals from his last six matches. The question will be, can he do it against Arsenal’s strong defensive unit? 

There are recent thoughts that Liverpool is indeed the real deal under Iraola and a genuine title contender. This is a great test to show if this sentiment carries weight.

   A Gothic Thriller At San Siro

A historic match inside an iconic stadium that will soon say goodbye in the next few years as news this week – ahead of this weekend’s Milan derby – stated that the San Siro will be demolished during the 2031-32 season and make way for the 71,500-seated Generali stadium, set to begin construction next year.

AC Milan 5-3-1 (W-D-L)

VS

Inter Milan 8-1-0 (W-D-L)

5th5th

League standing

1st1st

 Tap to play

But that will be then and this is now as the Derby della Madonnina (as the Milan derby is known) is a royal match, a glorious classic filled with Halloween-esque motives as the city itself, an ancient place with ghosts from the past, is rich with gothic identity centered around the Duomo di Milano. 

Christian Pulisic’s future will remain in Milan. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Italian Gothic horror, therefore — famous in the ‘50s and ’60s — takes the role of protagonist, so do yourself a favor and watch Mario Bava’s classic Italian masterpiece Black Sunday, where a vengeful executed witch returns from the dead to avenge her look-alike descendant. And that’s how I see this match on Saturday as Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan, seven points behind league leader Inter, has to do everything in its power to get closer to its local adversary and avenge the defending champion Inter. 

Lautaro Martinez will sit out the Milan derby due to injury (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

In terms of personnel, USMNT star whiner Christian Pulisic (newly signed to an extension through 2031) and Luka Modrić should be available for this game whilst Inter continue to deliver with the absence of Lautaro Martínez due to a hamstring injury.

The blue of Inter and red of Milan contrast with an eerie albeit colorful fog that perfectly encapsulates the animosity they have for each other. Let’s see how it all comes together on the scariest night of the year.

‘Tis the season for scary themes and haunting results. Let’s take it all in.

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As we get over seeing the Brewers winning their first ever World Series, it’s time to turn our attention to the hot stove! 

With Nov. 2 officially kicking off free agency, expect big-name players such as two-time Cy Young ace Tarik Skubal and Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato to get top dollar this offseason. Here’s the latest from across the league:

Friday, Oct. 30

Sonny Gray will receive a $10 million buyout as he is now a free agent. 

Gray led MLB with 18 wins and finished the year with a 2.72 ERA, the eighth-best mark among all qualified MLB pitchers and his lowest total since his All-Star 2015 season. 

As he enters his age-37 season, he remains a reliable arm, having thrown more than 160 innings and making at least 28 starts each of the last four seasons.

Bo Bichette is keeping his contract with the Mets, exercising a player option for a $42 million salary in 2027, the team said Friday.

Bichette agreed in January to a $126 million, three-year contract that included a $40 million signing bonus, a $2 million salary for 2026 and $42 million player options for both 2027 and 2028. Declining either option allows him to become a free agent again.

A two-time All-Star shortstop in Toronto, Bichette shifted primarily to third base in New York, where Francisco Lindor plays shortstop. The 28-year-old Bichette hit .260 with 18 homers and 78 RBIs for the disappointing Mets, down from .311 with 18 homers and 94 RBIs when he helped the Blue Jays win the American League pennant in 2025.

Braves Pick Up Acuña, Albies Options

Outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr.’s $17 million option was exercised Thursday by the Atlanta Braves, who also exercised a $7 million option on second baseman Ozzie Albies.

Acuña, a five-time All-Star and the 2023 NL MVP, agreed in 2019 to a $100 million, eight-year contract that included the 2027 option, which had a $10 million buyout, and a $17 million option for 2028, which has no buyout.

Albies agreed in 2019 to $35 million, seven-year contract that included $7 million options for 2026 and 2027.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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UConn coach Dan Hurley has signed a two-year extension that puts him under contract through the 2031-32 season and maintains his annual salary of roughly $8 million, the school announced Friday.

Hurley signed his previous deal after back-to-back national championships in 2024 and after he turned down an offer to become the head coach of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. That agreement made him the second-highest paid coach in college basketball behind Bill Self of Kansas, according to a USA Today database of public schools.

“Dan has proven to be the very best coach in men’s college basketball, and we’re thrilled to keep him home at UConn for the next six years,” UConn athletic director David Benedict said in a statement. “His teams embody everything that UConn is about: resilience, competitive excellence and the pursuit of championships. In this chaotic era of college sports, it has never been more important to maintain continuity as we strive to compete at the highest level in everything we do.”

The fourth-ranked Huskies, which beat Syracuse, Michigan State and Purdue in exhibitions, open the season against Gardner-Webb on Monday.

In his first eight years at UConn, Hurley has revitalized the program to its blue blood status. He is 199-75 with the Huskies and one of three coaches to win consecutive titles since the John Wooden era.

He led UConn back to the national title game in March, becoming the youngest active head coach to make three Final Four trips and the only coach this millennium to reach three title games over a four-year span.

“It’s an incredible honor to coach the game I love at a place like the University of Connecticut and to be part of a community that means so much to me and my family,” Hurley said in a statement. “We understand our responsibility to the people of Connecticut and to the incredible supporters of UConn Basketball and will continue to bring a relentless, obsessive approach to winning and championship-level success.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Downtown Milwaukee hosted the world champs on Friday. Boy, was it a party!

After winning the World Series, the Milwaukee Brewers navigated streets filled with fans celebrating their victory. 

Here are the best moments from the Brewers’ parade.

World Series MVP William Contreras kicked off the parade, spraying champagne into the downtown Milwaukee crowd. Contreras had a .381 batting average, and threw out four baserunners, lifting the Brewers both at and behind the plate.

Staff ace Jacob Misiorowski has done it all this season – from consistently surpassing the 100-mph mark with his pitches and the odds-on favorite to winning the NL Cy Young. At the parade, he showed off a couple other talent moves – catching a can of Miller Lite with one hand and subsequently chugging it on top of the double-decker bus.

The spirit and memory of legendary announcer Bob Uecker has been a fixture of the Brewers’ World Series run. Uecker, who passed away in 2025, called Brewers games for over 50 years. He never saw them win the World Series, but Milwaukee made sure to honor his memory. 

Jake Bauers, Bryce Turang and Garrett Mitchell turned the party up a notch, taking their shirts off in front of Milwaukee Brewers fans who have been doing that in the stands all year. Brewers’ supporters were one of the first fanbases to partake in the tarps-off culture that swept across major league baseball.

Milwaukee Brewers fans love manager Pat Murphy for bringing them their first World Series title. Murphy carries a 293-193 record over three seasons, and has made the postseason each year.  

Sal Frelick carried the same confidence from the World Series into the parade, saying he’d match the fan-turnout with his beer consumption. Frelick hit the game-tying home run in Game 2, helping Milwaukee to a 5-4 win. 

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There’s not much to complain about after sweeping last weekend’s four-game slate. Everything went right, which felt fair after basically everything went wrong the weekend before. 

That’s sports betting in a nutshell — highs and lows, ups and downs.

Let’s stay the course with five more bets this week.

We know you’re here for informed wagers and I assure you I vet everything through multiple handicappers, oddsmakers and betting buddies who know what they’re doing. Those that do well in this racket know the “how, what and why” and that’s always my goal.

Also, this will never be the place for a million picks or five-team parlays. These will always be the wagers I love the most and ones that I’m betting with my own money.  

Let’s go to work.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

(2026 Record: 19-17-2, +0.3 units)

Fresh off the Fighting Illinis’ surprising upset victory at home over Oregon, it’s time to fade ‘em. It be like that sometimes. Neither of these teams are anything special, but I do like the Terps in this spot with the fired-coach bump. Teams went 8-4 against the spread (ATS) with that situation last year. Mike Locksley is gone, and I imagine Maryland plays with a little extra life this weekend.

Sammy P’s Pick: Maryland (+2.5)

Minnesota will struggle to score, but Indiana might, too. This is another physical defensive line the Hoosiers face after playing Nebraska, Ohio State and Michigan. This game probably won’t win any beauty pageants with all the stuffed runs and punts, but that’s the type of style the Golden Gophers love to play. Here’s hoping for a 27-13-type final score.

Sammy P’s Pick: Minnesota (+20.5)

Air Force is down to QB3 Josh Johnson with injuries to Liam Szarka and Evan Medders, and that’s the stuff you love to read if you’re on UConn. Wise guys went to work on this number at +3 and +2.5, but I still like +1.5 at BetMGM and FanDuel. Some books offshore have the game listed at a PK. Long story short, my guys think UConn should be favored.

Sammy P’s Pick: UConn (+1.5)

If the Ducks were a stock, they would be in the gutter. Before the season, I would’ve made Oregon a 22-point home favorite against Northwestern. My, how things have changed. The Cats have a pulse and are extremely well coached, with David Braun and Chip Kelly. All that said, former Las Vegas bookmaker Ed Salmons told me, “Oregon feels like Texas.” The Horns were a cheap, unwanted favorite last week and covered against Ole Miss. Time to Quack.

Sammy P’s Pick: Oregon (-3.5)

The Dallas Cowboys are 7-point favorites with that defense?! The defense that let Tanner McKee and the depleted Eagles offense hang around for three quarters? Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters Friday that running back Jeremiyah Love is good to go, a great sign for a frisky Cardinals team that beat the L.A. Rams two weeks ago. The Cards will be able to move the ball and this total says both teams will score.

Sammy P’s Pick: Cardinals (+7)

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Maryland will host Illinois on Saturday in a Week 9 college football matchup on FS1.

Illinois: -142

Maryland: +120

Spread

• Illinois -2.5: -108
• Maryland +2.5: -112

Over/Under

• Over 54.5: -110
• Under 54.5: -110

   Illinois @ Maryland Prediction, Pick

From FOX Sports Research: 

• Illinois is coming off a huge 21-10 win over Oregon.
• The Illini are averaging 30.3 points (58th in FBS) and 392.4 total yards per game (67th), including 231.0 passing yards and 161.4 rushing yards. Defensively, they are allowing 25.3 points (80th) and 382.4 total yards per game (97th), including 248 passing yards and 134.4 rushing yards.
• Maryland is 2-5 and has yet to beat a Power 4 opponent this season. The Terrapins are 0-4 in Big Ten play, losing those games by an average of 22.5 points.

  The Pick: Maryland +2.5

How to Watch Maryland vs. Illinois

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026
• Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
• TV: FS1
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App
• Location: SECU Stadium, College Park, MD

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Iowa will host Wisconsin on Saturday in a Week 9 “Big Noon Kickoff” matchup on FOX.

Iowa: -170

Wisconsin: +142

Spread

• Iowa -3.5: -108
• Wisconsin +3.5: -112

Over/Under

• Over 36.5: -110
• Under 36.5: -110

   No. 25 Wisconsin @ Iowa Prediction, Pick

From FOX Sports Research: 

• Wisconsin leads the FBS in scoring defense (11.0 points allowed per game) and yards allowed per play (3.9) since Week 2.
• Iowa has scored fewer than 15 points in two of its last three games and committed four turnovers in last week’s loss to Minnesota.
• Iowa quarterbacks Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown combined for three interceptions against Minnesota, with Hecklinski benched in the second quarter.
• Iowa running back Kamari Moulton, who ranks second in the Big Ten with 90.2 rushing yards per game, is not expected to play after suffering an injury last week.
• Wisconsin has gone three straight games without a turnover for the first time since 2012.

  The Pick: Wisconsin ML

How to Watch Iowa vs. Wisconsin

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026
• Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One, FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App
• Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA

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