Iowa Hawkeyes running back Leshon Williams (4). Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

College football player prop: Hardworking Hawkeye halfback

By John Dudley | Last updated 1/1/24

With the Big Ten and SEC respectively expanding by four and two teams here in 2024, it’s appropriate that this bowl season has prominently featured matchups involving those conferences. Michigan taking on Alabama in the CFP Semifinal is obviously the New Year’s Day headliner, but Iowa and Tennessee meeting in the Citrus Bowl should likewise be a compelling contrast of styles. And that 1 p.m. ET game is where we find our top prop:

The bet: Over 51½ rushing yards for Iowa running back Leshon Williams (DraftKings)

Possessing many of the classic traits associated with the position, Williams is a sturdy and shifty ballcarrier. He cleared this number in four straight games prior to being held in check by Michigan’s sixth-ranked run defense in the regular-season finale.

Williams has accumulated 804 rushing yards this season and topped the century mark three times. His best performance came in a midseason victory over Wisconsin, when the junior set career highs with 25 carries for 174 yards. He now faces a Tennessee defense that recently surrendered 205 rushing yards to Missouri’s Cody Schrader and allowed the Georgia duo of Kendall Milton and Dajun Edwards to combine for triple digits.

Whereas the Tennessee offense puts up 31.5 points per game, Iowa employs a more methodical approach and averages just 16.6. The Hawkeyes’ scoring struggles have resulted in the imminent dismissal of much-maligned offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, the son of longtime head coach Kirk. Williams is close to the younger Ferentz and has said that the team wants to “send him out a winner.”

In pursuit of both team and personal goals, Williams figures to be running especially hard.

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