Northwestern QB Aidan Chiles listed questionable for Saturday's home game against No. 19 Iowa

Northwestern does not know yet whether it will have its starting quarterback for Saturday's home game against No. 19 Iowa. Aidan Chiles was listed as questionable on Wednesday's first availability report. The program has not said what the injury is or when it happened.

ClutchPoints credited On3 insider Pete Nakos with first reporting the designation. The outlet noted that Chiles dislocated a finger earlier this season, but it did not tie that injury to this week's listing. Roundtable Sports also found no public explanation and pointed out that a questionable tag does not mean Chiles will miss the game.

Losing Chiles would cost the Wildcats far more than a typical lineup change. Through eight games, Roundtable Sports has him completing 68.8% of his passes for 1,898 yards, 13 touchdowns and one interception. He has also run for 10 touchdowns, and ClutchPoints counts a career-high 274 rushing yards. With offensive coordinator Chip Kelly calling plays, the former Oregon State and Michigan State quarterback has run an offense that averages about 33.6 points per game. ClutchPoints reported that last week's 34-26 loss at Oregon dropped Northwestern out of the Top 25. It also cited ESPN's Football Power Index, which gives the Wildcats a 7.4% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff.

What it means for Iowa

Both teams are 6-2, and the loser takes a third defeat into the final weeks of the Big Ten race. Northwestern has won all four of its home games by at least 21 points, including a 34-13 win over Penn State. Its two losses came on the road at No. 5 Indiana and at Oregon, by a combined 14 points.

Iowa brings the kind of defense that would make a quarterback change harder. The Hawkeyes have allowed 100 points all season, or 12.5 per game, and have three shutouts. The latest was a 30-0 win over No. 25 Wisconsin last week. Their offense has been less reliable: they scored 10 points in a loss at Minnesota and 14 in a loss to Ohio State. Still, Iowa has won close games on the road, beating Michigan 20-19 and pulling away at Washington 41-24.

Northwestern is favored on this site's board, which tracks 12 venues. On Novig, the Wildcats are -122 on the moneyline and Iowa is +120. Novig has Northwestern favored by 2.5 points, at -102, with Iowa +2.5 at even money. A spread that narrow suggests the market has priced in some doubt about Chiles, or at least respect for Iowa's defense. Sportsbook hold ranges from 3.1% to 6.2% on the moneyline and from 3.4% to 6.7% on the spread, so prices vary noticeably from venue to venue.

The total is 45.5 on Novig, with the over at even money and the under at -104. The best under price anywhere is at Fanatics, which has 46 at -115. That is a low total for a team that has scored at Northwestern's pace. If Chiles is ruled out, his replacement would make his first meaningful appearance against one of the stingiest defenses in the conference. The next availability report should show which way this game is heading.