Wisconsin vs. Iowa: Week 7 Big Ten football preview
The University of Wisconsin football team will be looking to take control of the chase for the Big Ten West Division crown when the Badgers host the Iowa Hawkeyes in a battle for the Heartland Trophy on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.
Wisconsin (4-1, 2-0 Big Ten) returned from its Week 5 bye with a 24-13 victory over Rutgers (4-2, 1-2) on Oct. 7 in Madison to secure its first three-game winning streak of the Luke Fickell era.
Iowa (5-1, 2-1), coming off a 20-14 win against Purdue at home, will be trying to take the lead in the Big Ten West standings away from Wisconsin, which enters the 97th meeting between the teams with a half-game advantage the standings.
Here are 10 things to know as the Badgers get ready for their latest installment in a series that stretches back more than 120 years.
How to watch Iowa at Wisconsin
After last week's broadcast on the Peacock app, fans will be able to catch Saturday's matchup over the air and on cable. The broadcast will air on FOX beginning at 3 p.m. with Jason Benetti on the play-by-play call alongside analyst Brock Huard and Allison Williams reporting from the sidelines. The broadcast also will be available to subscribers on the Fox Sports app. Those looking to tune into the radio broadcast can catch Matt Lepay, Mark Tauscher and Patrick Herb on the Badger Sport Network, the Varsity Network App and Sirius/XM channel 196.
Why the Iowa-Wisconsin rivalry is entering a new era
While the high-stakes nature of this season's meeting is nothing new for the longtime rivals, BadgerExtra columnist Jim Polzin feels Saturday's game marks a turning point for Wisconsin. Arguing that the series has been bolstered by the similarities between the two programs over the past two decades, Polzin wrote that the "mirror the programs were looking into was shattered by Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh last winter" with the hiring of Fickell. The Badgers are still trying to get up to full speed in their first season using the Air Raid offense, but their days of resembling the Hawkeyes appear to be a thing of the past.
What Wisconsin is doing to improve on deep passes
Wisconsin has struggled in the deep passing game through its first five games this season, finding few opportunities to air the ball out. Senior quarterback Tanner Mordecai has Mordecai’s attempted 23 passes of more than 20 air yards beyond the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus, and 29 passes between 10-19 air yards. With 21 completions in those 52 attempts, Mordecai has thrown for 471 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in those situations. Wisconsin receiver Skyler Bell has taken ownership of mistakes he's made on deep throws, while fellow receiver Bryson Green has confidence the deep passing game will improve as the offense keeps evolving.
How former Wisconsin QB Deacon Hill feels about returning with rival Iowa
Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill will be making his second career start when he returns to Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday after choosing to enter the transfer portal after nearly two years at Wisconsin. BadgerExtra reporter Colten Bartholomew caught up with the former Wisconsin backup earlier in the week for an exclusive interview that covered why Hill decided to transfer, how a former Wisconsin player and assistant helped Hill land with the Hawkeyes and where his head's at after taking over for an injured Cade McNamara.
Why experience against Iowa's QB isn't an advantage
With eight regular starters on the Badgers defense this season having regularly practiced against Hill when they were on the two-deep in 2021, there is plenty of familiarity with the Hawkeyes quarterback. But, despite that experience, members of the Wisconsin defense weren't convinced it would provide them with any noticeable advantage on Saturday. Safety Hunter Wohler, the Badgers' leading tackler this season, said Hill has poise, is tough to get uncomfortable and “can throw it a mile,” but his role with the Badgers was to simulate the next opponent’s offense. Instead of relying on that past experience, Wohler feels its key for the Badgers to stay focused on how Hill operates Iowa's offense.
What challenges Iowa presents for Wisconsin
In addition to Hill helming the Hawkeyes offense, Wisconsin will face a tough test. The Hawkeyes, led for the 25th season by coach Kirk Ferentz, arrive in Madison with their typically stout defense and continued struggles on offense. With Kirk Ferentz's son Brian serving as offensive coordinator, Iowa has had trouble moving the ball and scoring this season, averaging 21.8 points per game while accumulating 249.2 yards per contest. Despite the Hawkeyes' offensive struggles, their defense has continued to deliver under longtime defensive coordinator Phil Parker. The unit enters Saturday's game allowing 16.3 points and 324.5 yards per contest, while holding opponents to a 36.2% conversion rate on third down.
What Wisconsin needs to do to beat Iowa
With the winner of Saturday's game in the driver's seat in the Big Ten West race, Wisconsin will need to show continued improvement if it hopes to deliver a strong blow to Iowa. Facing a different pass-rushing strategy from the Hawkeyes than most of the teams they’ve faced thus far, the Badgers will need to protect Mordecai from an Iowa defense that doesn't blitz much but rather trusts its front four to generate pressure with stunts and/or one-on-one rushes. On defense, the Badgers will need to be aggressive in challenging Hill after the Hawkeyes played like they were scared of their own quarterback during last week's narrow win against Purdue.
Why these Iowa players could cause problems for Wisconsin
In addition to Hill under center, Wisconsin will have a few talented players to contend with Saturday. On offense, there's one player in particular that could cause problems for the Badgers. Tight end Erik All caught five of Hill's six completed passes against the Boilermakers, totaling 97 yards and scoring one of Iowa's two touchdowns. Wisconsin’s linebackers will have their hands full trying to cover All, who creates mismatches with his size and speed. The Hawkeyes defense has plenty of talent, but the Badgers will need to keep their eyes on two players in particular. Cornerback Cooper DeJean is on a tear halfway through the season, racking up 33 tackles, two interceptions and two pass breakups. DeJean, who helped Iowa beat Wisconsin last season, could also cause problems on special teams, entering the game as the best punt returner in the Big Ten this year with an average of 14.3 yards per return to go along with key return touchdown against Michigan State. Linebacker Jay Higgins has been used almost as a fixer for the Iowa defense, helping limit big plays while leading the team with 62 tackles. Higgins' play allows others around him some freedom to attack gaps and try to make plays and the senior could make things tough on Badgers running backs Braelon Allen and Jackson Acker.
How Vegas sees Wisconsin's odds against Iowa
According to Action Network, the Badgers opened as 4.5-point favorites, before the consensus moved to 9.5 points in favor of Wisconsin as of Tuesday and settled at Wisconsin -9.5 as of Friday night. The over/under for total points in the game opened at 40.5 before dropping to 34.5 total points at most major Vegas sportsbooks as of Friday night. In their last time out, the Badgers posted a 11-point victory against Rutgers, which failed to cover the spread, while the total score of 37 failed to clear the over/under in Vegas.
What weather conditions are forecast for Iowa at Wisconsin
After a wet few days in Wisconsin, conditions aren't expected to improve much in time for Saturday's game. With tailgaters warned to carry extra tie-downs to combat the windy conditions, the National Weather Service is calling for likely showers ahead of the 3 p.m. kickoff with a daytime high near 53 degrees and a Northwest wind between 15-20 mph and gusts up to 35 mph. The rain is expected to trail off during the afternoon while the temperature will drop to an overnight low near 42 degrees.
