Iowa gets a chance to reset quickly after a rough night in Minneapolis, and the task waiting in Iowa City is no cupcake. No.
25 Wisconsin comes in riding the kind of momentum that changes a locker room, fresh off a home upset of No. 16 USC that pushed the Badgers into the rankings and sent USC tumbling out.
For Iowa, the timing matters. The Hawkeyes need to shake off the 13-10 loss to Minnesota and get back on track in week nine, with their College Football Playoff hopes still in the picture. That’s a tall order against a Wisconsin team that has looked strong this season and now heads into the 100th meeting between the programs with confidence.
The betting market has Iowa as a short home favorite. FanDuel Sportsbook lists the Hawkeyes at -3.5, with Wisconsin at +3.5.
Iowa’s moneyline sits at -160, while Wisconsin is +132. The total is set at 36.5, with both the over and under priced at -110.
Weather could play a role, too. The forecast for Iowa City calls for a chilly Saturday afternoon that starts in the low 60s and stays there, with a 60-percent chance of precipitation. High humidity adds to the possibility of rain hanging around through the game.
This matchup also comes with a long history attached. Wisconsin holds a narrow edge in the all-time series at 49-48-2, but Iowa has taken four of the last five meetings. The Hawkeyes also blasted the Badgers 37-0 in Madison last season, and they’ll be trying to duplicate that result at home.
The personnel picture tilts the matchup toward a defensive fight. Iowa recently announced that starting running back Kamari Moulton is out for the season, and Hank Brown will start at quarterback.
That puts more pressure on an offense that struggled badly against Minnesota and has been held down in four of five games against Power Four teams. Wisconsin’s rushing defense, ranked No. 16 overall, is built to challenge Iowa where it wants to operate most.
Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski both had rough outings against Minnesota, and Iowa will be hoping both took something from that loss. The bigger question is which version of Brown shows up: the one who struggled making five-yard passes against Ohio State and Minnesota, or the one who guided the game-winning drive against Michigan?
Iowa’s defense has been the steadying force and has kept the Hawkeyes in games. If that side slips even a little, the Badgers have enough going right to make this a long afternoon. Wisconsin also just showed it can quiet a dangerous offense, holding USC in check with Heisman contender Jayden Maiava under center.
The forecast here points to a low-scoring battle, and that kind of game would favor Iowa. Still, the Hawkeyes need to find some life on offense without Moulton and with Brown under center. If they can’t get the run game going, they’ll need Brown to provide answers through the air.
This one has the feel of a defensive grind. Iowa gets the nod in a close one.
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