The newly ranked Wisconsin football team (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) heads to Iowa City tomorrow to face their rivals, the Iowa Hawkeyes.
The Hawkeyes are coming off a 13-10 loss to Minnesota and will be without starting running back Kamari Moulton for the rest of the season. The Badgers are looking to reclaim the Heartland Trophy, which hasn’t been in Madison since 2021.
Wisconsin football opponent preview vs. Iowa
The Wisconsin football team responded to its Week 7 loss to UCLA with a big upset win over No. 16 USC at Camp Randall last weekend. But the Badgers can’t bask in the victory for long, as a matchup with a bitter rival looms.
The BadgerNotes staff takes another shot at predicting the outcome of this heated rivalry after going 0-4 last week with Wisconsin’s upset win over USC.
Here are the staff predictions for Week 9.
Staff predictions
• Dillon Graff
Season record: 5-2
Wisconsin deserves credit for what it just accomplished against USC.
Holding a ranked opponent to seven points after a frustrating loss at UCLA is no small thing. Add in the win over Penn State, and the Badgers have shown they can beat teams when their defense dictates the game.
But Iowa presents a different kind of challenge.
Kirk Ferentz’s teams typically make you earn everything. They’re physical, disciplined, sound defensively, and perfectly comfortable turning a game into a four-quarter test of patience. Field position matters. Turnovers matter. And if you spend the afternoon making self-inflicted mistakes, Iowa usually makes you pay.
That’s where my hesitation comes in.
Wisconsin’s defense is absolutely playing well enough to win this game. I believe that. But I’m not ready to assume the offense can consistently execute against Phil Parker’s defense, sustain long drives, and avoid the negative plays that have plagued this matchup under Luke Fickell.
The Badgers have lost three straight to Iowa under Fickell, getting outscored 94-16 in those meetings. That’s not something I’m willing to overlook after one encouraging performance. But USC felt different.
In Wisconsin’s other Big Ten wins, there were reasons to question how much progress had actually been made. This was the first time I saw something resembling a sustainable identity that complements what their defense brings to the table, even if the offense is still a work in progress.
I expect another physical, low-scoring game where a handful of possessions decide the outcome.
And if Wisconsin goes into Kinnick and proves me wrong? I’ll gladly look foolish. At that point, I might finally be ready to start coming around.
Prediction: Iowa 20, Wisconsin 13.
• Christian Borman
Season record: 4-3
I’ll admit I was wrong about how things would go against USC. I think I gave the Trojans’ defense too much credit and didn’t have enough faith in Wisconsin’s.
With the Iowa game next on the schedule, I don’t think you could get a more polar-opposite opponent than Iowa after USC. The Trojans are supposed to be a powerhouse offensive program. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes have had offensive issues for years and usually win by having the best defense on the field and keeping things low-scoring without making any back-breaking mistakes.
Wisconsin’s struggling offense is about to face one of the top defenses they have all season. Unless they can get the passing game going, I think this will be a slow-moving, ground-and-pound game for the Badgers.
Iowa has also struggled offensively lately and just lost their starting running back for the season. With the way the Wisconsin defense has been playing lately, I like the odds of keeping the Hawkeyes to a relatively low-scoring output.
I think this will be a battle between two very similar teams, as we have seen so many times in the past. A low-scoring defensive battle, and I think whoever makes that fatal mistake will be on the losing end.
These teams seem to be trending in opposite directions right now, and avoiding a night game at Kinnick is a huge plus. I’ll take the Badgers, who have some momentum right now, in a close one.
Prediction: Wisconsin 17, Iowa 13
• Seamus Rohrer
Season record: 4-3
Iowa and Wisconsin are mirror images of each other, as they so often are. Impermeable defenses. Questionable quarterback play. A lack of explosive playmakers. A commitment to physicality.
The winner of this game has a real shot to make noise in the Big Ten title race and dare I say the push for the College Football Playoff. Wisconsin has also lost to Iowa four straight times and Fickell has yet to beat the Hawkeyes, while Iowa is coming off a stunning, last-second upset loss to Minnesota. This is a monumental game for both programs.
This game could genuinely feature close to 20 punts. It’s going to come down to which offense can hit on a big play or two, and which defense can create the key turnover(s).
Iowa’s defense, while certainly intimidating, has been sneakily susceptible against the pass, but it’s also gotten to the quarterback at a significantly higher rate than Wisconsin and if troubles persist for the Badgers up front, that could spell doom.
I think the injury to Kamari Moulton a pretty big deal; he was easily Iowa’s most productive and elusive back. That coupled with their ongoing quarterback controversy makes me think Wisconsin can do just enough to win this game.
Prediction: Wisconsin 13, Iowa 10
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