Iowa vs. Wisconsin Picks and Predictions

While the Iowa Hawkeyes may have just had their bye week, that time has past and now all eyes shift to watch the Hawkeyes hit the road to travel to face off against the Wisconsin Badgers.

The Badgers have had a nasty schedule and Iowa is coming off a week of rest and will be raring to go. So, what does the Iowa Hawkeyes On SI staff think?

Jennifer Streeter, Staff Writer

My friends who attended Wisconsin aren't going to like this one, but the Badgers' schedule this year certainly hasn't done them any favors. On Sept. 13, Wisconsin fell 38-14 against Alabama, and the Badgers most recently lost to Michigan, 24-10.

Iowa may be 2-3, but Kaden Wetjen has really done wonders for the program this year and Kirk Ferentz is not one to be overlooked — as evidenced by him becoming the winningest head coach in Big Ten football history.

With the Hawkeyes receiving some rest, possible seeing a healthy Mark Gronowski and having more time to fine tune things, as long as they can find their way around Wisconsin's run defense, I see no way this game doesn't go Iowa's way.

Iowa 21, Wisconsin 13

Lane Mills, Staff Writer

With (possibly?) healthy Mark Gronowski set to return at quarterback for Iowa, I expect the team to come away with what is definitionally a must-win game on the road.

The Wisconsin Badgers, 2-3, represent the Hawkeyes' last favorable challenge before Penn State and Oregon are set on the slate in the coming weeks, giving the team little wiggle room as far as the outcome of this matchup if they want to be taken seriously in the B1G. Given the Badgers' relative inability to score against higher-level defenses, the game is shaping up to be a slog which, of course, works in Iowa's favor.

If Gronowski can be eased back into his role, with Iowa primarily relying on their ball-stopping and ground game, the Hawkeyes should be able to handle this bottom-conference competition away from home.

Iowa 20, Wisconsin 10

Nishant Gupta, Staff Writer

Wisconsin's offense has been absolutely brutal during this three-game losing streak. Iowa's defense ranks 19th nationally in scoring defense and should feast on the Badgers' struggling quarterback rotation.

While Hank Brown was disappointing in loss to the Indiana Hoosiers, he will enough to take the Hawkeyes over the line if Mark Gronowski is unable to take the field.

Luke Fickell's seat is getting hotter by the week, and Wisconsin desperately needs this win at Camp Randall. But their offensive line has been getting pushed around, and they can't establish any consistency in the running game that built their program's identity.

The Hawkeyes have owned this rivalry recently, winning three straight including that dominant 42-10 beatdown last season. They are expected to continue their streak this week as well.

Iowa 24, Wisconsin 13

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