The Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2) will host the No. 25 Wisconsin Badgers (5-2) on Saturday, Oct. 31, with kickoff set for noon ET at Kinnick Stadium. The game marks the 100th meeting between the programs, with the Heartland Trophy awarded to the winner. Iowa has won the last four matchups, including a 37-0 victory last season. Wisconsin enters 3-1 in Big Ten play, while Iowa is 2-2 in conference games.
Betting Odds
Iowa is a 2.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the over/under set at 36.5 points. The money line lists Wisconsin at +114 and Iowa at -135. The over is -112 and the under -108.
Team Previews
Wisconsin rebounded from a 17-7 loss at UCLA with a 24-7 win over No. 16 USC. The Badgers held the Trojans to negative rushing yardage and recorded five sacks. Bryce West and Cairo Skanes each intercepted a pass in the first quarter. Quarterback Colton Joseph completed 12 of 14 attempts for a touchdown to Chris Brooks Jr., while running back Abu Sama III rushed for 71 yards. Wisconsin generated only 200 total yards, relying heavily on its defense.
Iowa suffered a 13-10 loss at Minnesota after tying the game on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Hank Brown to Reece Vander Zee with 3:46 remaining. Minnesota kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired. Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski split quarterback duties, combining for 198 passing yards and three interceptions. Iowa outgained Minnesota 288-209 but committed four turnovers. The Hawkeyes' defense recorded 10 tackles for loss and three sacks.
Prediction
SportsLine projects a 25-24 Wisconsin victory, aligning with the moneyline pick of the Badgers at +114. Wisconsin's defense has shown it can contain high-powered offenses, holding USC to seven points after the Trojans averaged 36.4 points per game. The Badgers also won at Penn State earlier this season, demonstrating road resilience. Iowa's defense allows just 82.9 rushing yards per game, but the Hawkeyes' offense turned the ball over four times against Minnesota, which could provide Wisconsin with short fields.
