Wisconsin (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) at Iowa (5-3, 3-2), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Iowa at 3 1/2.

Series record: Wisconsin leads 49-46-2.

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

Both teams enter November looking to improve their bowl positions. The winner is bowl eligible and the loser has three more chances at a sixth victory. The Badgers ended their three-game winning streak with their home loss to Penn State. Iowa is coming off a home win over Northwestern, but has yet to win back-to-back Big Ten games.

KEY PARTY

Wisconsin run defense versus Iowa run game. The Badgers have been unusually soft against the run, allowing 144 yards per game to rank 14th in the Big Ten and 4.45 yards per carry to rank 15th. Kaleb Johnson of Iowa rushes for 143 yards per game to lead the conference and 7.84 yards per carry. The Badgers like their chances if Iowa has to rely on its dismal passing game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Wisconsin: The Badgers would like to get RB Tawee Walker working again. He amassed 418 yards in three straight wins (Purdue, Rutgers, Northwestern) before Penn State held him to 59 yards on 22 carries.

Iowa: Quarterback Brendan Sullivan. Cade McNamara has started every game, but was pulled against Northwestern in the second quarter due to a concussion. This will be Sullivan’s first start since transferring from Northwestern. He gave the Hawkeyes a spark last week, completing 9 of 14 passes for 79 yards and rushing eight times for 41 yards and a touchdown against his former team.

FACTS AND FIGURES

This is the third year in a row that no team is ranked when it plays. It’s the longest stretch since three meetings between 1992 and 1996. …Iowa’s Johnson has scored at least one touchdown in eight consecutive games for the longest streak by a player in Kirk Ferentz’s 26 seasons. …Wisconsin PK Haniel Vakos kicked a 50-yard field goal against Penn State, making him the first in program history to make four career touchdowns of 50-plus yards. …Iowa has scored 40 points against two Big Ten opponents for the first time since 2020. The Hawkeyes’ three 40-point games are the most since 2017. …The teams have played for the Heartland Trophy since 2004.

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