SnoTap Badger Preview: Wisconsin at Iowa

There are rivalries in college football that completely get overlooked. One of these rivalries is Iowa and Wisconsin. I bet half of both fanbases do not know they battle for the Heartland Trophy, a brass bull given to the winner since 2004. Another fun fact is the rivalry between these two teams is tied at 42 wins a piece with one tie. It is a disregarded rivalry and it is good to see it back for the first time since 2010.  This is an intriguing matchup with Melvin Gordon's 'return' to Kinnick, underrated Badger defense and Joel Stave needing to be a game manager.

There are many recruits where teams wonder 'what if?' and one of those has to be Melvin Gordon with Iowa. Gordon committed to Iowa in August 2010 and it seemed like Kirk Ferentz had pulled a fast one on Bret Bielema. Side note real quick... What if Gordon did actually stay at Iowa, Bielema would have never lived this down with fans even if he left to Arkansas. Thankfully for Bielema and Wisconsin, Gordon changed his mind and decided he wanted to keep all of his knee ligaments by staying at home with Wisconsin. My assumption is the boos will be heavy for Gordon, probably for the first time in his career, yet the hope is he will not be intimidated rather motivated to be great on Saturday afternoon.   

It will be hard for Gordon to achieve the same level of success he has been having against this stout Iowa run defense. They are 24th in the country only allowing a little over three yards per carry and Ohio State is the only team to find paydirt against them. While Carlos Hyde is a good player, he is not the two-headed attack the Badger poise on Saturday with Gordon and James White. For the Hawkeyes to win this football game, they have to bring it to Wisconsin's running attack early and often and establish themselves. Control is a major issue in this game. 

While Iowa's defense is going to get a boatload of attention, Wisconsin's defense deserves some love in their own right. And yes for those wondering there are more players on this defense than just Chris Borland. Although if the Badgers middle linebacker does not play, this game's landscape definitely changes on the spot. Wisconsin's defense is the 22nd most efficient defense in the country per Football Outsiders and they are in pretty good company with some of the best teams in the land. Their front seven can get to the quarterback but their young secondary is taking some lumps thus far. They have been suspectible to the big play and they need to avoid that Saturday. Jake Rudock is a serviceable quarterback who can make some plays for the Hawkeyes and the Badgers need to shut him down.  

This feels like a game where Wisconsin might need to rely on Joel Stave yet in realty, he just needs to play the role of a game manager.  This is something Stave is good at and I agree he can do more than a usual Wisconsin quarterback yet he needs to be in control. I feel like sometimes Stave has this chip on his shoulder knowing he is thought less due to Gordon and White leading him to overdoing it. Iowa will need turnovers like a drug addict needs his or her fix to win this game. Stave cannot give them to the Hawkeyes. Sure, if there is a tipped pass, whatever shit happens, but there cannot be WTF Stave passes like we have seen throughout the past two years. 

Kinnick is a tough place to play for any opposing team and the crowd will be fired up for this one. I do not know if Iowa's offense has enough to beat Wisconsin. I think the rushing attack of Gordon and White does not do anything marvelous but they wear down this Iowa team getting hard-fought road victory.
Wisconsin 20 Iowa 13  

Charlie.