It's Game Day in Madison: Battle of the Heartland Trophy, as Wisconsin hosts Iowa

Madison, WI -- The defending Big Ten West champion and now undefeated Wisconsin Badgers (9-0, 6-0 B1G West) welcome the #20 Iowa Hawkeyes (6-3, B1G West) to Camp Randall Stadium for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff on ABC Sports. The Heartland Trophy is on the line, when the Badgers and the Hawkeyes square off, but more importantly, the Badgers are the sole remaining Big Ten program in the hunt for a spot in the College Football Playoff in 2017.

Six Big Ten teams are now among the Top 25 and both Power 5 programs
from the great State of Iowa are ranked #20 and #21 for the first time, in
College Football Playoff history. Wisconsin is the lone Top 10 team in the B1G.

The Badgers have never gone 12-0 in the regular season, while the Hawkeyes finished 12-0 in 2015, for the first time in program history, as they won the Big Ten West division. The last time Iowa traveled to Madison was in the 2015 season, defeating the Badgers 10-6 in a defensive slug fest. The Hawkeyes are coming off an impressive 55-24 win over Ohio State, eliminating the Buckeyes from the College Football Playoff field.

Iowa won the last time in Madison 10-6. The Hawkeyes are hoping for three
straight, in a series where the road team has won six straight in the series.
Today's winner, will carry off the Heartland Trophy, introduced in 2004.

Iowa has faced five programs in the Top 25, with a 2-3 record, while Wisconsin is 1-0 with a 33-24 win at home against Northwestern. The Hawkeyes fell at Northwestern 17-10 in overtime. The Hawkeyes have fallen three times, but have played a stronger non conference, as well, as conference schedule in 2017.

Can the Hawkeyes make it two in a row, defeating Top 10 programs?

The Dean of College Football, Kirk Ferentz coaches the Iowa Hawkeyes, while Wisconsin is coached by Madison native and Badger alum, Paul Chryst, now in his third season at the helm, after three seasons at Pittsburgh (19-19). Chryst is now 30-6 at the helm at Wisconsin. The coaches are 1-1 in Big Ten meetings as head coaches, while Ferentz holds a 2-1 record overall head to head, with a 24-20 win in Pittsburgh in 2014 over Chryst's Pitt Panthers team.

Kirk Ferentz is in his 19th season at the helm at Iowa, as head coach and his 28th season overall. Paul Chryst grew
up in Madison, played football for the Badgers, was on the staff, as an assistant and now is in his third season,
as head coach, after three seasons leading Pittsburgh. The first head to head meeting against head coaches was in 2014,
when Iowa used a second half comeback to win 24-20 over the Chryst coached team. Ferentz is 2-1, 1-1 in Big Ten games.

Last year, in Iowa City, Wisconsin won 17-9, as the Hawkeyes were unable to find the end zone, due to the solid Badgers defense. The visiting program has won sixth straight in the series. The Badgers lead the series 45-43-2.

Statistics for the Iowa-Wisconsin series
Meetings total	90
All-time series	Wisconsin leads, 45–43–2 (.511)
Largest victory	Wisconsin, 44–0 (1894)
Longest win streak	Iowa, 10 (1985–1996)
Longest unbeaten streak	Iowa, 18 (1977–1996)
Current win streak	Wisconsin, 1 (2016–present)

Defense wins championships in the Big Ten West Division

Since 2014, the Big Ten has played East and West divisions, when Maryland and Rutgers joined the conference, making it seven programs in each division. The realignment reunited the annual series between Iowa and Wisconsin. Past three winners in the West Division ...

• 2014, Wisconsin at 7-1 in the West
• 2015, Iowa at 8-0 in the West
• 2016, Wisconsin at 7-2 in the West
• 2017, Wisconsin is in the driver seat right now, they control own destiny ...

Wisconsin and Iowa are #1 and #2 in conference games in scoring defense allowing only 15 and 17.5 points per game, respectively. On offense in Big Ten games, Iowa has played both #1 Ohio State (47.7) and #2 Penn State (33.50), splitting those games 1-1. Wisconsin (32.5) and Iowa (26.0) are #3 and #4, respectively, in the conference. The highest scoring opponent Wisconsin has faced is Northwestern (25.8).

The defense at Wisconsin is now lead by DC Jim Leonard, who is the third
defensive coordinator for head coach Paul Chryst, who is 30-6 in three seasons.

Both programs are playing very good football heading into the second Saturday of November. The Badgers lost two starting players last Saturday, #1 WR sophomore Quintez Cephus and sophomore LB Chris Orr, in the 45-17 win at Indiana. Iowa has lost three starters this season to injuries, but none of the players have played significantly this season. 

Quarterback will play a key role in today's game

Two sophomores get the start for each team. Prior to this season, redshirt sophomore Alex Hornibrook was a part-time starter for Wisconsin, but he is the full-time starter now in 2017, since Bart Houston graduated. Hornibrook ranks #2 behind Ohio State's J.T. Barrett in passing efficiency, despite throwing eight interceptions to seven touchdowns in conference play.

Wisconsin sophomore QB 12 Alex Hornibrook in last season's home game against Ohio State. The Badgers lone Big
Ten loss last season came in Madison 23-20 in OT. How will Iowa's defense get Hornibrook in Madison?
The Badgers QB threw 7 interceptions all last season and has eight already in 2017 in conference games.

Iowa's true sophomore Nate Stanley is in his first season, as the starting QB, replacing C.J. Beathard, who is now in the NFL playing for the San Francisco 49ers. Stanley has throw 12 touchdown passes and only 3 interceptions in conference play, as he returns to his home state of Wisconsin for the game today. Stanley has had two-five TD days, on the road in the non conference at #21 Iowa State and last Saturday in the win over #13 Ohio State.

Over in Columbus, the Big Ten East race will see Michigan State sophomore QB 14 Brain Lewerke lead the Spartans
into Ohio State to determine, who enters the driver seat, as the likely East draw in Indianapolis. Iowa sophomore QB
4 Nate Stanley returns to his home state, as the Hawkeyes face the Badgers in Camp Randall this afternoon.
The Big Ten has three prominent sophomore quarterback, with two of the three on display today in Madison. 

No one is expecting those type of fireworks in today's Iowa vs. Wisconsin game

This game begins in the offensive and defensive lines. Iowa has a new offensive line coach, with former North Dakota State offensive coordinator Tim Polasek, another Wisconsin native. Wisconsin has their third defensive coordinator, in the past three seasons, under Chryst. Chryst elevated defensive back coach Jim Leonard, a former Badgers defensive back, who joined the coaching staff last season, after a successful career as an NFL player. The Hawkeyes have a first year offensive coordinator, as Iowa elevated offensive line and run game coordinator, Brian Ferentz, a former Iowa offensive lineman to the position this off season.

How will first year Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz dial up on the
road, in his third B1G road test of 2017? There is a trophy on the line in this one.
The Hawkeyes did win a trophy in a 44-41 OT game at Iowa State, but the Hawkeyes
are 0-2 on the road, in Big Ten road games this season, at MSU and at Northwestern.

There will be a lot of motivation within the coaching staffs of both team in this game. Winning the line of scrimmage is always a key in this series. It's another trophy game. The Hawkeyes have won the two of four trophy games in 2017, with wins over Iowa State and Minnesota, 17-10 at Kinnick. Wisconsin plays for three trophy games to close out the regular season, with Iowa, Michigan and at Minnesota on the road to their first 12-0 season.

But, can Iowa knock Wisconsin off track today?

True freshman RB Jonathan Taylor is the feature back for the Badgers. He leads the Big Ten, in conference games, with 930 yards. He has had two-200 yard games, to kickoff his career at Wisconsin. He will be used behind the fullback and in the slot. His first running mate is sophomore Bradrick Shaw. Taylor has zero yards in the passing game in conference play.

The Iowa defense will face the #1 RB in the Big Ten at Wisconsin, as the Badgers
ground attack is lead by true freshman RB 23 Jonathan Taylor. He averages 6.8
yards per game, with seven touchdowns in Big Ten play in 2017.

The Hawkeyes have a strong dual threat senior RB Akrum Wadley, in both the run and passing game. You will see both offenses feature a fullback at times and rely on the tight ends in the run and passing games. Iowa also has senior Nevada transfer James Butler, back from an elbow injury, and redshirt freshman Toren Young at RB. Young is a Wisconsin prep making his first visit to his home state.

Iowa senior RB 25 Akrum Wadley can be outstanding in open space and this
safety valve pass last Saturday in the 55-24 win over Ohio State got Urban Meyer's
attention. Wadley has not found the run game consistent at times this season.
Will the Iowa offensive line provide opportunities for a change against the Badgers?

In the passing game, Wisconsin is now lead by senior TE Troy Fumagalli, with a sophomore WR A.J. Taylor and true freshman Danny Davis III the prime receivers outside now, due to multiple injuries in the receiving corp this season. The most recent injury was Cephus, but the Badgers are already without the leading returning receiver, senior WR Jazz Peavy, who went down, in early Big Ten play.

Iowa sophomore TE 87 Noah Fant leads Iowa receivers with TD receptions
with seven on the season. Wisconsin has a really strong tradition with tight ends,
as well. Senior Troy Fumagalli is an outstanding leader for the Badgers.
Iowa is healthy at TE for a change, after some ups and downs in recent seasons.

On the flip side, the Iowa receiving corp rode heavily last Saturday on true sophomore TE Noah Fant and redshirt freshman TE T.J. Hockenson, who each had two touchdowns in the win over Ohio State. Iowa's threesome at WR is senior Matt VandeBerg, junior JUCO transfer Nick Easley and true freshman Ihmir Smith-Marsette. Iowa is beginning to target true freshman Brandon Smith, but he only has three catches on the season.

Iowa's offensive line is anchored by Ohio preps, senior RG 79 Sean Welsh and
junior C 78 James Daniels, who clearly had best game of season, in last Saturday's
win over Ohio State. The pass blocking has improved, but mistakes, penalities
impacted the unit, until Saturday's impressive win over Ohio State.

Both programs are built in the offensive line on offense. Both teams returned four starters to begin the season, but the Hawkeyes lost both senior tackles early and are relying now on redshirt freshman LT Alaric Jackson and true freshman RT Tristan Wilfs, who each had a breakout game last Saturday, along with the interior line mates. The Hawkeyes will have to have another breakout game to likely have back to back upsets in Big Ten play. How will the Hawkeyes perform playing the vaulted 3-4 defense the Badgers run in Madison?

Iowa senior MLB 43 Josey Jewell leads the Big Ten in tackles in conference play,
as he takes down OSU QB C.J. Barrett in space last Saturday, in the win.

Iowa is rotating eight, even nine players in the defensive line in 2017. They faced a good unit last Saturday, but the size of the Wisconsin offensive line, with a be a real test, as well. Iowa starts three seniors in the linebacker corp, lead by the Big Ten's leading tackler, Josey Jewell.

Wisconsin junior LB T.J. Edwards lead the 2016 Badger defense in tackles,
he is back in 2017 to lead the #1 scoring defense, as he returns an interception
in the Homecoming game against Maryland, in a 38-13 win in Big Ten play.

In the linebacker corp, Wisconsin junior T.J. Edwards leads the front 7 of the defense, with senior Jack Cichy out all season. Junior JUCO transfer OLB Andrew Van Girkel has become a key performer, out of Iowa Western C.C. and Rock Valley, Iowa.

Two of the best cornerbacks in the Big Ten will be on the field today

Iowa first-year starting, junior CB Joshua Jackson and Wisconsin junior, Hawaii transfer CB Nick Nelson lead the conference in pass breakouts and are among the top two CBs in the nation this season. Jackson pulled off a hat trick with three of the four interceptions during last week's Iowa-Ohio State game. Iowa opened last week's game with a Pick 6 by sophomore SS Amani Hooker.

The Big Ten has the nation's top two cornerbacks per PFF College Football,
as Iowa's Joshua Jackson and Wisconsin's Nick Nelson rate 1-2.

The Wisconsin Badgers have been very consistent over the past ten seasons with the #10 record in all of College Football. The Badgers are off to a 9-0 start and are seeking first ten win start in program history. The last opportunity was in 2004, when the Badgers opened 9-0, then lost back to back Big Ten games against Michigan State and Iowa to close regular season.

45-43-2 Wisconsin leads the series, coming off last year's 17-9 game.
The Heartland Trophy is on the line in Camp Randall today ...

The Hawkeyes are hoping to start a three game losing streak, since Iowa needs help in dethroning the Badgers on pace for their third Big Ten West division title in four seasons. Northwestern is needing help, as well. So, an interesting final three weeks ahead ...

Keys to the game ...

• QB play on both sides ... which QB plays with more composure and with fewer turnovers
• Running game and explosive plays, the Badgers have broke open this series lately with B1G plays
• Coaching staff adjustments and performances, who puts team in better position
• Weather in Madison today ...

Iowa's QB Nate Stanley won honors in his first road start. However, the Hawkeyes
offense was not on track in his first two Big Ten road games. What happens today?

Prediction in the Iowa @ Wisconsin game today ...

• Iowa Hawkeyes 18
• Wisconsin Badgers 13

... thoughts in this one are QB Nate Stanley puts it together in his third B1G road game, as Iowa's defense puts enough pressure on QB Alex Hornibrook, leading to another B1G turnover ...

Big Ten pecking order in the College Football Playoff ratings ...

Iowa off to first 5-0 start, since 2009; twenty years ago, Iowa opened 5-0, as well.

The Iowa Hawkeyes (5-0, 1-0 B1G West) are off to the best start in six years, as well are ranked for t he first time, since the 2010 season. The 10-6 win over Wisconsin (3-2, 0-1 B1G West) was the first Iowa win over a Top 25 opponent, since the 24-16 win over Michigan in 2011.

The Iowa-Wisconsin game has been played ten times for the 
Heartland Trophy.  The series is now tied at 5-5, with Iowa's 10-6 win. 
The overall series is now, 43-44-2 in favor of the Wisconsin Badgers. 
Kirk Ferentz is now 4-3 in Madison.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz has 120 wins as a member of the Big Ten Conference, passing Barry Alvarez (119) for ninth in conference history. A nice way to celebrate the 120th season of Big Ten football.

Iowa Kirk Ferentz is 2-0
head to head vs. Paul Chryst,
after his 24-20 win last
season at Pitt.

The road team has won seven of the last nine games in this series. This is an amazingly close series, with Wisconsin leading 44-43-2 all-time. The Heartland Trophy record, since it was debuted in 2004 is tied at 5-5. The Hawkeyes ended a three game winning streak by the Badgers. All three games were in Iowa City.

Iowa offensive coordinator Greg Davis and defensive coordinator Phil Parker are now 4-0 in Big Ten road openers, since 2012. It is Davis' fourth season at Iowa, while Parker is in his fourth season as DC; he has been at Iowa for all 17 seasons, since Ferentz became head coach.

Iowa is now ranked for the first time, since the 2010 season, after the win in Madison. The Hawkeyes are ranked #22 in the latest AP Poll, released on Sunday, after the Week 5 win. The Hawkeyes are #23 in the Coaches Poll.

Iowa CB #14 Desmond King is showing outstanding moments
over the past five games, including his second game, with
two interceptions. He leads the Big Ten in interceptions.

The Hawkeyes have won their second trophy game of the season (Cy-Hawk, Heartland), after the previous road win @ Iowa State 31-17 in Week 3. Iowa has two trophy games remaining on its schedule (Minnesota, Floyd of Rosedale; Nebraska, Heroes). Last season, the Hawkeyes were 0-4 in trophy games.

Junior CB Desmond King recorded his fourth and fifth interceptions of the season for Iowa. It was his second multi-interception game of the season (Pitt). King tied for the team lead with three interceptions last season. He entered the game tied for the Big Ten lead with three interceptions. His second quarter interception led to an Iowa touchdown. Three of his five interceptions this season have resulted in Iowa scores (2 TDs, 1 FG).

Iowa senior DE #34 Nate Meier forces a big fumble in the game at
the goal line. The Hawkeyes won the turnover game 4-3 @ UW.

Iowa senior DE Drew Ott forced a fumble in the second quarter. It was Ott's third forced fumble of the season, and third of his career. Senior DE Nate Meier recovered the fumble, Wisconsin's first lost fumble of the season (resulted in 33-yard field goal). Ott (2.5) and Meier (1.5) combined for four TFL and 1.5 sacks.

Iowa Junior DT Faith Ekakitie recovered a fumble inside the Iowa five-yard line in the fourth quarter. It is his first career fumble recovery.

Talk about an all-Big Ten type day for Wisconsin senior 
OLB #58 Joe Schobert, who was extremely disruptive all game. 
He is a force for the Badgers.

One Badger was very disruptive today.

Wisconsin OLB #58 Joe Schobert, with
one of his sacks on #16 C.J. Beathard
during Saturday's trophy game. 

Wisconsin senior OLB Joe Schobert finished with 8 tackles, with 3.5 tackles for loss, including three sacks. He also added 5 QB hurries, 2 forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Schobert now has 13 tackles for loss and entered the game tied for the national lead in that category. He also entered the game tied for 4th nationally in sacks and now has nine on the year.

Iowa junior QB #16 C.J. Beathard had
a very challenging day, with Badgers
senior OLB Joe Schobert pressuring him.

QB C.J. Beathard is 6-0 as Iowa's starting quarterback, a record that includes a 3-0 mark on the road and a 3-0 mark at home. The junior QB's numbers include 101-of-168 (62.6) passing for 1,284 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions, and 192 yards rushing with three rushing touchdowns for the season. The last Iowa quarterback to win his first six career starts was Matt Sherman, who won seven from 1994-95, when Sherman opened the 1995 season with a 5-0 mark, twenty years ago.

Beathard was disrupted much of the day, by Wisconsin's OLB Schobert, who clearly distinguished himself, as one of the Big Ten's best in 2015. Beathard  was 9 for 21 passing, with one interception and one touchdown pass.

Iowa senior RB #33 Jordan Canzeri came up
with 125 yards on the ground. He also 
caught one pass for 14 yards.

Iowa senior RB Jordan Canzeri rushed 26 times for 125 yards. It is his third 100-yard rushing game this season, and the fifth of his career.

Iowa sophomore OLB #44 Ben
Niemann was the Iowa Radio Network's
player of the game, as a leader in
the Hawkeyes own defensive effort in the
10-6 win over Wisconsin.

Iowa fifth year senior WLB Cole Fisher (14) and sophomore OLB Ben Niemann (7) recorded career high in tackles. Junior CB Greg Mabin (7) and sophomore SS Miles Taylor (7) matched their career highs with seven tackles.

Iowa junior LT #64 Cole Croston
got his first start, in place of injured
Boone Myers @ Wisconsin.

Junior LT Cole Croston and true freshman WR Jerminic Smith made their first career starts for Iowa. Iowa likely missed senior WR Tevaun Smith, who lead Iowa with four catches for 78 yards, including long of 32 yards, in last year's 26-24 loss in Iowa City to Wisconsin.

Junior WR #89 Matt VandeBerg
continues to be Iowa QB C.J. Beathard's
favorite target in most games.

Smith is the first Iowa freshman to start at wide receiver since junior Matt VandeBerg started two games in 2013. Thirteen Hawkeye have made their first career start this season: junior RB LeShun Daniels, Jr., sophomore LT Boone Myers, sophomore DT Nathan Bazata, junior DT Jaleel Johnson, fifth year senior WLB Cole Fisher, sophomore OLB Ben Niemann, sophomore SS Miles Taylor, redshirt freshman TE Jameer Outsey, redshirt freshman DE Parker Hesse WR Riley McCarron, LT Croston, and WR Smith.

WR Matt VandeBerg had six catches for 61 yards. It is the fourth time in five games he has had at least six catches. However, most of his production was all in the first half.

For the second straight game, Iowa junior
TE #46 George Kittle scored a TD reception
from QB C.J. Beathard. 

Iowa junior TE George Kittle caught a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter. It was the second receiving TD of his career, and the second in as many weeks.

Wisconsin had won nine straight trophy games, until Saturday's Iowa win. The Badgers will play another trophy game this Saturday at Nebraska (2-3, 0-1 B1G West), when they meet for the Freedom Trophy against the Cornhuskers. The Badgers close out the 2015 Big Ten regular season at Minnesota (3-2, 0-1 B1G West) in the battle for Paul Bunyan's Ax.

Wisconsin won the toss and elected to receive. It was the first time this season Iowa did not receive the opening kickoff. In 17 seasons as Iowa's head coach, Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes have started the game on defense in 39-of-205 games (21-18).

The 2015 Homecoming Game at Iowa.

The Hawkeyes return to Iowa City, with a Saturday game at Kinnick Stadium for Homecoming. This year's Homecoming opponent is the Illinois Fighting Illini (4-1, 1-0 B1G West), who won their second straight fourth quarter comeback, with a 14-13 win in the Big Ten home opener against Nebraska.


The Homecoming game will be another 11 a.m. kickoff, this game will be televised by ESPNU. This is the 103rd Homecoming game in 126 seasons of Iowa Football. Iowa is 16-4, since 1995 in Homecoming games. Since 2000, the Hawkeyes are 12-3, with a 12-4 record under Kirk Ferentz for Homecoming. The Hawkeyes won last season's Homecoming game in a 45-29 shootout with Indiana.

Iowa defeated Illinois in Champaign last season, by the score of 30-14. Ferentz is 6-3 in his career at Iowa, as head coach. The last game in Iowa City was back in 2007, when Iowa beat Illinois by a score of 10-6, when the Fighting Illini represented the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. Ferentz is 3-1 in games played at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa at Wisconsin in Big Ten play on Saturday in deadlocked series at 41 and 41

Who will get to +1 in the Iowa-Wisconsin series this weekend. Both teams have won 41 games each in this series. Another Big Ten trophy game is up in Madison on Saturday. Kickoff is at 11 am on ESPN.

Who carries off the Trophy tomorrow?

Big Ten Scoring Offense/Defense to date in conference play:

• Iowa (2-0) 25.5 on offense; 19.0 on defense


• Wisconsin (2-1) 27.3 on offense; 29.7 on defense


• Best offense Iowa has faced: Michigan; best defense Iowa has faced: Penn State


• Best offense UW has faced: Minnesota; best defense UW has faced: Ohio State

It's a little strange to watch the Big Ten Network talk about Turnover Margin in favor of the Badgers, because when you throw out the OOC and look at Big Ten conference games, which is what really matters for the Hawkeyes, Badgers and nine other Big Ten teams.

• Iowa is #1 in the Big Ten in Turnover Margin at a +3


• Wisconsin is +0.67 after three games vs. Michigan State, @ Minnesota and @ OSU


• While Wisconsin was better in the OOC in Turnover Margin, QB Scott Tolzien is at 3 interceptions, as does Iowa's QB Ricky Stanzi, who is at 3 as well


• Wisconsin has fumbled the ball more than Iowa in '09

Pass Efficiency is an interesting statistic on offense and defense.

• Iowa's defense is #1 in pass efficiency, while the offense is #9 in the conference


• Wisconsin's defense is #9 in pass efficiency, while offense is #5 in the conference


• So, it appears it is weakness vs. weakness, while Iowa is on offense


• It may be Iowa's strength, to a UW passing attack that has improved over '08, but just how far have they come

Iowa has the second longest winning streak in FBS. #1 Florida has the longest winning streak in FBS right now. Iowa has won 2 of the last 3 games in Madison, though UW beat Iowa 17-13 in '07. Iowa lost 7-27 in '07 at Penn State. This season, the Hawkeyes picked up a big victory 21-10 in Happy Valley. Iowa enters the game 2-0 on the season in road game. The Hawkeyes beat rival Iowa State in Ames 35-3 this season to win the Cy-Hawk series trophy. Can Iowa keep the win streak going this weekend in Madison?

Ringing up the First Downs in conference play.

• Wisconsin leads the Big Ten on offense in First Downs


• Iowa leads the Big Ten on defense in allowing the fewest First Downs per game


• Wisconsin's defense ranks fifth, while Iowa's offense ranks 10Th


• Wisconsin ran up some outstanding stats in Columbus last weekend on offense and the defense was favorable. But, UW lost to OSU 13-31 fueled by Pick 6s and allowing a special teams touchdown

The Red Zone is always on the mind of coordinators and measuring production of teams.

• Wisconsin's offense ranks #6, while the defense ranks #5 in the conference


• Iowa's offense ranks #8, while the defense ranks #9


• Iowa's defense gave up their first rushing touchdowns of the season vs. Michigan last week


• It will be an interesting chess match between rivals Kirk Ferentz and Bret Bielema, who served under Ferentz as an assistant at Iowa before moving onto Kansas State

There are some very good conference performers who are expected to take the field on Saturday in Madison.

• #1 rusher RB John Clay for Wisconsin; Iowa's RB Adam Robinson ranks #5


• Wisconsin TE Garrett Graham is an outstanding senior; while Iowa's senior TE Tony Moeaki has had two outstanding games this season, including national honors as the top TE performer for Week 6, in helping lead Iowa to a 27-25 win over Michigan


• Iowa's WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos enters the game as the top WR statistically


• The battle of a pair of junior QBs will feature Iowa's Ricky Stanzi, who has been down, with 3 Pick 6s this season, but still has lead Iowa to a 6-0 record thus far. UW's Scott Tolzien is in his first season as a starter for the Badgers and has them 5-1 at this point, after a 3-3 mark in '08


• Iowa PK Daniel Murray leads the conference in scoring and tied for #1 in field goals made


• Iowa PR Colin Sandeman is #1 in punt returning


• Iowa LBs Pat Angerer and Jeremiha Hunter are 1-2 in tackles, while third LB AJ Edds is also among the Top 20 in the conference in tackles.


• Wisconsin freshman LB Mike Taylor leads the Badgers and is #23 in the conference


• Wisconsin DE O'Brien Schofield is #1 in sacks and tackles for loss in the conference


• Iowa has several player makers on defense forcing fumbles and picking up INTs


• Iowa DE Broderick Binns is among the top defenders in the conference breaking up passes from is defensive line position with his long arms

Special teams will be an interesting area to watch in Madison on Saturday. Iowa's success under Kirk Ferentz has been fueled pretty heavily over the past ten plus years with strong special teams. Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema takes the role personally with the Badger special teams. This area of the game could be huge in determining the outcome of the game. Iowa has fueled both wins in the Big Ten with better field position than their opponents.

peace