The Wisconsin Badgers defense tackles Iowa running back Jaziun Patterson (9) Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Expert picks for Wisconsin vs Iowa: Badgers have a fighting chance for first Big Ten win

Originally posted on Wisconsin Badgers on SI
By Lorin Cox | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 1:13 PM ET

The Wisconsin Badgers have a real chance to get back in the win column this week against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

It's a pivotal matchup with Wisconsin coming off of a three-game losing streak and facing a tough road ahead with the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country coming up next on the schedule.

The Badgers need this win badly, and college football writers are split on whether they can pull it off.

Experts disagree

The Wisconsin beat reporters over at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel see it going both ways. One writer has the Badgers winning 20-16, the other sees the Hawkeyes holding them off 16-13.

Uh-oh. I sense tension in the JS ranks. One pick for UW and one pick for Iowa. https://t.co/Z3sA8wpErj
— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) October 10, 2025

The same is true for Wisconsin writers over at USA Today's Wire Network, where some see a victory for UW and others see another loss.

The staff writers at Iowa Hawkeyes on SI sees Iowa's winning streak over UW continuing, with unanimous picks for the Hawkeyes on Saturday night.

College Football News also sides with Iowa in the matchup, but its widely viewed as a close matchup that will come down to one score.

Heartland Trophy Prediction

Wisconsin 19
Iowa 17 pic.twitter.com/YUgXqVDjaI
— CFB Home (@CFBHome) October 9, 2025

It could be an ugly back-and-forth between two teams with quarterback injuries, but the Badgers are the more desperate of the two.

Luke Fickell needs that to be visible in how his players perform, or else they could end up going two full months (or longer) without a win this season.

This article first appeared on Wisconsin Badgers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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