Tag: Iowa

Wisconsin falls behind Minnesota in ESPN SP+ after loss to Iowa

Wisconsin falls behind Minnesota in ESPN SP+ after loss to Iowa

Wisconsin continued its sharp fall in rating metrics after its 42-10 loss to Iowa on Saturday.

ESPN SP+ accurately depicts the Badgers’ current descent. The team was ranked No. 20 just two weeks ago entering the Penn State matchup. Now, the Badgers are down to No. 41 in the nation (No. 86 offense, No. 22 defense) after back-to-back losses.

Related: Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 10: Ohio State returns to prominence

With that drop, Wisconsin is now down to the No. 10 team in the Big Ten, behind Ohio State at No. 1, Oregon at No. 5, Penn State at No. 9, Indiana at No. 11, Iowa at No. 17, USC at No. 23, Michigan at No. 30, Washington at No. 31 and Minnesota at No. 35.

The most notable on that list is Minnesota, which continued its steep ascent with a road victory over Illinois.

Wisconsin’s three remaining games are against Oregon (No. 5), Nebraska (No. 45), and Minnesota (No. 35). Given the Badgers’ current form and trajectory, none of those matchups look like clear victories. The team needs just one win in those final three games to extend its bowl streak to 23 seasons.

The Badgers are idle in Week 11 before a marquee matchup with No. 1 Oregon on Nov. 16. While Wisconsin’s outlook looks bleak after the blowout loss to Iowa, a win over Oregon would do a lot to turn the tide.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin continues to dive in ESPN FPI after blowout loss to Iowa

Wisconsin continues to dive in ESPN FPI after blowout loss to Iowa

Wisconsin continued its steep slide in ESPN FPI after a 42-10 loss to Iowa on Saturday.

The Badgers dropped six spots from No. 31 to No. 37 with the loss — down 12 slots from the team’s No. 25 ranking entering the Penn State matchup.

Related: Major takeaways from Wisconsin Badgers’ worst loss to Iowa since 1968

The loss continues to dim Wisconsin’s rest-of-season outlook. FPI now projects the team’s final record at 6.3 — 5.7, with a 82% chance of reaching bowl eligibility.

The Badgers move forward with matchups against Oregon (No. 7 in FPI), Nebraska (No. 55) and Minnesota (No. 31). Oregon and Minnesota are on the rise after continued strong play, while Nebraska has plummeted after three consecutive losses.

It goes without saying that Luke Fickell’s team needs to improve upon its recent form to reach the six-win threshold required for postseason eligibility — let alone to have a chance at defeating top-ranked Oregon.

The Badgers are idle in Week 11 before hosting the Ducks on Nov. 16. The bye week could be much-needed for a team and program currently on the ropes.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

RECAP: Wisconsin crushed in Iowa City, lose to Hawkeyes 42-10

RECAP: Wisconsin crushed in Iowa City, lose to Hawkeyes 42-10

The Iowa Hawkeyes delivered a dominant 42-10 win over the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

The Badgers defense forced a punt on Iowa’s opening possession. They followed that with a 12-play, 59-yard drive that ended with a 38-yard Nathanial Vakos field goal. That 3-0 advantage was the only lead Wisconsin would hold in the contest.

Iowa went on to miss a 56-yard field goal on its next drive, continuing to hand momentum to Wisconsin. But that momentum quickly turned when Badgers quarterback Braedyn Locke threw the first of two interceptions.

Quarterback Brendan Sullivan and running back Kaleb Johnson finished off back-to-back drives with rushing touchdowns as Iowa took a 14-3 lead into halftime.

The Hawkeyes kept the momentum going following the break, scoring touchdowns on all four of their possessions in the second half — two by RB Kaleb Johnson.

Braedyn Locke and C.J. Williams finally connected for a 14-yard score with 14:12 in the fourth quarter, Wisconsin’s first touchdown of the evening. That narrowed the margin to 28-10, which was the closest Wisconsin would get down the stretch.

Iowa out-gained Wisconsin 422-261 in total, churning out an eye-popping 329 rushing yards in the contest. Running back Kaleb Johnson turned 24 carries into 135 yards and three touchdowns, while fellow backs Kamari Moulton and Jaziun Patterson combined for 130 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Additionally, quarterback Brendan Sullivan completed seven of 10 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown while also adding 58 yards and a score on the ground.

For Wisconsin, quarterback Braedyn Locke completed 15 of 29 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown while throwing two interceptions in the loss. He has now thrown eight picks in six starts in 2024. Running back Tawee Walker was limited to just 52 yards on 16 carries while backfield mate Darrion Dupree had 52 yards on seven totes.

It was just the fourth time ever that Wisconsin allowed 40-plus points to Iowa — the first since 1975.

The Hawkeyes improved to 6-3 on the season and 4-2 in Big Ten play with the victory. Wisconsin, on the other hand, drops to 5-4 on the season and 3-3 in conference play.

The Badgers will be idle in Week 11 before they’ll host No. 1 Oregon at Camp Randall Stadium on Nov. 16.

Wisconsin vs. Iowa injury report: Pair of Badgers LBs listed as ‘questionable’

Wisconsin vs Iowa injury report

The Wisconsin Badgers (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) continue their 2024 season on Saturday with a primetime showdown against the Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten).

Wisconsin has released its final status report with less than two hours remaining before the 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

The Badgers will again be without WR Tyrell Henry, amongst others in Week 10. Notably, interior linebackers Tackett Curtis and Jaheim Thomas were added to the injury report, both of whom are questionable to play. Bryson Green is also questionable for the second week in a row as he looks to return to the field for the first time since Oct. 5 versus Purdue.

Iowa, meanwhile, will be without quarterbacks Cade McNamara and Marco Lainez, while starting tight end Luke Lachey is questionable to play with an undisclosed injury. Brendan Sullivan will take over at QB, but if Lachey can’t go, that’s a significant loss for the Hawkeyes.

[lawrence-related id=88368]

Here is the full injury report entering Saturday’s Week 10 game between Wisconsin and Iowa:

Iowa injury report

  • Questionable: TE Luke Lachey
  • Out: John Nestor, Marco Lainez, Cade McNamara, Reece Vander Zee, Addison Ostrenga

Wisconsin injury report

  • Questionable: WR Bryson Green, LB Jaheim Thomas, LB Tackett Curtis, TE J.T. Seagraves
  • Out: Chez Mellusi, Tyler Van Dyke, Joseph Griffin, Kamo’i Latu, Tyrell Henry, Cole LaCrue, Tamer Dalloul, Evan Brown, Leyton Nelson, Rob Booker, James Thompson Jr.

Wisconsin WR Bryson Green injury update

Green suffered a knee injury in Week 6 against Purdue and has yet to return to the field. He was considered a game-time decision in Week 9 against Penn State, but he was ultimately ruled out. If he’s unavailable again, C.J. Williams will once again see an expanded role at wideout.

Wisconsin LB Jaheim Thomas injury update

Thomas recorded nine total tackles (five solo) in the team’s 28-13 loss to Penn State in Week 9, but he appears to have potentially picked up an injury in the contest or during practice this week. With Tackett Curtis also questionable, the Badgers could be down to Jake Chaney and Christian Alliegro at interior linebacker versus the Hawkeyes.

Iowa TE Luke Lachey injury update

Lachey was a late add to the injury report for the Hawkeyes and it’s unclear what is ailing him. The tight end is a big part of Iowa’s success in both the passing and running games on offense and his absence would be a big blow for Kirk Ferentz and his squad.

Wisconsin leads Iowa in a key statistic that often decides the Heartland Trophy

Wisconsin leads Iowa in a key statistic that often decides the Heartland Trophy

Games in the storied rivalry between the Wisconsin Badgers and Iowa Hawkeyes are often defined by toughness, running the football and field position.

It’s no grand proclamation to say that the winner of Saturday’s matchup between the two teams will be the one that dominates the trenches and controls the game. Any fan of the sport can recognize that.

Related: Ranking the biggest storylines entering Wisconsin’s rivalry battle with Iowa

But there is one other stat that has decided every Wisconsin vs. Iowa game over the last four years — one that also points to a Badger victory in the 2024 edition.

That stat: punting average.

The team with the higher-ranked punter has won every matchup since 2019 — when Wisconsin won 24-22 despite P Anthony Lotti ranking near the bottom of the Big Ten with 39.7 yards per punt.

If the parameters are not clear, here is the result of the last four meetings in the rivalry, paired with where each team’s punter ranks in the Big Ten in season-long punting average:

  • 2020: Iowa 28-7 win. Iowa P Tory Taylor had a season-long average of 44.1 yards per punt (3rd in Big Ten), while Wisconsin P Andy Vujnovich had a mark of 41.7 (10th in Big Ten)
  • 2021: Wisconsin 27-7 win. Wisconsin P Andy Vujnovich at 46.4 (2nd in Big Ten), with Iowa P Tory Taylor at 46.1 (4th in Big Ten)
  • 2022: Iowa 24-10 win. Iowa P Tory Taylor at 45.4 yards per punt (2nd in Big Ten), with Wisconsin P Andy Vujnovich at 43.9 (9th in Big Ten)
  • 2023: Iowa 15-6 win. Iowa P Tory Taylor at 48.2 (1st in the Big Ten), with Wisconsin P Atticus Bertrams at 41.3 (13th in the Big Ten)

The winner of every meeting, as shown, has boasted the punter with the greater season-long punting average. Iowa great Tory Taylor tipped these scales with his All-American-caliber play, which coincided with the Hawkeyes winning three of four meetings.

Entering the 2024 matchup, the Badgers have this trend going in their direction. P Atticus Bertrams enters Saturday with a season-long punting average of 46.3 (4th in the Big Ten). Iowa P Rhys Dakin, meanwhile, is down at 44.8 (7th in the Big Ten).

There are better ways to evaluate punters than by their average. Some combination of punts inside the 10 yard-line, punts inside the 20, punting net (yards-minus-returns) and overall average paint a better picture.

Regardless, this exercise should show that Bertrams and Dakin are at least close in overall production — a reality that Wisconsin could rarely boast during Taylor’s storied career.

If more evidence was needed on Bertrams’ current form, take it from Penn State coach James Franklin in his postgame press conference after a 28-13 win over the Badgers:

“Starting field position, that was the difference in the game, especially early on. That’s why it was so challenging. I think their punter is really good.”

Bertrams notched 257 total yards and a 51.4 average on five punts, plus took a fake punt for a 15-yard rush and a first down. He had a dominant evening, and was far from the reason the Badgers lost.

That form could give Wisconsin the punting advantage on Saturday, which is a key factor in what projects to be a hard-fought game decided by field position.

If trends are any indication, that advantage will lead to a victory.

For more on the upcoming matchup and the Badgers’ possible advantages, check out our ranking of the game’s biggest storylines and the Badgers’ updated two-deep depth chart entering the big matchup.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Wisconsin plummets in ESPN SP+ after loss to Penn State

Wisconsin plummets in ESPN SP+ after loss to Penn State

Wisconsin dropped significantly in ESPN SP+ after its 28-13 loss to Penn State on Saturday.

The Badgers entered the week ranked No. 20 in the metric with a 12.0 overall rating, plus the nation’s No. 63-ranked offense and No. 11-ranked defense.

Those updated numbers: No. 30 overall ranking (9.7) with the nation’s No. 73-ranked offense and No. 14-ranked defense.

Related: Big Ten Power Rankings after Week 9: Penn State makes a statement

The drop comes after Penn State outgained Wisconsin 419-298 in its Week 9 victory. The Nittany Lions held the Badgers to only 81 rushing yards on 27 carries (three yards per carry), plus tallied 173 rushing yards of their own.

The loss was a reality check for Luke Fickell and the Wisconsin program. While it has made clear forward steps after Fickell’s rocky debut season in 2023, it remains far from the Big Ten’s elite.

ESPN SP+ reflects that. The Badgers are now the eighth highest-ranked Big Ten team, behind Ohio State (No. 2), Oregon (No. 4), Penn State (No. 8), Indiana (No. 13), Iowa (No. 18), USC (No. 19) and Michigan (No. 27).

The Badgers still have remaining games against Iowa (No. 18), Oregon (No. 1), Nebraska (No. 41) and Minnesota (No. 35). They need one more win for bowl eligibility, and several more to maintain a strong standing in the conference.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Kickoff time, TV channel announced for Wisconsin Badgers Week 10 game at Iowa

Kickoff time, TV channel announced for Wisconsin Badgers Week 10 game at Iowa

The Wisconsin Badgers (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten) will travel to Iowa City, Iowa next Saturday for a critical rivalry game against the Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3, 3-2 Big Ten),

As recently announced, the game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on NBC.

Related: Badgers fans dejected after hard-fought loss to No. 3 Penn State

Wisconsin will enter the matchup after a tough loss to No. 3 Penn State in Week 9. The Badgers led 10-7 at halftime and were trending toward a season-altering upset victory. The Nittany Lions dominated after the halftime break, however, and reinforced their place as one of the best teams in the conference — even doing so without star QB Drew Allar.

Iowa, meanwhile, defeated Northwestern 40-16 in Week 9. It has had an up-and-down season to date, with blowout wins over Minnesota, Northwestern and Washington, plus demoralizing losses to Michigan State and Ohio State.

One interesting note: Iowa benched QB Cade McNamara during its win over Northwestern. It moved to backup Brendan Sullivan, who had transferred in from Northwestern last offseason.

The Hawkeyes trailed 7-5 at the time of the change. Sullivan led an instant turnaround, en route to the 40-16 triumph.

Saturday will be Wisconsin’s third primetime matchup of the season. The result could come close to defining the team’s season.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Michigan State football wide receiver named Big Ten Freshman of the Week

Nick Marsh earns Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for the second time this season

For the second time this season, Nick Marsh has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week thanks to a huge performance in the win against Iowa.

Marsh compiled eight receptions for 113 yards in the win over the Hawkeyes. He now has 433 yards receiving on the year with 24 receptions and a touchdown.

Marsh first won the award in the win over Maryland when he racked up an impressive 194 yards. He had eight catches in both games he won Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Michigan State kicker named Big Ten Specialist of the Week

Jonathan Kim is your Big Ten Specialist of the Week

If you set a school record, you should probably win some type of weekly award. I would imagine if this one didn’t go to Jonathan Kim, the Big Ten offices would have gotten some nasty emails, at the very least. On Monday, Michigan State football kicker Jonathan Kim was named the Big Ten Specialist of the Week for his performance against Iowa.

Kim booted six field goals and two extra points for a total of 20 points in the win over Iowa, including a long of 55 yards.

You can see the official Michigan State football post about this here.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Michigan State football upsets Iowa on Homecoming

Michigan State impressed on Homecoming with a big win over Iowa

It was a difficult stretch of the season the last month or so. But MSU came out of their bye week looking restored, and in a night that saw a long-standing Michigan State football record be broken, the Spartans were able to get the win on Homecoming over Iowa, 32 to 20.

This was a very impressive win for Michigan State, who is coming off a grueling stretch that included a disappointing loss to Boston College followed by back-to-back games against Oregon and Ohio State.

As I alluded to above, the Spartans were led by kicker Jonathan Kim, who hit a record-breaking six field goals on the night, with his longest being a 55-yard bomb. That isn’t to say the offense played poorly by any means, however. Aidan Chiles threw for 256 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 51 yards. Kay’Ron Lynch Adams and Nate Carter also combined for 135 yards and Carter added a goal line touchdown. It should also be said that Montorie Foster and Nick Marsh both had over 100 yards receiving as well.

MSU’s defense had arguably their best game of the season, as well. While Iowa star running back Kaleb Johnson still had 98 yards and a touchdown, most of that came on a 75-yard touchdown run. Aside from that, the Spartans did a great job of bottling him up and forcing Cade McNamara to beat them. He did not, and the Spartans left with a well-earned victory.

The Spartans will now head into their match-up next week against a Michigan team that just got dominated by Illinois.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.