Iowa Football: 2018 game-by-game predictions
4. Wisconsin (Sept. 22)
With all due respect to the other programs in the Big Ten West, let’s be frank: Iowa and Wisconsin are the cream of the crop in the division and this game will go a very long way in determining who goes to Indianapolis. Last season, Iowa’s offense had a nightmarish performance up in Camp Randall and if it weren’t for Josh Jackson’s superhuman performance, could have been much uglier. Last time Iowa beat their rivals from Madison was in 2015.
There’s little doubt that Wisconsin will not only be a top team in the Big Ten in 2018, but one of the most complete teams in all of college football. It starts up front with what many believe is one of the best offensive lines in the nation. The Badgers maintained the same starting five for every game but two last season and their effect didn’t go unnoticed. Running back Jonathan Taylor is the workhorse as he ran for nearly 2,000 yards as a true freshman and is a popular Heisman candidate going into 2018.
Assuming both teams come into this game undefeated, this will be a game a lot of the nation will pay attention to, possibly flexing the game into a prime-time slot. If it does happen like many think it will, that plays to a huge advantage for Iowa as night games in Kinnick for top five teams are as scary as John Carpenter’s “Halloween”. Unfortunately, I just can’t bring myself to make the upset happen. Iowa drops another heartbreaker i.e. the Penn State game last season.