Wisconsin Badgers: Early 2020 game-by-game projections, Part 4

Iowa gave Wisconsin the inside track a Big Ten West title last year. It was their upset of Minnesota that allowed Wisconsin to clinch a trip to Indianapolis with its own victory over the Gophers one week later.

Iowa teams under Kirk Ferentz have always had a lunchpail attitude, though they have rarely been in the sights of the selection committee, bowl eligibility is never a question and they love to shake things up for more serious contenders. They downed a streaking Ohio State team in 2017 for instance, and the aforementioned Gopher win rerouted a sure trip to Indy and possibly Pasadena for the boys from the Twin Cities.

The 2019 season was not a bad run for Iowa, as it picked up 10 wins and rolled over USC in the Holiday Bowl.

Some of the stars from the 2019 Hawkeyes were rewarded for quality play with nice NFL salaries. Tristan Wirfs will be paid $25.8 million dollars by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to help protect Tom Brady, a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback who is twice his age. Kirk Ferentz cut his teeth coaching offensive lineman, so it is no surprised that Iowa City trained blockers are  so lucrative.

The Badgers and Hakweyes had a shootout in Madison last season. Iowa cut the Badger lead to 24-22 late in the game but could not pull off the victory. They will remember this when Wisconsin comes to Kinnick Stadium on Thanksgiving weekend. The game will close the season for both squads.

Wirfs, A.J. Epensa and Nate Stanley will be sorely missed in Iowa City. However, the Hawkeyes won’t be totally devoid of experienced talent, receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette and defensive end Chanucey Golston stick out among the returning starters. The defense in particular gave Wisconsin fits last season, allowing Iowa to outscore Wisconsin in the second half.

They will have to test a new quarterback, be it Spencer Petras or Peyton Mansell, and how they withstand the growing pains will determine the outcome of the season.

This game is a tough one to call, but Wisconsin is capable of handling most of what is thrown at them.

Prediction: Wisconsin wins (11-1)

And so, in closing…

Wisconsin has the potential to be a very good team in 2020. The Badgers do not have Ohio State to contend with during the regular season. They will likely see the Buckeyes again if they can win another Big Ten West title. They would be behooved to find a replacement for Jonathan Taylor. The defense will have to produce the way it did in 2019. If they can do those things, they could wind up in Pasadena or better.