Wisconsin @ Iowa football preview

Badgers hit the road seeking their first Big Ten win of 2008

It’s really not about contending for the Big Ten conference championship. It’s really about saving the season.

When Wisconsin and Iowa meet for the 84 th time in Iowa City, IA, Saturday, the plan is for each program to keep positioning itself for a bowl. The Badgers have dropped three consecutive conference games to Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State to start the conference season. Iowa recovered from a 0-2 conference start when it won at Indiana last week.

Now the battle for the Heartland Trophy is on the line with the winner enjoying bragging rights for a full year. This is a newly created trophy that is going into fifth year.

Neither team is contention but becoming bowl eligible is the goal. The Badgers need three more wins to get here. The Hawkeyes need two.

“It gets down to – in conference play, when you’re in competitive play,’’ Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “ When you’re in competitive play, it gets down to the things that get you beat, turnovers, special teams, penalties.’’

For Wisconsin, the question is going to be who is going to play quarterback. Allan Evridge is coming off a horrible game against Penn State (2-10-1 50 yards) and the doubts about him as the starter have surfaced.

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema has not really said one way or the other who would get the start but between Evridge and Dustin Sterner, but Sterner certainly did perform better in the loss to the Nittany Lions.

Iowa is hoping that the momentum from last week’s game against the Hoosiers will turn around it season. But the question is going to be if Wisconsin’s run defense can shut down Iowa running back Shonn Greene.

Greene has rushed for 937 yards in the first seven games this season but is averaging 6.2 yards per rush.

Prediction: Wisconsin 17 - Iowa 15

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