Wisconsin vs Iowa Picks and Prediction for Saturday October 31, 2026
The No. 25 Wisconsin Badgers will head to Iowa City, Iowa, Saturday afternoon for a Big Ten matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes inside Kinnick Stadium. The game is scheduled to begin at 12 PM ET, with coverage available on FOX. Wisconsin enters the weekend 5-2 overall after defeating USC 24-7 in its last outing. Iowa is also 5-2 on the year and has lost two of the last three following their three-point road loss to Minnesota last week. Iowa comes into Saturday a slight 2.5 favorite and a -135 on the money line. Wisconsin is a +114, and the total is 36.5. Keep up with our College Football Picks.
Wisconsin looks to stay hot
Colton Joseph is leading the Wisconsin offense this season with 1256 yards and 11 scores on 99 completions, along with a team-leading 84 carries for 365 yards and four scores. Abu Sama III is 2nd on the roster with 295 yards and one score on 51 carries, and Darrion Dupree is third on the team with 215 yards and two scores on 49 carries. Tyrell Henry is leading Wisconsin with 343 yards and one score on 28 grabs. Jacob Harris has compiled 16 catches for 262 yards and three scores, and Chris Brooks Jr. has added 227 yards and three touchdowns on 13 catches.
Offensively, Wisconsin rolled last week, scoring 24 points on 200 total yards. Defensively, Wisconsin was phenomenal, giving up seven points on 239 yards and forced 2 turnovers in the win. Colton Joseph led the show for the Wisconsin offense last week, completing 12 passes for 58 yards and one score and ran the ball 15 times for 32 yards. Abu Sama III led the way on the ground with 71 yards on 17 carries, and Bryan Jackson II added 38 yards and one score on 7 carries. Eugene Hilton Jr. led the team with 18 yards on three grabs.
Iowa looks to the home fans
Hank Brown is leading the Iowa offense this season with 968 yards and six touchdowns on 89 completions, along with 22 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Jeremy Hecklinski has also taken snaps for Iowa this year, compiling 472 yards and four scores on 41 completions. Kamari Moulton leads the Iowa offense with 541 yards and four scores on 86 carries, and Xavier Williams has added 25 carries for 187 yards and three scores. Tony Diaz leads the Iowa offense with 386 yards and one score on 29 grabs. Reese Vander Zee is second on the team with 316 yards and four scores on 20 grabs.
Offensively, Iowa was bad last week, scoring just 10 points on 288 yards after turning the ball over 4 times in the game. Defensively, Iowa gave up thirteen points on 209 total yards. Hank Brown led the Iowa offense, completing 11 passes for 136 yards and one score, but he threw 2 picks as well. Jeremy Hecklinski struggled just as much, completing 9 passes for 62 yards and one interception. LJ Phillips Jr. led the way on the ground for Iowa with 25 yards on 7 carries. Reese Vander Zee was the only real threat in the Iowa offense with 69 yards and one score on 4 receptions.
Wisconsin vs Iowa Picks and Prediction
Pick: Wisconsin +2.5
This matchup should be one of the more physical games on Saturday's schedule, with both teams looking to establish themselves at the line of scrimmage. Iowa will have the benefit of playing at home, but Wisconsin has shown enough defensive improvement to remain competitive throughout this contest. The Badgers are coming off an impressive performance against USC and should be able to carry that momentum into a matchup against an Iowa offense that prefers to establish the running game. Wisconsin must avoid turnovers and consistently win on early downs to keep Iowa from controlling possession. Neither team figures to create much separation, making the points valuable in a game that could be decided by a late field goal.
Pick: Under 36.5
Scoring opportunities should be limited Saturday afternoon as both teams rely on their defenses to dictate the flow of the game. Iowa will look to establish its rushing attack, while Wisconsin should use a similar approach to avoid unnecessary mistakes against a physical defensive front. Sustained drives could be difficult to produce, especially if both teams struggle to convert on third down. Field position and special teams should play significant roles, and neither offense has much room for error with such a low projected total. Expect a defensive battle with lengthy possessions, limited explosive plays, and several drives ending without points.