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After demolishing Nebraska at home in week 12, the Wisconsin Badgers are starting to look like a premier team in the Big Ten — despite a loss to Northwestern earlier in the year. However, traveling to face the Iowa Hawkeyes is never an easy task and if the Hawks win their final two games, they have a good shot at making the conference title game.
Wisconsin came into week 12 knowing it may have one of the best running backs in the nation in Melvin Gordon and left the game believing that he is, by far and away, the best in the country. Gordon broke an NCAA record for rushing yards in a game, racking up an incredible 408 yards and four touchdowns. That number puts his season total at 1,909 yards and 23 touchdowns on an unheard of 8.6 yards per carry. Corey Clement is the next running back up in the third-best run game in the nation, racking up 742 yards and eight rushing scores. Joel Stave has been nothing more than a game manager this year since returning from injury, passing for just 688 yards, six touchdowns and just four interceptions. Alex Erickson has been the main target in the receiving game, catching a team-high 37 passes for 480 yards and three TDs.
Iowa has had quite the average offensive attack this year, ranking 58th in pass yards per game as well as 65th in rushing yards. Junior quarterback Jake Rudock is on pace to come close to his number totals from last season, passing for 1,863 yards, 12 touchdowns and just four interceptions — he has also rushed for 127 yards and two scores. Mark Weisman once again leads the run game — as he has seemed to do for the last few years — with 676 yards and an impressive 14 rushing scores. Kevonte Martin-Manley was expected to do big things this year, but he has settle for 39 receptions for 398 yards and a touchdown while Tevaun Smith leads the team with 410 yards and two touchdowns on 33 catches.
Defensively, Iowa has been one of the better teams in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes have the 30th-best scoring defense as well as the 18th-best total defense, in terms of yards allowed per game, in the nation. Wisconsin has the best defense in the conference, ranking first in total yards allowed as well as third in points allowed per contest.
Wisconsin will travel to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes at 3:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, Nov. 22. The game will be broadcasted on ABC/ESPN2.
PREDICTION: Wisconsin 24, Iowa 21
Want to see the Badgers take on the Hawkeyes in week 13? Check out ScoreBig for tickets.
Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also reach him at [email protected].
