Wisconsin vs. Iowa Week 15 Prediction
Big Ten rivals meet in Iowa on Saturday afternoon when the No. 16 Hawkeyes host 2-2 Wisconsin at 3:30 p.m. ET. Are the Hawkeyes a good bet as a home dog or will the Badgers cover as a small road favorite in this conference matchup?
Game Snapshot
385 Wisconsin Badgers (-2) at 386 Iowa Hawkeyes (+2); o/u 41.5
Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA
3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, December 12, 2020
TV: FS1
Wisconsin Badgers Game Notes
Wisconsin redshirt freshman QB Graham Mertz completed 20-of-34 passes for 202 yards, no touchdowns and an interception in Saturday’s 14-6 loss to Indiana. As in Wisconsin’s last game, a 17-7 offensive no-show loss to Northwestern where Mertz went 23-of-41 for 230 yards with three interceptions, the freshman showed his age. Wisconsin’s offense looked like a colossus in averaging 47.0 points per game in the first two games, blowout wins over Illinois and Michigan. But it has averaged just 6.5 PPG in the two games since, ugly losses to the Wildcats and Hoosiers. Mertz (6’2/215) and the 2-2 Badgers have a tough game to conclude their regular season next week, traveling to Kinnick Stadium to take on Iowa.
Iowa Hawkeyes Game Notes
Iowa redshirt sophomore QB Spencer Petras completed 18-of-28 passes for 220 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in Saturday’s 35-21 victory over Illinois. Petras (6’5/231) was as sharp today as we’ve seen him all season. Prior to today, he’d never even thrown two TD in a game. And Spencer got to stretch out his big arm during it, averaging 7.9YPA; his previous high was 6.6 YPA earlier this season against Penn State. Petras entered this game having completed 56.2% of his passes for 1,138 yards with a 4/5 TD/INT ratio on 5.9 YPA, so let’s not go crazy. But what we can say from multiple viewings is that Petras has a big-league arm, easy velocity, no problem making any throw. He’s immobile, needs to process quicker, and could learn to throw with more touch. But there are tools to work with here. His touch, for one, was noticeably improved today. Iowa’s ceiling in the future depends on his development.
Wisconsin vs. Iowa Betting Prediction
The Badgers have covered the spread in four of their last five trips to Iowa and are 9-2 against the number in their last 11 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous contest. Wisconsin is also 14-5 at the betting window in its last 19 games as a road favorite, is 17-8 against the number in its last 25 road games and is 7-3 against the number in its last 10 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in its previous contest.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 15 BETTING PREDICTION: WISCONSIN BADGERS -2