Last week was a bad week for the Big Ten. Seven teams fell to unranked non-conference opponents, and the Wisconsin Badgers fell victim to the curse as well. Wisconsin suffered the most devastating loss of any team, losing a tough one to BYU and falling from No. 6 to No. 18 in the AP Top 25 rankings as a result. The Badgers will now begin the long road to salvaging their season with a trip to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in Week 4 of the college football betting season. These are likely the two best teams in the Big Ten West, and whichever team wins here has the pole position for a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.
This contest in Week 4 will go down Saturday, September 22, 2018 at 8:30 p.m. ET at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Wisconsin -3.5
Iowa +3.5
Total Check Back Later
Odds Analysis
The CFB betting odds have not moved from where they originally opened in this game. It seems as if the oddsmakers are looking to shrug off Wisconsin’s performance last week, instilling them as more than a field goal favorite on the road in a tough environment. The total for this tilt will be released later on Monday.
Matchup to Watch
If the Badgers’ fortunes are going to change, they need to be able to run the ball. Wisconsin’s bread and butter has been pounding the ball with big, bruising running backs behind menacing offensive lines for years, but they weren’t very effective against BYU’s front last week.
The Cougars were selling out to stop the run, and that gameplan paid dividends for most of the game. Wisconsin did manage to pick up a little more than 200 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, but the Badgers needed to run the ball 43 times to do so.
That wasn’t supposed to happen. Wisconsin came into the season with an offensive line that was widely regarded as the best in the country. David Edwards, Michael Deiter, and Beau Benzschawel were seen as potential first-round draft picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, and they were supposed to dominate the line of scrimmage against lesser foes.
Now, the offensive line has a very tough task this week against the Hawkeyes. Iowa’s defense is allowing 8 PPG this season, and they have given up less than two yards per carry on the ground. For Wisconsin to win, the Badgers need to run the ball, and it might be hard to do so against this front seven.
Player to Watch
Iowa has done enough on offense to win games this year, but Nate Stanley has not inspired a lot of confidence with his play. Stanley made a name for himself with an incredible performance in a rout of Ohio State last season, yet his play this year has left something to be desired.
Stanley had a really tough time moving the ball through the air against Northern Illinois and Iowa State in Iowa’s first two games. In those two games, his combined stat line was 27-51 for 274 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He padded his numbers against FCS Northern Iowa last week with a 300-yard passing game, but he has yet to prove it against an FBS foe this year.
That’s particularly concerning given the opponent. Wisconsin has one of the best secondaries in the Big Ten, and the Badgers are allowing 5.8 yards per pass this year. Stanley had the worst game of his career against Wisconsin last year, going 8-24 for 41 yards with an interception in a 38-14 demolition. He obviously must perform much better than that.
Free ATS Pick
The under is going to be a great bet in this one if it opens in the 40s. College football games rarely have totals in the 30s per the NCAAF betting odds, but this game should be lined that low given the struggles of the two offenses and the strengths of the defenses.
For the side, I like the Hawkeyes to cover at home. Kinnick is a tough stadium to play in at night, and the crowd will have an impact on Wisconsin quarterback Alex Hornibrook throughout the game.
College Football Odds: Iowa 17, Wisconsin 14
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
