You are what your record says you are. For the Wisconsin Badgers, being 2-3 overall, 0-2 in Big Ten play and 0-3 vs. Power Four competition says all you need to know about this team. Against Group of Five tomato cans, Luke Fickell's team can hold up its end of the bargain. But when going up against teams who compete at their level, the Badgers are often left in the dust for so many absurd reasons.
When looking at their Week 7 opponent in the rival Iowa Hawkeyes, they are 3-2 on the season, 1-1 in Big Ten play, and 1-2 vs. Power Four competition. That would suggest them being slightly better than mediocre, but there is way more to it. Looking at their two losses on the season, Iowa has a three-point road defeat at in-state rival Iowa State, and only a five-point home loss vs. juggernaut Indiana.
ESPN's Bill Connelly pointed that out in his glorified preview for Week 7. This game may have only been a footnote on the robust Week 7 slate. However, the fact that Iowa has only lost its two games by a combined eight points may indicate that this is closer to a 4-1 team than a 3-2 one. Again, every game with Iowa is so painfully low-scoring, which is why the Badgers have a real shot at the upset bid.
Truth be told, Wisconsin must be ready for a slobber-knocker of a defensive drag-out fight with Iowa.
Iowa's record on the season could be misleading to a team like Wisconsin
When looking at the Saturday night matchup ahead, Iowa will be laying 3.5 points on the road to Wisconsin in a game that is only projected to manifest some 37.5 points. ESPN's matchup predictor has Iowa projected to win this rendition of Heartland 62.6 percent of the time, while only giving Wisconsin a 37.4-percent chance of winning this rivalry series. It is more than a chance, but that is it.
The other big thing to remember, besides the fact that Iowa's two losses on the year are to the No. 7 and No. 22 teams in the country is that they should have their starting quarterback Mark Gronowksi back. He got banged up vs. Indiana two weeks ago, but the Hawkeyes were in a bye last week. The rest of Kirk Ferentz's team is more banged up than he probably wants, but he has the superior depth.
Frankly, the worst thing that can happen is for Luke Fickell's team to be grossly unprepared for the umpteenth week in a row. Just because Iowa struggles to score points does not mean the Hawkeyes are a terrible football team. There are levels to this, one where Wisconsin continues to be looking up at its Heartland rival Iowa. In a way, Iowa's 3-2 record is playing into the idea Wisconsin can win this.
However, any and every time Wisconsin takes something for granted under Fickell, they get burned.