Wisconsin Football 2024 Preview: Iowa Hawkeyes

The Wisconsin football team will have a late road test against the Iowa Hawkeyes in week ten.

In what has been a back-and-forth series in recent years, the Badgers will head into the matchup looking to snap a two-game skid against the Hawkeyes. Iowa will welcome back some impact players who suffered season-ending injuries last year, while Wisconsin welcomes a revamped roster with Tyler Van Dyke at the helm.

Fresh off a home bout with Penn State, traveling to Kinnick could make for a tough matchup.

Game Info

When: Saturday, November 2nd - Time TBD

Where: Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, IA

TV: TBD

Radio: Badger Sports Network

History

The Badgers and the Hawkeyes have had a contentious series in recent years. Wisconsin currently holds a 49-46-2 lead in the all-time series, but they are 6-4 against the Hawkeyes in the last ten matchups.

Iowa came into Madison and took home a 15-6 win last season. They also secured a 24-10 victory over UW in 2022.

Last Season

10-4 Overall; 7-2 Big Ten

15.4 points per game (130th of 133)

14.8 opp. points per game (4th of 133)

2023 SOS: 46th of 133

Despite scoring just over 15 points per game under Kirk Ferentz's offense, Iowa's defense helped the Hawkeyes to an appearance in the Big Ten Championship, where they suffered a 26-0 loss to Michigan. They were also shutout 35-0 in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Tennessee.

The Hawkeyes managed to hang near the top of the division despite losing QB Cade McNamara and TE Luke Lachey to season-ending injuries. Former Badgers signal-caller Deacon Hill assumed QB1 duties, and he, with the help of RB LeShon Williams, had a successful season overall.

Former offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz stepped aside after the 2023 season after landing in the bottom five in points per game. It ended a legendary run of one of the most inept offenses in the nation, which will make the Hawkeyes an interesting team to watch in 2024.

2024 Outlook

Adding Cade McNamara and Luke Lachey back into the mix should provide a boost to the Hawkeyes offense, which will also bring back leading rushers LeShon Williams and Kaleb Johnson. New offensive coordinator Tim Lester, who served as a senior analyst for the Green Bay Packers last season, will look to bring new life to an offense that was stagnant for several years.

On the defensive side, the Hawkeyes will have plenty of continuity. Currently, Iowa is projected to have eight seniors in starting positions. For a defense that ranked in the top five in opponent points per game last season, that's huge. Jay Higgins, who led the team with 171 tackles last season, is back for another year, and DB Sebastian Castro is back after an All-American 2023 campaign. This defense is filled with experience, and projects to be another strong unit in 2024 under Phil Parker.

The Hawkeyes head into the season as the No. 25 team in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. With plenty of experience and a revamped offense, Iowa could be a strong team in 2024.

Related: Wisconsin Football 2024 Preview: Oregon Ducks

Stay in the loop with all things Wisconsin Badgers football and men's basketball by visiting AllBadgers.com for more updates.

You can also follow Jake Maier at @JakeJMaier on X.