MADISON - The Badgers will look to reclaim the Heartland Trophy as they host Iowa on Saturday.

BadgerBlitz.com breaks down its three keys to the game for Wisconsin.

When: Saturday, Oct. 14 @ 3:00 p.m.

Where: Camp Randall Stadium (capacity 76,118)

All-Time Series: Wisconsin leads 49-45-2 (29-19-1 in Madison)

TV: Fox (Jason Benetti on play-by-play, Brock Huard as the analyst).

Local Radio: Badger Sports Network (Matt Lepay doing play-by-play, Mark Tauscher as the analyst, Patrick Herb as the sideline reporter)

Betting line: Wisconsin -9.5

On paper, with everything operating smoothly, this is a game Wisconsin shouldn't have much trouble winning. They're facing a lethargic offense with an inexperienced quarterback, and Iowa's defense isn't as dominant as it's been in years past. Things rarely operate smoothly, though, when these two teams clash over the Heartland Trophy.

In last year's game, Wisconsin turned the ball over three times. Iowa wound up winning by two scores, largely due to the self-inflicted wounds from Wisconsin. Again, this is a team the Badgers should beat. They can't give the game away with turnovers or wacky plays on special teams that allow the Hawkeyes to hang around.

The Badgers had two fumbles last week against Rutgers. Fortunately for them, neither was at a critical moment or especially back-breaking. In what should be an absolute slog of a game, any kind of turnover will immediately give Iowa a huge leg up.

Another week, another team Wisconsin will have an excellent shot of beating if it can stop the running game.

Iowa's running back duo of Leshon Williams and Kaleb Johnson should be the Badgers' primary focus on defense. The ground game is really all the Hawkeyes' offense has going for itself, and shutting down their rushing attack would put the game on the arm of Deacon Hill, which isn't ideal for Iowa whatsoever.

Last week, the Badgers knew they had to slow down Kyle Monangai and Rutgers' rushing attack. They did just that, allowing only 64 yards on the ground. The recipe is eerily similar this week.

There's not a lot of deception with this Iowa team. They want to run the ball down your throat, occasionally throw it to the tight end Erick All, and lock you down in coverage with the All-American cornerback Cooper DeJean.

We've already touched on the running game, so let's break down the other two factors. The tight end All transferred from Michigan this offseason, and has easily been Iowa's top receiving threat. He leads the Hawkeyes in catches, yards and touchdowns with 19, 280 and three, respectively. He's the clear focal point of their passing game, and it'll be fascinating to see how the Badgers try to cover him. Do they elect to use a speedy linebacker like Jake Chaney, or perhaps a safety such as Hunter Wohler or Travian Blaylock?

The corner DeJean is arguably the best player on Iowa's entire team. He's beginning to heat up as a ballhawk, as he's logged an interception in each of the Hawkeyes' last two games. Wisconsin should simply try to avoid throwing his way when possible — if DeJean is isolated one-on-one with a receiver out wide, there's really no need to poke the bear.

The less you hear All and DeJean's names come Saturday, the better chance the Badgers have of winning the ballgame.

There's a reason Vegas has the Badgers penciled in as a two-score favorite — they're pretty clearly the better team overall. Now, that's not to say this game will be a walk in the park. Iowa is going to battle tooth and nail with the Badgers, and if they can turn the game into a defensive slugfest and stay within striking distance, they'll have a great chance to win.

I believe we'll be able to tell pretty quickly how this game will unfold. If the Badgers force some quick punts and play efficient offense, they should have a comfortable lead by the fourth quarter. If they struggle to move on offense, and maybe cough up the ball early on, it'll be a story Wisconsin fans know all too well. Ultimately, I believe the Badgers will have enough firepower to out-gun one of the worst Power Five offenses this sport has ever seen.

Wisconsin 24, Iowa 13

There’s always a chance that Iowa turns this into an Iowa game, where their defense keeps it close enough to pull off some late-game trickery and steal a win.

But the Hawkeyes have never played a Badger team quite like this. Even if Iowa contains Allen again, they’ll have their hands full with Mordecai and the new receivers. I predict that Iowa hangs on in the first half, but eventually gets worn out by Wisconsin’s upgraded offense.

Wisconsin 27, Iowa 17

If Wisconsin doesn't turn the ball over and is sound on special teams, I don't see Iowa putting up much on the scoreboard. The Badgers should be able to sell out on stopping the run, and I think Mike Tressel's unit has a good showing on Saturday.

Wisconsin 20, Iowa 7

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