The No. 9 ranked UW football team will open up Big Ten play tomorrow night against Iowa at Camp Randall Stadium for the first night game since 2005.
The meeting will mark the 83rd time the two teams have matched up with the all-time series deadlocked 40-40-2. UW holds the advantage when it plays at home, as they are 25-17-1. Needless to say, the Cardinal and White are ready to play.
You [have] got to bring a different level,"" senior quarterback Tyler Donovan said. ""The Big Ten is when you have to really get it going and make a statement to the league and just keep winning games.""
Winning games is exactly what the Badgers have done.
Since the start of the 2004 season, Wisconsin has recorded 34 wins, allowing UW to sit alone at the top of the Big Ten for that time period.
However, the last time the Hawkeyes landed in Madison, they upended the Badgers on then head coach Barry Alvarez's final home game. Since then, the Badgers have reeled off nine consecutive victories at home and also boast the nation's longest winning streak of 12 consecutive wins.
Donovan made his first career start in Iowa City, Iowa, last season leading the Badgers to a big victory on the road, and has yet to lose as a starter.
Coupled with his 5-0 career record is his pass efficiency of 166.68, which makes him a very productive leader of the team.
For Iowa, their defense has been an area of strength early in this season. The Hawkeyes, while losing last week to rival Iowa State, have yet to give up any offensive touchdowns to their opponents the entire season so far.
Therefore, coming off one of the best games of his career where he scored five touchdowns, UW sophomore running back P.J. Hill can expect to run into a much stronger and stoutish defense when Iowa steps onto the field.
""They are going to be a very physical Big Ten football team, and that is what we are expecting,"" senior wide receiver Luke Swan said. ""Things are going to happen a little bit quicker now that it is Big Ten season, and we have to get geared up for that.""
Iowa is led by senior running back Albert Young, who in three games this season has rushed for 229 yards and one touchdown. Thus, it will be vital for UW to get off to a fast start defensively so the Badgers do not find themselves down early to a very capable Iowa team.
""We have been prepping all week for some things that they do that are different from some other teams,"" sophomore safety Shane Carter said. ""Obviously Iowa's our rival and the Big Ten season starts, so you have got to pick it up a notch. It's a big time to play.""
Preview notes:
The Badgers are 19-1 in their last 20 night games going into Saturday nights tilt.
