#25 Wisconsin vs. Iowa Prediction, Spread, NCAAF Picks – Saturday, October 31

We get an exciting Big Ten matchup as #25 Wisconsin travels to take on Iowa on Saturday, October 31, with kickoff at 12 p.m. ET on FOX. According to PrizePicks, Iowa is a 2.5-point home favorite.

Wisconsin is coming off its biggest win of the season, upsetting then-#16 USC, while Iowa suffered a 13-10 loss to Minnesota. Who comes out on top in this one?

Let’s dive into our #25 Wisconsin vs. Iowa prediction and picks for Saturday's game, including the winner, spread, over/under, and key player projections for PrizePicks.

Make your Wisconsin vs. Iowa picks on PrizePicks now!

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#25 Wisconsin vs. Iowa Prediction, Spread, Over/Under – Saturday, October 31

Iowa enters Saturday as a 2.5-point favorite over visiting Wisconsin, returning a 1.69x payout with a victory.

Here are the full payouts for #25 Wisconsin vs. Iowa on PrizePicks, including winner payouts, the spread, and over/under.

Make your Wisconsin vs. Iowa prediction on the spread on PrizePicks!

Payouts show potential returns on correct Team Picks predictions. A 2x payout returns $200 on a $100 entry. Lower multipliers reflect outcomes users are picking as more likely. Payouts are live as of writing and subject to change.

Wisconsin is riding high after its upset over USC that severely hurt the Trojans’ chances of making the College Football Playoff. That game wasn’t even close; the Badgers’ defense held the Trojans to fewer than 10 points for the first time in the Lincoln Riley era.

The Wisconsin defense has anchored this team. It also allowed just 17 points to a UCLA offense that is second in the Big Ten in PPG against conference opponents (33.6).

Unfortunately, Wisconsin doesn’t play as well on offense. 

It's had a couple of good performances against Big Ten opponents, but those came against below-average scoring defenses. The Badgers have scored 24+ points against Penn State (11th in PPG at 27.5), USC (13th, 28.8), and Michigan State (16th, 30.4).

Wisconsin’s defense may be the key to another win, especially against an Iowa defense that can make games competitive.

Iowa’s identity under head coach Kirk Ferentz has always been its defense, and this year's crew is no different.

Last week against Minnesota, they put themselves in a strong position to win on the road. They held the Gophers to just 13 points and 208 total yards, and the defense recorded 10 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Turnovers were a problem: 4 giveaways, including a pair in Minnesota territory and 1 in the red zone.

As strong as Iowa's defense is, the offense has always been an issue. Iowa is 12th in conference play in PPG (21.5). The offense just suffered a huge blow, too, with leading RB Kamari Moulton being out for the season after suffering an upper-body injury in last week’s game against Minnesota.

This may put more pressure on the underperforming passing game. Ferentz announced earlier this week that QB Hank Brown will start this one. Brown took over for QB Jeremy Hecklinski in the second half against Minnesota, throwing for 136 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs.

If the Hawkeyes want to win, they might need to develop an effective run game without Moulton and keep Brown from frequent passing situations. If the offense avoids turnovers and converts possessions into points, the defense can carry this team to victory.

Wisconsin vs. Iowa Prediction on Over/Under – 10/31/26

Here are the key stats and predictions behind our Wisconsin vs. Iowa prediction on the over/under for Saturday, October 31.

All stats are via CFB Stats, PFF, Fourth and Short, and Game on Paper unless otherwise noted.

• These teams have some of the country's best defenses, with Iowa ranking in the 93rd percentile for points allowed per game (14.3) and Wisconsin in the 84th percentile (15.3).
• Offensively, both teams are among the weaker in the Big Ten, with Iowa ranking 13th in PPG (28.0) and Wisconsin 15th (27.0).
• Wisconsin is one of the conference's more effective rushing offenses, sitting fifth in yards per carry against Big Ten opponents (4.4). However, Iowa has been one of the conference's best run defenses, allowing the fourth-fewest YPC (2.6).
• Iowa boasts an excellent red zone defense, slotting into the 70th percentile for opponent red-zone conversion rate (78.9%).

Wisconsin vs. Iowa Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 10/31/26

Saturday’s top Wisconsin vs. Iowa player picks to target on PrizePicks include QBs Colton Joseph and Hank Brown.

Wisconsin QB Colton Joseph vs. Iowa: 72.5 Rush Yards

• Iowa is one of the Big Ten’s worst pass defenses in conference play, ranking 17th in passing YPG (264.3). However, Joseph is one of the Big Ten's worst individual passers, ranking 16th in passing YPG himself (126.0) in conference play.
• Joseph hasn't reached 100 passing yards in his last two games, including producing 58 against a USC defense ranked 13th in passing yards allowed per game in conference play (241.6).
• Wisconsin’s offense emphasizes the run. According to Team Rankings, it's in the 78th percentile for rush play rate (56.9%). Opponents tend to run more against Iowa, sporting a 52.0% rush rate.
• Iowa’s pass rush could have Joseph scrambling all day, as the Hawkeyes have the second-most sacks against Big Ten opponents (14). Joseph has combined for 46 carries and 244 yards in his last three appearances.

Add Colton Joseph + Wisconsin win to your PrizePicks lineup now.

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Iowa QB Hank Brown vs. Wisconsin: 51.5 Rush Yards

• Brown is just 13th in passing YPG during conference play (165.0). This could be a challenge against Wisconsin, which is fourth in the Big Ten for passing YPG allowed (185.8).
• Brown is averaging a 47.9% completion rate over his last two games and faces a Badgers defense that ranks third in the conference in opposing completion rate (55.1%).
• The Iowa QB has been sacked 5 times in his last three games; the Badgers have 10 sacks in four Big Ten matchups.
• After not throwing an INT in his first four games, Brown has 3 INTs in his last four. Wisconsin has the third-most INTs among Big Ten programs in conference play (5).

Add Hank Brown + Iowa to cover the spread your PrizePicks lineup now.

Make Wisconsin vs. Iowa Picks on PrizePicks

Could Wisconsin surge into a College Football Playoff spot? It just secured a big win over USC and is in contention for the Big Ten title. This will be a tough road test against an excellent Iowa defense.

Don’t wait until kickoff — make your Wisconsin vs. Iowa picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

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