FACTS & STATS: Site: Kinnick Stadium (70,397) -- Iowa City, Iowa. Television: Big Ten Network. Home Record: Wisconsin 2-2, Iowa 3-1. Away Record: Wisconsin 1-1, Iowa 1-2. Neutral Record: Wisconsin 0-0, Iowa 0-0. Conference Record: Wisconsin 0-3, Iowa 1-2. Series Record: Wisconsin leads, 41-40-2.

GAME NOTES: The Wisconsin Badgers are in desperate need of a victory, and they invade Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City this weekend for a Big Ten clash with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Wisconsin opened the season with three consecutive wins over non-conference foes, but the club has lost three straight since the start of Big Ten play. After back-to-back losses to Michigan and Ohio State by a total of five points, the Badgers were completely embarrassed at home by sixth- ranked Penn State last weekend, losing by a 48-7 final. The remaining schedule is somewhat favorable for Wisconsin, but a major turnaround is needed to avoid disaster. Iowa opened the season with three straight wins, but the team then went through a three-game losing skid. Fortunately, the Hawkeyes got back on track last week with a 45-9 romp over Indiana on the road. Three of the next four games will take place at home for Iowa, beginning this weekend, and the club needs just two more victories to become bowl eligible. Wisconsin owns a narrow 41-40-2 edge in the all-time series with Iowa, and has won each of the last two meetings by a combined seven points.

In three of its last four games, Wisconsin has failed to register more than 17 points. Against Penn State last weekend, the Badgers did put together an impressive 85-yard scoring drive in the second quarter, capped by a five-yard touchdown run by Allan Evridge. Unfortunately for the Badgers, that touchdown represented the team's only points in the contest. They turned the ball over four times and were 5-of-16 on third down conversion attempts. They lost the time of possession battle by a wide margin and simply didn't play nearly as well as we have seen them play this season. P.J. Hill, the team's standout tailback, only carried the ball 15 times, totaling 58 yards. Overall this season, Wisconsin is averaging 25.2 ppg and 382.2 total ypg. The Badgers are rushing for 200.2 ypg and 4.5 ypg, with 13 of their 18 offensive touchdowns coming on the ground. Hill has rushed for 570 yards and five touchdowns, and the team is at its best when Hill gets a high volume of carries. Both Evridge and Dustin Sherer saw time under center last week, and it will be interesting to see how coach Bret Bielema uses his quarterbacks this weekend.

The Wisconsin defense didn't play quite as poorly as the final score against Penn State suggests. After all, the Nittany Lions only posted 377 total yards in the contest but still wound up with 48 points. Penn State scored once on a punt return, and the Lions had great field position for much of the evening. Still, the Badgers have plenty of room for improvement, as they gave up some big plays through the air. "We didn't have an opportunity to get much going offensively, but I thought our defense battled through and persevered and forced them into some punt situations as well as the field goal," said a disappointed Bielema after the loss. Wisconsin is surrendering 22.7 ppg and 321.0 total ypg. The team has generated 14 takeaways, but the Badgers are permitting foes to make good on 44 percent of their third down conversion attempts.

Iowa racked up 28 first downs and 422 total yards against Indiana last time out. The Hawkeyes consistently started offensive drives with good field position and made the most of their opportunities. They scored six offensive touchdowns, including four on the ground, and Shonn Greene led the charge with 115 rushing yards. He was banged up in the contest but is expected to play this weekend. Jewel Hampton ran for 114 yards and three touchdowns, so he is more than capable of sharing the load with Greene. Ricky Stanzi was solid under center in the win, as he completed 12-of-20 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns. The Hawkeyes are averaging 28.6 ppg and 386.9 total ypg this season with 23 offensive touchdowns in seven games, including 14 rushing scores. Green already has 937 yards and six scores while averaging 6.2 ypc. As for Stanzi, he has completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns against four interceptions. Andy Brodell leads the club with 24 catches for 373 yards and three scores.

The Hawkeyes came up with a pair of takeaways and surrendered only 286 total yards to Indiana last week. Iowa yielded 3.4 yards per rushing attempt and 8.7 yards per pass completion, two stats that the team can be proud of. The fact that the Hawkeyes only yielded nine points to a conference opponent on the road was the most impressive and important stat of all. Indiana was only able to make good on 4-of-14 third down conversion attempts and held the ball for fewer than 22 minutes, a credit to the Iowa defense. Quietly, Hawkeyes have been brilliant defensively this season, yielding only 10.9 ppg and 281.9 total ypg. They have surrendered a mere eight touchdowns to opposing offenses in seven outings, and 11 interceptions have been key to the unit's success. Keep an eye on Mitch King, as he has nine TFLs thus far.

Expect another loss for Wisconsin, which will have a tough time beating Iowa on the road. The Hawkeyes have gotten little national attention, but they play tremendous team defense.