GAME NOTES: The 14th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers will try to continue their quest for a spot in the Big Ten Conference Championship Game when they challenge the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium this Saturday.

Currently leading the league's West Division, Wisconsin has recovered nicely from a 20-14 loss to Northwestern in early October. The Badgers have won five straight games since, including a 59-24 rout of division rival Nebraska last weekend. They are now 8-2 overall and 5-1 in conference, which puts them a game ahead of three teams tied for second place in the division.

One of those teams is Iowa, with the others being Minnesota and Nebraska. The Hawkeyes have been uneven recently, with a 2-2 split of their last four games. They bounced back from a 51-14 letdown against Minnesota with a 30-14 triumph against Illinois last weekend, improving them to 7-3 overall. They will finish off the regular season next weekend against Nebraska.

Wisconsin has a slim lead in the all-time series with Iowa, 43-42-2. The Badgers have won the last two meetings, including a 28-9 triumph last season, which was the eighth matchup since the introduction of the Heartland Trophy to the rivalry.

When discussing Wisconsin's offense there is only one player that really needs to be mentioned. That is running back Melvin Gordon, of course. Gordon has been easily the best running back in the country this season, leading the way in rushing yards (1,909) and touchdowns (23), while averaging 8.6 yards per carry. Gordon was unreal in the Badgers' win over Nebraska, as he piled up a FBS-record 408 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries.

"This game meant a lot. Forget about the statistics. I knew if we lost this game, it would be tough for us to get in the Big Ten championship," Gordon said. "It was pretty much the end of the road for us. These last few games are very important"

Gordon has rushed for at least 100 yards in nine of 10 games this season, with four 200-yard efforts to his credit.

Despite their reliance on just one player, the Badgers have done just fine for themselves on offense. They rank third in the Big Ten in both average yards per game (493.2) and scoring offense (39 ppg).

Joel Stave only threw the ball 11 times against Nebraska, completing seven passes for only 46 yards and a touchdown. Stave hasn't been asked to carry the offense, with only 688 yards and six touchdowns on 54.8 percent passing, although Tanner McEvoy was the starter at the beginning of the season.

Alex Erickson (37 receptions, 480 yards, three TDs) and Sam Arneson (20 receptions, 276 yards, four TDs) are the only players on the roster with 20 or more catches.

Offense alone, even one as potent as Wisconsin's Gordon-based attack, cannot win games. The Badgers are fortunate enough to be just fine defensively as well. In fact, they are the top defensive team in the country in terms of yards allowed (244 ypg).

Michael Caputo (70 tackles, 4.5 TFL) anchors the squad as the leading tackler, but Derek Landisch (59 tackles, 12.0 TFL, 6.0 sacks) and Vine Biegel (14.0 TFL, 6.5 sacks) have been even more devastating to opposing offenses.

Iowa has not been as productive on offense this season, but that didn't appear to be the case against Illinois. The Hawkeyes finished with 587 yards, including a 304-yard effort on the ground.

"It was good to see. It seemed like we were blocking pretty well and the guys ran hard," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said of his team's rushing prowess.

Even after the showing against Illinois, Iowa still ranks just sixth in the Big Ten in total offense (399.6 ypg), while scoring 28.1 points per game.

Mark Weisman has been the most productive offensive threat for the Hawkeyes, with 676 yards and 14 touchdowns on 170 carries. He was at the forefront of the rushing binge by the Hawkeyes last weekend, as he totaled 134 yards on 23 attempts, although he failed to get into the end zone. Jordan Canzeri (287 yards) finished with 68 yards in the win as well.

Jake Rudock played well under center in the victory, throwing for 210 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 39 yards and a score on the ground. Rudock and C.J. Beathard, who completed three passes against Illinois, have each gotten time at quarterback this season. Rudock has gotten the most work, with 1,863 yards, 12 touchdowns and four interceptions on 63.9 percent passing. Beathard has 500 yards and three touchdowns on 39-of-69 passing.

Tight end Jake Duzey (30 receptions, 292 yards, two TDs) had his best game of the season against Illinois, finishing with 110 yards on three receptions. Kevonte Martin-Manley (39 receptions, 398 yards, TD) and Tevaun Smith (33 receptions, 410 yards, two TDs) are still the leading receiving options, however.

Iowa is also closer to the middle of the Big Ten than the top in terms of defensive success, as the unit rank sixth in both total defense (324.6 ypg) and scoring defense (22.5 ppg).

With a raucous home crowd behind it, Iowa could very well knock off Wisconsin. However, that would require the Hawkeyes to stop Gordon, which has been a nearly impossible task this season.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Wisconsin 32, Iowa 21