5 Things: Iowa vs. Wisconsin

This isn't completely the opposite of 2015, but this week's Iowa-Wisconsin game sure has the kind of feel it did two years ago.

The Badgers are the Big Ten's best hope at this point for the College Football Playoff, and the Hawkeyes could mortally wound those chances two weeks in a row by driving a couple hours north on Highway 151. Given the out-behind-the-woodshed performance against Ohio State, there's a very real chance that happens.

So let's look at 5 Things: Iowa vs. Wisconsin.

1. The Fake ID of college football?

There's not a lot that can make Hawkeyes and Badgers fans agree. It's a rivalry and one in which the two teams play remarkably similar styles of football while taking tremendous pride in said style of football.

But, there is one thing — nay, one person — that the two sides can unequivocally agree on: Colin Cowherd. Yes, the man who is paid to offer controversial opinions on a radio show simulcast on FS1 has found a way to galvanize two fanbases who don't super love each other.

In 2015, Cowherd got under your skin (don't object, you know it did) by calling Iowa the 'fake ID of college football,' for not having played a difficult schedule en route to an undefeated regular season and a chance at the CFP. Cowherd had called the Hawkeyes a 'fraud' for most of the season, but didn't coin the famous phrase until after Iowa lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten title game. He seemed to revel in the uproar, feast on the anger and even literally profit from it with T-shirts.

That was Dec. 7, 2015 when Cowherd trotted out the phrase about the Hawkeyes. It only took until Nov. 1 of this year for Cowherd to call Wisconsin the new fake ID of college football. Like he did in 2015, Cowherd hammered the Badgers for their non-conference schedule and being undefeated without having played a ranked team out of conference or the toughest half of the Big Ten.

Wisconsin is going to be the new Iowa: The Fake ID of college football November 1, 2017

Wisconsin is going to be the new Iowa: The Fake ID of college football pic.twitter.com/CD8gpcyPPX

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd)

What's funny about that is he's the same guy who, on his show on Aug. 8, said Wisconsin, 'right now is a better football program than Notre Dame,' two months before saying there was no way Wisconsin could be ranked ahead of a one-loss Notre Dame.

The Badgers had Utah State, Florida Atlantic and BYU in non-conference this year. BYU is 2-7, but was coming off a 10-win season when this game was scheduled. Wisconsin can't control an opposing program regressing. It also can't control the Big Ten schedule.

Cowherd got traction in 2015 shouting down Iowa, and has brought it up at various points since. He's trying to gain traction again with Wisconsin. Oh, and he's also trying to give Iowa a backhanded compliment for beating Ohio State in saying Iowa is the fake ID no longer.

Isn't talk radio fun? It really brings people together.

2. Cheese or corn?

OK so maybe there's more than one thing Iowa and Wisconsin fans can agree on. Let's add cheese curds and corn on the cob to the list. (And beer too, but that's not really a signature of either place, unless you're counting Miller products.)

The three edible calling cards of Wisconsin: cheese, sausage (polish) and beer (Miller High Life. ((OK, it's Miller Lite but I like High Life better and this is my story so that's what I'm going with.))) The three edible calling cards of Iowa: corn, pork tenderloins (Iowa chops a close runner-up) and beer (Busch Light, clearly).

We could debate the merits of polish sausage vs. pork tenderloins (tenderloins, obviously) or Miller vs. Busch (call me Sconnie on that one), the real debate is cheese vs. corn — specifically the majesty that are cheese curds and corn on the cob. Both are decidedly Midwestern. They're both naturally occurring — we're talking actual cheese curds here, not what you get at the bar — and both staples at county and state fairs. They both go with pretty much everything and there are almost no scenarios in which you're offered one and are like, "nah, I'm good."

Ultimately this comes down to one thing: ease of eating. Corn on the cob can be logistically difficult. It requires salt, pepper, a stick of butter and the little corn holders for both ends (if you're afraid of burning your fingers). Curds are simple. You can eat them like M&Ms. Granted, it makes curds more dangerous, but that's a different argument you can take up with your tailor.

What does all this have to do with football? Well, what are YOU eating at your tailgate on Saturdays?

I'm curious about something going into November 6, 2017

I'm curious about something going into #Hawkeyes vs #Badgers:

— Jeremiah Davis (@jeremiahdavis10)

3. Trophy games

It's the second time in three weeks the Hawkeyes will play in a trophy game. This time, it's the (relatively new) Heartland Trophy on the line as Iowa will try to bring it back to the Hansen Performance Center.

The Hawkeyes have been pretty good in trophy games under head coach Kirk Ferentz, only having a pair of them in his first four seasons before going to three in 2004 (when the Heartland was added) and adding the fourth in 2011 (when the Heroes was added). In games battling for the Floyd of Rosedale, the Cy-Hawk Trophy, the Heartland Trophy and the Heroes Trophy, Iowa is 31-23 under Ferentz dating back to 1999's losses to Minnesota and Iowa State.

The Hawkeyes have won nine of their last 10 trophy games, stretching over the last three seasons — the lone loss coming to the Badgers last year at Kinnick Stadium.

Iowa is two for two so far this year in trophy games, having beaten Minnesota and Iowa State already. The Hawkeyes have swept their trophy games five times under Ferentz — 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2015 — and only once since it's been four games.

4. Going Camping

Camp Randall has a pretty solid reputation — and for good reason.

Dating back to the 1990 season — the year Barry Alvarez took over as head coach, beginning the Wisconsin Football Modern Era (WFME), in which Big Ten titles and Rose Bowls are yearly goals — Wisconsin is 139-40-3 at home. That record includes nine seasons in which the Badgers didn't lose at home, something they can say so far this year as well.

Interestingly, Wisconsin has been even more of a stalwart at home since Alvarez retired following the 2005 season. The Badgers are 72-8 since the beginning of the 2006 season, spanning three head coaching tenures.

Iowa, however, has been a thorn in the Camp Randall paw. In the Ferentz era, the Hawkeyes are 4-3 in Madison, Wis., with all four wins coming in the last five trips north. In two of those years, Iowa was Wisconsin's only home loss. In the WFME, Iowa is 6-4 at Camp Randall, as Hayden Fry went 2-1 in his last three trips there.

One other bit of intrigue with this series: in the Ferentz era, the road team is 10-6, including each of the last six matchups.

5. Against the spread

Wisconsin comes in ranked No. 3 in the Coaches Poll and No. 6 in the AP poll, and has a 22.8-point average margin of victory this season.

The Badgers have been favored in every game and the smallest spread they've faced this season was minus-10.5 last week at Indiana. They've been favored by an average of 20.5 points overall this season. The smallest line at home for Wisconsin was minus-16.5 against Northwestern, and the Badgers have been favored by an average of 23.8 points.

The line for Saturday's game is Wisconsin by 12.5 as of Monday afternoon. The Badgers are 5-4 against the spread this season, and the lowest spread they failed to cover was minus-16.5 against Northwestern.

The over-under of 46 is kind of funny if you're looking at this rivalry historically. Three of the last four and 10 of the 16 matchups in the Ferentz era wouldn't have covered that spread. However. If you're looking at last week? Take the over in a heartbeat.

The lesson in all of this: never bet, kids.

l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com