Probetrics — Sports Analytics
College Football slate
Wisconsin Badgers
4-8 last yr · #104 Elo
at
Sat, Oct 31, 12:00 AM ET
Kinnick Stadium
Iowa Hawkeyes
1-0 · #12 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Iowa Hawkeyes are 18.9 points better (#12 vs #104 of 240), and IOWA add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: IOWA passing ranks #70, WIS defends it at #105; the other way WIS #130 into IOWA's #30.

Who has the edge

Rating
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA rated 18.9 points better on Elo (#12 vs #104).
Home & rest
Even
IOWA gets 0.0 points for home field.
Passing game
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA passing ranks #70, WIS defends it at #105; the other way WIS #130 into IOWA's #30.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA rushing ranks #34, WIS defends it at #42; the other way WIS #106 into IOWA's #53.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA third-down conversion ranks #34, WIS defends it at #54; the other way WIS #125 into IOWA's #23.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
IOWA
IOWA +40.0 per game over the last five, WIS −5.6.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Wisconsin BadgersIowa Hawkeyes
1456 Elo · #104
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
IOWA +18.9 pts
1795 Elo · #12
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
−18.5 pts vs IOWA D
Offense vs defenseEach offense's scoring rating against the other defense's — what drives the model total. Shown as an edge, though the winner call runs on Elo.
IOWA +14.8 pts
−3.7 pts vs WIS D
L W L W L · −5.6
Form (last 5)Average margin over the last five games. Already inside the ratings — listed so you can see when recent form and the rating disagree.
IOWA +22.8 pts
W · +40.0
−4.4
SP+ (last season)Bill Connelly's SP+ from last season, the prior the college model starts each season from.
IOWA +24.1 pts
+19.7
MarketThe consensus spread, read as points. Compare with the model margin above it.
not priced

Bars are in points toward the favored side. Blue factors are inside the model's margin; grey ones are context it does not add on top (form and offense/defense are already in the ratings; injuries beyond the quarterback are not priced).

Dissect the matchup

CollegeFootballData, garbage time excluded · 2025 season (last season until three games are in)

Biggest mismatches

  • IOWA havoc rate faced (#7) against a WIS defense ranked #119 at stopping it
  • IOWA defense (#14 yards / pass attempt allowed) against a WIS offense ranked #125
  • IOWA defense (#24 standard-down ppa allowed) against a WIS offense ranked #133
  • WIS defense (#13 interceptions forced) against a IOWA offense ranked #117
  • IOWA defense (#23 third-down conversion allowed) against a WIS offense ranked #125

A mismatch is a rank gap of at least a fifth of the league between an offense and the defense it faces on the same measure. Descriptive rows (pass rate, pace, direction) are shown for reading the game, not ranked. ▲▼ mark where the last three games sit clearly above or below the season number, in the direction that helps that side.

Wisconsin Badgers offense vs Iowa Hawkeyes defense

ranks of 135
WIS offIOWA defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced42%50%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).67%71%·
Plays / game5153·
Possession / game30:3828:32·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.03#130+0.16#30IOWA
Pass success rate38%#10737%#25IOWA
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.47#1041.38#8IOWA
Yards / pass attempt6.0#1256.0#14IOWA
Completion %58%#11358%#24IOWA
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.8%#392.2%#86WIS
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.04#106+0.08#53IOWA
Rush success rate34%#13141%#54IOWA
Rush explosiveness1.05#340.89#32·
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.2.82#902.92#74·
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.19%#7119%#71·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.66%#10269%#51IOWA
Yards / rush3.4#1253.6#27IOWA
Situational
Standard-down PPA−0.08#133+0.02#24IOWA
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.20#108+0.22#41IOWA
Third-down conversion32%#12534%#23IOWA
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.2.28#1343.34#38IOWA
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.18.3%#11816.9%#44IOWA
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.33#831.08#95·

Iowa Hawkeyes offense vs Wisconsin Badgers defense

ranks of 135
IOWA offWIS defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate faced38%51%·
Standard-down shareShare of plays on standard downs (staying ahead of the chains).73%70%·
Plays / game5557·
Possession / game31:2829:22·
Passing
Passing PPA / playPredicted points added per pass play (CFBD).+0.24#70+0.33#105IOWA
Pass success rate39%#9546%#118·
Pass explosivenessPPA on successful pass plays — how big the wins are.1.55#681.40#11WIS
Yards / pass attempt6.5#1057.6#102·
Completion %63%#5870%#134IOWA
Interception rate / Interceptions forced3.8%#1173.8%#13WIS
Rushing
Rushing PPA / play+0.19#34+0.06#42·
Rush success rate48%#1644%#92IOWA
Rush explosiveness0.90#980.86#15WIS
Line yards / rushYards credited to the offensive line (first 4 yards weighted). Defense column: allowed.3.29#152.75#43IOWA
Stuff rate / Stuff rate forcedRushes stopped at or behind the line.14%#1522%#24·
Power successConversion rate on 3rd/4th and ≤2, or goal-to-go from the 2.81%#1071%#71IOWA
Yards / rush4.6#553.4#17WIS
Situational
Standard-down PPA+0.16#45+0.12#86IOWA
Passing-down PPAObvious passing situations (2nd & 8+, 3rd/4th & 5+).+0.20#109+0.34#91·
Third-down conversion43%#3438%#54·
Points / scoring opportunityPoints per drive that reaches the opponent's 40.4.44#203.13#25·
Havoc rate faced / Havoc rateTFLs, forced fumbles, interceptions and passes defensed per play.11.2%#712.9%#119IOWA
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.00#350.50#134IOWA

Season

WISIOWA
4-8Record1-0
12.8Points for / game40.0
21.6Points against / game0.0
4-3 / 0-5Home / road1-0 / 0-0
6-6Against the spread1-0
2-10Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.0-1
L W L W LLast 5W

Season numbers are from 2025 until this season has games.

Power ratings

WISIOWA
1456Elo1795
#104 of 240Rank#12 of 240
−3.4Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+7.6
+11.3Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.+15.1
Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.1262

Elo drives the winner call. Offense/defense ratings drive the total.

Advanced

WISIOWA
+3.8SP+ (this season)Bill Connelly's SP+ rating, points above average.+14.6
0.012Offense PPA / playPredicted points added per play, garbage time excluded (CFBD).0.170
0.189Defense PPA / playPPA allowed per play — lower is better.0.080
35% / 45%Success rate (off / def)44% / 39%
1.23 / 1.17Explosiveness (off / def)1.12 / 1.13
768Talent composite247Sports team talent composite for the current roster.723
31%Returning production34%

Advanced stats are from 2025 until this season has about three games. Source: CollegeFootballData.

Head to head

2025IOWA 37 at WIS 0IOWA · IOWA covered
2024WIS 10 at IOWA 42IOWA · IOWA covered
2023IOWA 15 at WIS 6IOWA · IOWA covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
IOWA +18.9 pts
Home field
IOWA +— pts
Rest
Even
Weather / roof
— pts on the total
Model margin
Model total

Market

Spread
Total
Moneyline

Per-book prices appear once the multi-book feed has this game (about a week out).

Informational only. Winner probabilities are backtested and calibrated; spread and total calls are tracked leans. 21+, 1-800-GAMBLER.