Who wins the B1G West? A race that nearly appeared to be a lock for Iowa early in the season has become much tighter with a key showdown against Wisconsin in store for Week 9.

The battle for the Heartland Trophy is always a good one, and this year’s edition will have key ramifications for the division race. Iowa – coming off a bye and a loss to Purdue – still controls its own destiny. Win out, and the Hawkeyes will head to Indianapolis.

Remarkably, the same is also true for Paul Chryst and Wisconsin. Despite 3 early losses, the Badgers sit with a 2-2 record in conference play. A win over Iowa would tie the two teams with Wisconsin holding the head-to-head tiebreaker with a matchup against Minnesota still to come late in the season.

For now, the two sides will prepare for Saturday’s contest in Madison. ESPN’s FPI has updated its odds for that rivalry showdown, and it is expected to be a hard-fought battle. Kirk Ferentz’s Hawkeyes are given a 53.7% chance of coming away with the win on the road.

Iowa won the matchup in 2020, but the Badgers won the previous 4 meetings. Going back to 2010, Wisconsin is 7-2 against the Hawkeyes.

Who comes out on top in Week 9? Saturday’s kickoff is set for 12 pm EST on ESPN.