The Badgers are crushed by Iowa's run game and lose big

The Badgers football team always faces a physical game against Iowa. The Hawkeyes like to play the run and play defense, and it was clear that would be the case with their quarterback Cade McNamara out with a concussion.

The Badgers certainly knew what to expect with the Iowa running game, but they had absolutely no answer for Kaleb Johnson and the Hawkeyes. Iowa managed 329 yards on the ground and scored five touchdowns, including three by Johnson, in a stunning 42-10 victory over the Badgers on Saturday night at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.

It is the Badgers' second loss in a row.

It was a promising start for the Badgers (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten), who went 59 yards on their first drive in 12 plays and scored the game's first points on a 38-yard field goal by Nathanial Vakos lap.

But Wisconsin's next seven possessions featured a Braedyn Locke interception, two consecutive three-and-outs, a four-play, 15-yard drive, an eight-play, 17-yard drive, a five-play, 21-yard drive Play and another Locke interception. By then it was 21:3.

The Badgers mustered just 261 yards of total offense to Iowa's 422 yards, went just 2-for-11 on third down and also collected eight penalties for 55 yards. Frankly, Wisconsin couldn't do much against Iowa's defense.

Brendan Sullivan, filling in for the injured McNamara, scored the first touchdown on a 1-yard run early in the second quarter, capping a seven-play, 53-yard drive. The Hawkeyes (6-3, 4-2) also scored on their next drive, with Johnson's 16-yard sprint scoring his first touchdown of the day and a 14-3 Iowa lead heading into halftime.

After forcing a Wisconsin punt on their first drive of the new half, the Hawkeyes marched 86 yards down the field in 10 plays, and Johnson capped the drive with a touchdown run from 9 yards out. Locke's second interception set up a short field for Iowa and Sullivan hit the receiver for a 7-yard touchdown pass. Sullivan completed 7 of 10 passes for 93 yards and the TD.

After falling behind 28-3 in the third quarter, the Badgers finally answered with a 10-play, 79-yard touchdown drive. Locke hit Vinny Anthony II for a 32-yard gain and Tawee Walker capped it off with a 2-yard touchdown run.

But Iowa came back with an eight-play, 77-yard touchdown drive in which Johnson scored his third run of the day.

Johnson totaled 24 carries for 135 yards and three touchdowns.

And after the Hawkeyes forced another Wisconsin punt – Atticus Bertrams punted six times – they needed 7 minutes, 13 seconds on a 12-play, 66-yard drive that Jazuin Patterson capped with a 4-yard touchdown run .

It was just an all-around brutal performance from the Badgers on both sides of the ball. Locke completed just 15 of 29 passes for 137 yards, one touchdown and the two interceptions. Darrion Dupree had 52 rushing yards on seven carries and Walker ran 16 times for 52 yards and the touchdown. Anthony was the leading receiver with four catches for 61 yards.

It was the kind of performance that certainly doesn't inspire confidence heading into an upcoming brutal matchup against top-ranked Oregon on Nov. 16. The Badgers have two weeks to prepare, but they still have a lot to figure out before they host the nation's best at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, in a game that will be their first Big Ten matchup against the Ducks becomes.