Learning from their mistakes in a 31-13 Ohio State loss, that is.
The Badgers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) host No. 11 Iowa (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) Saturday, and if UW is to have any shot at a Big Ten Championship, they face a must-win game against the conference’s other undefeated team.
“The coaches put up pictures of the Heartland Trophy in each of our lockers,” UW left tackle Gabe Carimi said. “Iowa is our next opponent. We are completely focused on Iowa this week.”
In Iowa, the Badgers face a defense that has put up similar statistics to Ohio State.
For the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes rank third in points allowed at 15.8 per game and first in passing defense with merely 171 yards per game at a 47.9 percent clip.
Iowa hasn’t allowed an opponent over 30 points yet — a mark the Badgers have eclipsed in four of their five wins.
“They do a great job. Norm (Parker) and that crew do a good job of making guys play sound fundamentals,” UW head coach Bret Bielema said. “They don’t do a lot. They basically run one front, one coverage with few variations, and they’re able to be very productive.”
While the numbers may say Iowa’s defense and Ohio State’s are nearly identical, the schemes and players on the field are drastically different.
Where the Buckeyes like to mix up their formations and blitz from different angles, Iowa runs a basic “4-3 under” defense, which challenges the offense to beat them.
Having allowed only eight touchdowns all season, not many offenses have solved the relatively vanilla scheme.
“They are not at all the same,” Carimi said of Iowa and Ohio State’s defenses. “[Iowa] doesn’t move around, blitz or stunt or anything for pressure. The ends are bigger guys, a completely different type of defensive end. D-tackles do a lot more stunt gains and stuff.”
After throwing two game-changing pick-sixes against the Buckeyes, Tolzien will be under pressure to take care of the ball Saturday.
His task is not made any easier going against the league’s No. 1 turnover unit, which has forced 19 takeaways on the season.
Besides presenting a challenge for Tolzien, Bielema believes the offensive line will have to improve, because many of the turnovers were forced by pressuring the quarterback.
“Well, I think, you know, they themselves — the defensive line — has created a few [turnovers],” Bielema said. “But, you know, there’s a certain amount to be said — those quarterbacks, when they’re getting rattled, all the sudden they start running around and they throw; their safeties have made a lot of nice picks, just overthrown balls and balls that are erratic.”
On the offensive side of the ball, much like the Badgers, Iowa depends on their tight end to create plays in the passing game.
For the season, Hawkeye tight end Tony Moeaki has accumulated 17 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns. It’s impressive enough that he is tied for the team lead in catches and has caught more touchdowns than any other Hawkeye, but the playmaking tight end has only played in three games due to injury.
With UW’s Garrett Graham and Moeaki in the game, the Big Ten’s two best tight ends may be on display.
“You know, when Moeaki got back in, you could see how their offense changed last week, really since the Arkansas State game,” Bielema said. “Their offense has really picked it up and has been a little bit more productive in being able to be more efficient and do certain things — not only out in the normal, but they really like to go to those tight ends in clutch situations, and that’s the key part.”
With the loss to OSU, the Badgers were able to learn some things they do well, but more importantly, what they still must improve on.
To freshman center Peter Konz, the loss may have helped in the preparation for the Hawkeyes.
“I think we will come in mentally a little more prepared,” Konz said. “It’s like, OK, we got our first loss; it’s out of the way and we don’t have to worry about that. Now we can just solely focus on Iowa and the pressure is on them.”
