Despite losing the opportunity to claim outright first place in the Big Ten last week, the Wisconsin football team (8-2 overall, 5-2 Big Ten) will attempt to complete its second consecutive undefeated season at Camp Randall as the Badgers take on the rival Iowa Hawkeyes. Although it is a long shot, Wisconsin can still earn a share of the Big Ten title with a win if Penn State and Ohio State lose their Big Ten finales.

Saturday will be a challenge for the Badgers, as Iowa has found itself in must-win situation. With a 5-4 overall record, the Hawkeyes need two more wins to qualify for a bowl game.

Iowa has always proved a difficult challenge for Barry Alvarez's squad. After previously beating Iowa five consecutive times from 1997-2001, the Badgers have dropped their last three contests to the Hawkeyes, including last year's painful loss in Iowa City that saw the Badgers fumble away their chances at a Big Ten conference title.

Standout quarterback Drew Tate leads the Hawkeyes. So far this season, the junior has completed more than 63 percent of his passes and thrown 13 touchdowns on the year. Most impressively, Tate has compiled a gaudy 148.1 passer efficiency rating. The bulk of Tate's passes have been in the direction of Clinton Solomon, who has hauled in six of Tate's touchdown passes and has gained over 550 yards receiving.

To go along with Iowa's offensive, the Hawkeyes also have an impressive defense, which ranks third against the rush and fifth overall in the conference. The strong point of Iowa's defense is their linebackers. Led by seniors Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge, who are second and third in the Big Ten in tackles respectively, Iowa is holding opponents to under twenty points per game on average.

"They're a very good [football team]," Barry Alvarez said. "They're well-coached [and] their defense is always very good. They're hard-nosed [and] play very sound. They don't beat themselves, much the way we've tried to build our program. I think if you go back and listen to the things [Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz] said when he took over that program, he wanted to build the program much like we did and pattern it after the things we did here.

Saturday's game also marks Senior Day for the Badgers. Sixteen seniors will be honored before the game, including fullback Matt Bernstein, tight end Owen Daniels, center Donovan Raiola, linebacker Dontez Sanders, and wide receivers Brandon White, Jonathan Orr and Brandon Williams.

This senior class has been the core of Wisconsin success over the past four seasons as they are one of only three other senior classes to have participated in four bowl games. Additionally, they have helped set a Wisconsin modern-era record for the most consecutive home wins, which currently stands at 11.

None other than Brandon Williams has been looking forward to this day for the past three years.

"This is something that you have been thinking about for three years," Williams said. "You have been watching the last three classes go out and seen how things have played out for them and you just always want the best to happen for you. This is going to be very exciting — all the families come, everyone gets to walk out on the field — it's going to be real exciting."

This game also marks the last home game for head coach Barry Alvarez. Ironically, Alvarez will end the home portion his twenty-six year college coaching career against the team he began his collegiate coaching career with. Alvarez was an assistant coach under legendary Iowa coach Hayden Frye from 1979 to 1986.

When Barry Alvarez took over as coach in 1990, Wisconsin had only recorded 17 winning seasons since 1950 and only qualified for six bowls games in their 103-year history. For the past 16 seasons, Alvarez has accumulated 116 wins, which ranks eighth all-time in the Big Ten, and has taken Wisconsin to 10 bowl games, including three Rose Bowl victories. More importantly, Barry Alvarez rejuvenated Badger football. For Coach Alvarez, it has been an emotional journey from the beginning.

"I thought someday we could be very competitive," Alvarez said. "The first thing, I think if you go back and look at the things we talked about, I wanted to build a foundation, teach guys how to work. I didn't want to cut any corners, didn't want any quick fixes. I wanted to build a good solid foundation, teach the guys how to play, how to play the game, how it's supposed to be, how you have to win in this game. You have to stop from losing before you can win. I wanted to do all those things. … I still am at peace with my decision [to step down]. I'm really pleased that we had this type of year, that you can go out like this and enjoy the year and enjoy the players and they can have some success and have a little fun along the way."