Roaring past the halfway point of the 2024-25 college football season, multiple squads in the Big Ten are vying for postseason berths and spots in the College Football Playoff. In SBS’ first week ten highlighted matchup, the Wisconsin Badgers travel to Iowa for a showdown with the Hawkeyes. In a fairly even matchup, the Badgers are aiming to rebound from a 28-13 loss to Penn State at home while the Hawkeyes are feeling confident following a 40-13 drubbing of Northwestern. In the other “big” showdown of the day, Ohio State squares up with Penn State in a huge battle in Happy Valley. Currently, as of this article’s writing, the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions are both ranked within the top five in the college football rankings which could have big implications for the postseason.
For this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these teams and predicted winners, along with some additional notes and information about college football betting.
| NCAA Football Week Ten Games | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin at Iowa | Iowa -2.5 | -115 | -115 | -115 |
| Ohio State at Penn State | Ohio State -3.5 | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Team Spotlight: Wisconsin Badgers
Prior to falling against Penn State at home, the Badgers were winners of three straight and not only that but in blowout fashion against some rival Big Ten foes. This includes double-digit victories over the likes of Northwestern (23-3 on the road), Rutgers (also on the road, 42-7), and finally, Purdue (52-6). Quarterback Braedyn Locke has been solid this year for Wisconsin, throwing for 1,281 yards, but committing nearly as many interceptions (six) as passing touchdowns (seven). That said, with an overall (and conference) record identical to that of the Hawkeyes, this is a fairly even battle. Running back Tawee Walker could be the X-factor here as he has scored ten times already this season.
Team Spotlight: Iowa Hawkeyes
Per the latest Sagarin ratings, both the Hawkeyes and Badgers are top-30 squads in the country. That said, Iowa holds a narrow advantage at 23 to Wisconsin’s 27 mark. While the Badgers have Walker, the Hawkeyes counter with their own stellar runner in Kaleb Johnson. The Iowa running back has had a stellar campaign to date with 1,144 rushing yards and a spectacular 16 scores on the ground to date. Quarterback Cade McNamara is a transfer from Michigan and like Locke, has been solid this season, but not amazing with six passing scores to five picks.
In a close battle, take the home team Hawkeyes to score the victory here given their slightly higher proficiency on offense and better body of work.
Team Spotlight: Ohio State Buckeyes
Moving over to the second highlighted matchup of the day, Ohio State features a dynamic attack and a stellar record of 6-1, including a mark of 3-1 in Big Ten play. The Buckeyes drubbed Iowa earlier this year, 35-7, but narrowly fell to Oregon on the road, 32-31, and then rebounded with a narrow road win off their bye week, 21-17 against Nebraska at home. Quarterback Will Howard has been fantastic this season with 1,795 passing yards and 17 scores. His primary target this season has been wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (35 receptions and 623 receiving yards) who has eight receiving scores. It will be interesting to see though how the Buckeyes handle this brutal environment at Penn State.
Team Spotlight: Penn State Nittany Lions
Ohio State’s foe in this matchup is the dynamic and undefeated Nittany Lions who have an unblemished record at 7-0, with a mark of 4-0 in conference play. Penn State counters with Drew Allar at quarterback, and like Howard, he has done a great job of piling up scorers while mitigating turnovers (12 passing touchdowns to four picks). Running back Kaytron Allen has been the main focal point of the Penn State ground attack with 509 rushing yards to date. The Nittany Lions are coming off a sound 28-13 victory at Wisconsin and this will be their first home game since October 5th.
Perhaps the game of the week, take the Buckeyes to score the narrow win here and keep their conference title and CFP hopes alive.
Once you are all up to speed regarding the latest gaming news and notes coming from the world of college football, make sure to of course check out the wide array of info at SBS. For even more analysis on the topic covered here, the college football betting sites guide has you covered with all of the latest markets on the sport and beyond. On a separate note, for those on the go, the best betting apps rundown is a fantastic page to bookmark. Here you can learn more about the nuances of mobile betting and how eligible customers can stay on top of the action. Finally, if you are interested in some higher stakes wagering, look no further than the VIP sports betting sites breakdown where you can check out the perks of VIP wagering and if you qualify under those parameters.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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