The Wisconsin Badgers are set to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in Week 7, getting a primetime slot for their homecoming game against a rival. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. on FS1.
Wisconsin is expected to
start Hunter Simmons at quarterback for the second straight week. Simmons got the surprise start last weekend against the Michigan Wolverines, and Wisconsin liked what they saw from the Southern Illinois transfer.
Iowa, on the other hand, has a less clear situation at quarterback. Starter Mark Gronowski will be a “game-time decision”, according to On3’s Pete Nakos, who shared that the quarterback has “been working through a left knee injury and went through the week without any flare-ups. How he feels Saturday a.m. and pregame will be key.”
To follow up, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz shared with ESPN he’s ‘hopeful’ that Gronowski plays. The quarterback suffered a knee injury in Iowa’s 20-15 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers two weeks ago. Iowa was up 13-10 at the time of the injury before falling short.
A transfer from South Dakota State, Gronowski has been up and down this season for the Hawkeyes after some major offseason hype, but he presents a dual-threat option at quarterback. Iowa’s backup is Hank Brown, a transfer from Auburn who completed just 5/13 passes for 48 yards in place of Gronowski against Indiana.
Brown, a 6’4, 215-pound redshirt sophomore, will start if Gronowski cannot go.
Wisconsin needs a win more than ever this weekend, both for what it would mean in the rivalry and to get its season back on track after three consecutive losses. They’re currently 3.5-point underdogs heading into the evening.
