QUICK RECAP: Iowa takes Heartland Trophy back, from Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Badgers (5-5, 3-4 conference) put on defensive clinic, but succumb to timely defensive and special teams plays by the Iowa Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3 conference), losing 24-10.

The Badger defense held the Hawkeyes to 146 offensive yards and sacked Iowa quarterback, Spencer Petras six times.

However, the Hawkeyes defense was just as suffocating against the Wisconsin offense, as the Badgers only managed 227 total yards, including just 51 yards on the ground.

The Wisconsin special teams unit was able to get the Badgers on the board in the first quarter, as Nate Van Zelst connected on a 32-yard field goal.

The Hawkeyes special teams unit was not to be left out of the fun as they blocked an Andy Vujnovich punt, early in the second quarter.

Two plays later, the Hawkeyes capped off a 17-yard drive, with a Kaleb Johnson, 4-yard touchdown run.

Johnson finished the game with 22 carries for 57 yards and a score.

Iowa later got on the board for a second time near the end of the first half as Cooper Dejean returned a Graham Mertz pass, 32 yards for his second interception touchdown return of the season.

Wisconsin was able to answer with a 7-play, 75 yard drive that lasted just 1:06, as Mertz connected with Keontez Lewis on a 51-yard touchdown pass.

With just a 4-point defecit, Wisconsin received the opening kick of the second half and Mertz threw his second interception of the game.

In the fourth quarter, Dejean, who had already scored on an interception, returned a Vujnovich punt, 41 yards well into Wisconsin territory, setting up a 5-play, 18-yard scoring drive for Iowas, as Petras capped of the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run on a qb sneak.

Iowa would later add a Drew Stevens, 44-yard field goal.

With the win, Iowa moves into a first place tie with Illinois (7-3, 4-3 conference) atop the Big Ten West, while Wisconsin falls to fifth place in the conference.

Wisconsin travels to Nebraska (3-7, 2-5 conference) next Saturday. The Badgers would become bowl eligible with against the Cornhuskers.