SHREDDED: Iowa Blanks No. 25 Wisconsin 30–0

The Edge Report | College Football Recap | October 31, 2026

Wisconsin brought the ranking. Iowa brought the cheese grater.

The Hawkeyes dismantled No. 25 Wisconsin 30–0, turning a rivalry game into a statement and sending our Wisconsin pick down with it. No spin: we got this one wrong.

Hank Brown completed 20 of 24 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Iowa improved to 6–2, while Wisconsin fell to 5–3. The Hawkeyes have now won five straight in the series.

But the defining sequence came with Wisconsin close enough to change the afternoon.

Trailing 10–0, Wisconsin reached Iowa’s 1-yard line. The Hawkeyes held on third down, then stopped the fourth-down attempt. A drive that could have made it a one-score game produced nothing.

Iowa answered with a 98-yard touchdown drive, finished by Brown’s 4-yard scoring pass to Tony Diaz. Instead of 10–7, it was 17–0. That was the separation.

The scoreboard reflected sustained control. Iowa executed on offense and repeatedly shut the door on defense.

Our Wisconsin pick loses. The correction is to respect how a matchup plays out on the field: staying on schedule, converting third downs and finishing opportunities. Wisconsin’s ranking offered no protection once Iowa controlled those situations.

A missed pick belongs in the recap alongside the winners. We own it, review it and move forward without chasing.

Final word: Iowa kept the rivalry firmly in its hands. Wisconsin left without a point.

Rutgers tied the game 21–21 with 11:43 left, but Michigan answered with an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:19. Tommy Carr’s 15-yard touchdown run put the Wolverines ahead with 4:24 remaining, and Michigan held on for the road win.

Carr completed 22 of 27 passes for 266 yards. Michigan finished with 427 total yards to Rutgers’ 249, a 23–9 advantage in first downs and 39:06 of possession. The Wolverines converted 12 of 16 third downs; Rutgers managed 3 of 10.

The Scarlet Knights stayed in it through explosive plays. AJ Surace connected with Jourdin Houston for an 80-yard touchdown in the first half. Antwan Raymond’s 54-yard run later set up Clay Thevenin’s short touchdown, followed by the tying two-point conversion.

The Edge takeaway: A close score can hide very different paths through a game. Michigan sustained possessions; Rutgers relied on big gains to keep pace. Compare drive consistency, explosive plays and third-down execution before treating the final margin as the full story. Michigan improved to 5–3, while Rutgers fell to 2–6.

Sources: Michigan Athletics recap · Rutgers Athletics official box score.

Northwestern led 20–6 late in the first half, but Oregon rallied to win 34–26. The Ducks improved to 5–3; the Wildcats fell to 6–2 as their four-game winning streak ended.

The turning points: Dylan Raiola found Dakorien Moore for a 10-yard touchdown just before halftime. After Northwestern stretched the lead to 23–13, Oregon answered with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson. Brandon Smith’s fourth-and-goal touchdown run put the Ducks ahead 27–23. When Northwestern closed within one, Raiola immediately hit Moore for a 75-yard score.

The numbers: Raiola finished 22-of-31 for 336 yards and three touchdowns. Moore had 128 receiving yards and two scores; Smith rushed for 82 yards. Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles passed for 281 yards and ran for 93, while Griffin Wilde produced 146 receiving yards.

The Edge takeaway: Northwestern won total yardage 456–441 and held the ball for 35:54, yet finished with four field goals. Oregon’s touchdown drives and explosive response decided the game. Possession and yardage help explain performance; finishing drives determines how much of that work reaches the scoreboard.

Sources: Oregon Athletics official box score · Oregon Athletics team statistics · Northwestern Athletics recap.

No. 4 Indiana survived a Halloween upset scare in Bloomington. Minnesota appeared to have stolen the game when Luke Drzewiecki drilled a 60-yard field goal with 19 seconds left to give the Golden Gophers a 16–13 lead. But Indiana moved into range on Charlie Becker’s 33-yard reception, and Paddy McAteer answered with a 60-yard field goal as regulation expired.

Backup quarterback Grant Wilson found Becker for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play of overtime. Indiana then stopped Minnesota to seal the 23–16 victory. Wilson entered after starter Josh Hoover was replaced at halftime; Becker finished with eight catches for 149 yards.

The numbers: Indiana outgained Minnesota 419–215, led first downs 21–10 and finished with 275 passing yards to Minnesota’s 120. Yet the Hoosiers converted only 2 of 13 third downs, compared with Minnesota’s 3 of 15. Indiana improved to 8–1, while Minnesota fell to 5–3.

The Edge takeaway: A 204-yard advantage should create more separation than seven points in overtime. Indiana moved the ball but repeatedly stalled on third down. Minnesota stayed within striking distance and nearly stole the game through exceptional special-teams execution. Raw yardage alone can misrepresent the competitiveness of a matchup; conversion rates, finishing drives and late-game kicking can reshape the outcome.

What's next: Indiana has a bye before hosting USC on November 14. Minnesota hosts UCLA next Saturday.

Sources: Indiana Athletics game center · Associated Press game recap via CBS Sports.

Miami escaped Chapel Hill after North Carolina pushed the top-ranked Hurricanes deep into the fourth quarter. The Tar Heels traded blows rather than conceding to the favorite, and a late Miami scoring drive made the difference in a game far tighter than the rankings suggested.

North Carolina quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. repeatedly found answers through the air, while Miami had to respond under pressure. A late sack and fumble against UNC underscored how one negative play can overturn a promising comeback.

The Edge takeaway: Ranking and moneyline favoritism do not guarantee comfortable separation. Miami survived, but North Carolina showed how sustained offensive execution can expose the risk in laying a large number.

USC turned Halloween night at the Coliseum into a statement against No. 2 Ohio State. The Trojans jumped ahead early, built their lead in the third quarter and forced the Buckeyes to chase the game. Ohio State entered as a road favorite despite starting freshman quarterback Luke Fahey in place of the injured Julian Sayin.

The contrast was striking: Ohio State accumulated substantial yardage and first downs, but USC translated its opportunities into points and protected its home-field advantage. The Trojans' offense made the decisive difference.

The Edge takeaway: This was the home-underdog scenario we highlighted in our pregame analysis. Experience, situational pressure and scoring efficiency can outweigh raw yardage and a national ranking. USC made its opportunities count.

Game coverage: Miami–UNC play-by-play · Ohio State–USC game center. Final scorelines to be checked against completed official box scores before publication.

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Sources: Associated Press game recap; The Daily Iowan; Hawk Fanatic.