Though the pivotal game in deciding the Big Ten's West Division champion could come Oct. 30 when Iowa visits Wisconsin, both the Hawkeyes and Badgers have intriguing tests against East Division opponents this weekend that might have lasting impacts come November.
On Friday (7 p.m., FS1), fifth-ranked Iowa visits Maryland in a matchup of teams with 4-0 overall records and 1-0 marks in the Big Ten. A day later, Wisconsin (1-2, 0-1) is host to Michigan (4-0, 1-0) in an 11 a.m. game on Fox.
For the Hawkeyes, beating the Terrapins in College Park is the first leg of a challenging two-game stretch that includes a visit from No. 4 Penn State next week. For the Badgers, the game against the Wolverines offers a chance to claw their way back.
In a seldom-played series, Iowa is making only its second trip to Maryland, having lost 38-31 to the Terps in 2014. Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz sees a challenge in preparing for an unfamiliar venue — dubbed "The Shell'' by Maryland coach Mike Locksley.
"They're not new to the Big Ten, per se, but they're new to us because we've only been there once,'' Ferentz said. "It's different. It really is different.''
Also different at Maryland: a team with a winning record. In their eighth season in the Big Ten, the Terps have had only one season above .500, 7-6 in 2014. Locksley, however, is producing results in his third year in charge after serving as Alabama's offensive coordinator. Maryland ranks second in the Big Ten in total offense (519.3 yards per game), third in scoring offense (37.3 points per game) and first in passing offense (353.3).
Leading that offense is junior quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, who averages 335 passing yards and has 10 touchdown passes with one interception. His top target is Dontay Demus Jr., who leads the conference with 446 yards on 24 catches.
