The annual Iowa-Wisconsin football game usually goes a long way in deciding who wins the Big Ten West championship. This summer, the border rivals are battling for one of the top prospects in the region.

Chicago Kenwood safety Kahlil Tate officially visited both schools this month. The Hawkeye stop came this past weekend, while the trip to Madison took place during the first weekend of the month.

A decision appears on the horizon.

“I’m going to continue to discuss my feelings about these schools to my family and coaches, and sooner rather than later make a decision,” Tate told HF.

Iowa received the final chance to impress Tate, who unofficially visited the school back in March. The latest stop proved more intimate than the first one.

“I enjoyed the one-on-one meetings and getting to know the players,” he said.

The Hawkeye coaches made him feel wanted.

“I spoke with coach (Seth) Wallace, coach (Phil) Parker and coach (Kirk) Ferentz. They continued to tell me and my family to get all of our questions answered. My relationship is really good with these three coaches. We continue to build it every time we touch base with each other,” Tate said.

The visit confirmed his feelings for the Hawkeyes and added to them.

“Iowa was everything I thought it was. I got to get a real feel for Iowa City, and it was nice,” Tate said.

Tate (6-1, 185) is considering majors in Engineering, Computer Science or Kinesiology. Strong academics are a main reason why Iowa and Wisconsin stand out.

As a junior, Tate registered 63 tackles, five interceptions and two forced fumbles. He also racked up 451 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in earning all-conference honors.

Defensive back John Nestor, a fellow Chicagoan and Iowa verbal commitment in ’23, has been trying to convince Tate to join him with the Hawkeyes. They’ve been working out together in the offseason and officially visited the Hawkeyes at the same time.