As I said back in July, this could be the year that the Big Ten West finally beats the East. During that same radio segment I said the Wisconsin Badgers are the team to beat, and that Michigan is extremely overrated.You saw what happened this past Saturday, in the way that Bucky absolutely man-handled Michigan.
UW now has a 145-14 scoring differential on the 2019 season. Of course, Ohio State has looked every bit the part a powerhouse juggernaut that Wisconsin has, so we’ll just see when the two teams meet later this season. It also looks like the two teams are on a collision course for another meeting in Indianapolis come the first weekend in December; in what might be a de facto national elite 8 game.
That’s for a later place and time though. This weekend brings a renewal of the series that features the two teams that are closest in geography, of any two Big Ten schools.
And recently, the series has been fairly even in many regards.
#8 Wisconsin Badgers vs Northwestern Wildcats FYIs
Saturday, September 28
Spread/total: Wisconsin Badgers -22 1/2, 45 via Circa Sports
11am CT – Northwestern at #8 Wisconsin (Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wis.)
ABC: Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Allison Williams
#8 Wisconsin Badgers (3-0, 1-0) Preview
Wisconsin’s two starting safeties, Eric Burrell and Reggie Pearson, were called for targeting in the third quarter against Michigan, which resulted in two ejections. Therefore, both will be unavailable until the second half in this one.
Wisconsin Badgers coach Paul Chryst addressed the two fouls in his press conference Monday.
“Nobody wants to see injuries,” he said. “If we can make the game so we’re playing smarter, that’s good stuff.”
Quarterback Jack Doan and a talented group of receivers have given the Badgers plenty of offensive balance this year, and more of a passing game than they are traditionally known for.
However, this team is all about Heisman Trophy contender Jonathan Taylor. Last week, he rushed 23 times for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns, topping the 100-yard rushing mark for the 25th time in his 30-game career, becoming the first Wisconsin Badgers player in history to rush for at least 200 yards against Michigan
In the long illustrious history of Badgers backs, only Ron Dayne (33) and Montee Ball (26) have more 100-yard rushing games, and Taylor could have 11 more cracks this year and topping those guys.
Taylor earned his sixth career conference Offensive Player of the Week award and second of the season.
For what it’s worth though, Northwestern did a decent job against him last year, and their run defense should step up a bit for the challenge here.
We had an exclusive with 1990 Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer, and during the conversation we discussed Taylor and his chances of claiming the award.
“He’s got breakaway speed, runs between the tackles- really the total package, perfect for their offense,” said Detmer.
“As they continue to pile up the wins and he piles up the yardage, people I know are watching him, and that victory over Michigan really helps him and solidifies his spot in there as well.”
Northwestern Wildcats (1-2, 0-1) Preview:
First off, offensive coordinator Mick McCall’s job status is solid, so solid it could survive a nuclear war. We need to get that out of the way now. Yes, the statistical production of Northwestern’s offense been on a steady and significant downward slope, season over season, for the past few years.
Right now, it’s at yet another new nadir. Still, McCall isn’t going anywhere.
Out of the 130 teams in the FBS, Northwestern ranks 112th in 1st downs, 121st in total offense (305.3 ypg, the only power 5 conference team worse is Georgia Tech, who are totally implementing a brand new scheme and philosophy) and 128th in scoring (15.7 ppg, only Akron and Rice are worse).
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/1175479327250681857
Oh and in team passing efficiency they are 130th, dead last!
That all said, the “should Mick McCall be replaced” conversation isn’t even worth having, because you know that Fitzgerald simply won’t even consider it. We go down this road every season, and every year nothing happens.
And it’s also worth noting that early season numbers (we’re exactly one quarter through the 2019 campaign now) can be very misleading. After failing to top 24 points in each of their first four games (and scoring 13 or less in two of them) in 2016, the Cats exploded for 38 in week five and then 54 the following week. They would top 40 on two more occasions after that.
However, it’s a shame that this staff is misusing and mismanaging Hunter Johnson’s unique talents and abilities right now. The Clemson transfer and #1 ranked quarterback recruit of the 2017 class has been absolutely dreadful thus far. On the year he’s 33-68 (49%) passing for 308 yards (an abysmal 4.5 YPA), one TD, four interceptions.
Was he overrated by recruiting services? Was Dabo Swinney actually wrong on this one? Nah, it’s less of that, and it’s more the lack of support around him. His numbers are are diminished by drops, an inexperienced receiving corps, bad offensive line play, his coordinator (we just covered that) and the coaching staff holding back his development.
He’s obviously made his share of mistakes too, but to be that poor statistically, three games through, it takes a village, not just one man.
Prediction: Wisconsin Badgers 27, Northwestern Wildcats 6
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link.