No. 5 Wisconsin (11-0 overall, 8-0 B1G) at Minnesota (5-6 overall, 2-6 B1G)
When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m. CT – Minneapolis, Minn.
Stadium: TCF Bank Stadium (50,805)
TV/Radio: ABC, KFAN 100.3 FM
Coach: Paul Chryst (3rd season)
Spread: Wisconsin -17, o/u: 43
INSIDE THE GAME
Badgers at a Glance
Saturday’s game marks the 127th matchup between the bitter border rivals. The longest-played series in the FBS is currently tied 59-59-8. Unfortunately, the Badgers winning streak currently sits at 13.
Freshman running back Jonathan Taylor is special. The standout from New Jersey has 1,657 yards on 238 carries (7.0 ypc) and 12 touchdowns. Taylor needs just 269 yards rushing to surpass Adrian Peterson’s FBS freshman record of 1,925 yards set in 2004 at Oklahoma.
The Badgers have scored 50 touchdowns this season. Their opponents? Just 15.
Minnesota has not treated the ball like the program during the last 13 Badger victories. Wisconsin has piled up 30 takeaways and never lost the turnover battle during that streak. On the bright side, Badgers’ QB Alex Hornibrook has thrown at least one interception in eight straight games.
Wisconsin boasts the No. 2 defense in the country. The rush defense is holding opposing teams to under 80 yards per game and just 2.7 yards per carry.
Coach Speak
“Well, they were very talented last year just like they are this year. The quarterback is back again and they’ve got–I mean, they’ve got one of the best running backs in the country and he’s only a freshman. Their offensive line is just, they’re big, they’re strong, they move people at will, and that’s what happened to us when I was at Western Michigan. I mean, there were gaping holes and not because we weren’t playing hard, we were just getting moved out of those holes very easily, and they do that to–they’ve done that to everybody in our league.”– P.J. Fleck on Wisconsin
STORYLINE CENTRAL
The staff at the Wisconsin State Journal takes an in-depth look at all Saturday’s matchups. The final score pick is a 31-10 Badger victory.
The Gophers are huge underdogs on Saturday, but Andy Greder of the Pioneer Press asks the question every Minnesota fans thinks: what if we actually win?
A big key for the Badgers this season has been dominating the second half. Wisconsin has outscored their opponents 212-58 in the final two quarters this season. Dave Campbell of the AP looks at how the Badgers have found success late in games.
WHO WINS?
The Gophers Win If…
Their young receivers can step up in a big game. Minnesota’s passing offense was dismal last week in the absence of Tyler Johnson. The Gophers managed just 43 passing yards against Northwestern. Minnesota will need to connect in the air because it’ll be tough churning yards on the ground against the nation’s top rushing defense. The Gophers will need their inexperienced receivers to step up and hold on to catchable balls if they want to pull the huge upset.
“They don’t want to drop it,” said Fleck of his young receivers. “They don’t want to put the ball on the ground. They understand the ball’s a program. But they also have to get themselves better to a level where they can master catching, right, and, you know, that’s one thing we got to get better at, and we have way too many drops right now but I’ve been through that before.”
The Badgers Win If…
They do what Wisconsin football does best: run the ball. It’s never very complicated when playing Wisconsin. They’re going to have a big, effective offensive line, and a workhorse running back that piles up carries and yards. The Badgers are second in the conference at 239 rushing yards per game, and boast one of the top running backs in the country in true freshman Jonathan Taylor.