2. Despite having two weeks off, will Wisconsin be off its game?
With the two weeks off for Wisconsin, will it hurt them or help them?
Rest can help a team, as bye weeks can give a team a chance to regroup if things are rough or a week to relax if things are going well. With a shortened season, no teams in the Big Ten were scheduled to get a bye week. If a team received a bye week, it’s only because a game was canceled due to COVID-19.
Wisconsin didn’t have just one bye week, but two bye weeks. With them being back to back, that could either be a good thing or a bad thing for the Badgers.
Michigan hasn’t had time off. While a bye week would be a good thing for the Wolverines to have right now, Michigan could have the upper hand on Saturday. With the COVID-19 shutdown, Wisconsin paused all team activities, which means no practices or workouts on campus, and players were told to stay fit with exercises in their rooms.
While Wisconsin could open those doors soon, it will have a lot to catch up with. Two weeks of no team activities are different than two normal bye weeks. Players still practice on bye weeks. They still meet. But now with COVID-19, they can’t do a majority of that. Wisconsin will have to show those two weeks didn’t affect it, and despite the 1-2 record, Michigan could come in more prepared for this game. That could be a difference-maker if the game is played.