The BadgersWire staff is coming together to give you our week one score predictions. Will Wisconsin cover a massive spread of -20? Will Illinois find a way to repeat last year’s shocker? Here’s how we think Friday goes:
Wade: This season opener will be a game to clear up many unknowns, most notably at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, punter, and safety for the Badgers. It will be a learning experience for many of the younger players, who will be taking some of their first meaningful extended snaps. Wisconsin should and will beat this Illinois team, but the final score difference will not be as big as Las Vegas projects. Illinois returns a number of starters and key contributors from a year ago, which leads me to believe that this game will be a close match up.
Wisconsin wins 28-24
Ben: The Badgers are the far superior team in this contest and will enter with vengeance after last season’s defeat in Champaign, Illinois. They will take care of the football, shut down the Illini in the running game and limit big plays on defense–all things they did not do last year. Graham Mertz won’t “go off” as many are hoping, but he will do enough to keep the offense on the field and move the chains when needed. Jake Ferguson goes for 80+ yards and a touchdown, the defense dominates and the Badgers open their season 1-0.
Wisconsin wins 24-13
Asher: It will start on defense for Jim Leonhard and the Badgers. Wisconsin shuts down an unproven Illinois running game, and second-year starting QB Brandon Peters finishes with a mixed bag of big throws and crippling mistakes. Offensively, Wisconsin takes care of the football better than they did last year in Champaign, and TE Jake Ferguson takes advantage of Lovie Smith’s Tampa-2 scheme over the middle. Expect some early nerves for Graham Mertz, but also expect him to do enough to put this one out of reach in the second half.
Wisconsin wins 31-17