Five things to watch for in Wisconsin football’s opener

Five things to watch for as the season begins

Wisconsin football is finally here! As head coach Paul Chryst once said, “there’s 12 games on the schedule,” and one of those 12 takes place tonight at Camp Randall Stadium. 

The Badgers will be featuring a defense with limitless potential and a number of new faces. On offense, attention will be on how third-year starter Graham Mertz looks under center while the running back room helps to lead the way.

Against an FCS opponent such as Illinois State, what can Badger fans look to take away? While the outcome likely won’t be in question late into the Madison night, there are a number of key areas Wisconsin can show improvement in. Here are five things to watch for in the Badgers opener: