Tag: Iowa Hawkeyes

Great Wisconsin moments from the 2010s: the 2010 Iowa game

Recalling the 2010 Wisconsin-Iowa game

As we look back on Wisconsin Badgers football in the decade which is about to end, we begin our collection of retrospectives with the first year of the decade, 2010. In this season, Wisconsin beat then-No. 1 Ohio State, a game we wrote about earlier this year at Badgers Wire. Because we have already referenced the best game of the 2010 season, let’s look at the second-best moment from that campaign, the 31-30 win in Kinnick Stadium against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Keep in mind a few details about that 2010 Wisconsin season: First, the Badgers were part of a three-team tie in the standings at the end of the regular season. Second, this was the last year before the Big Ten Championship Game, which meant that tiebreaker procedures would determine which team went to the Rose, Sugar, or Capital One (now Citrus) Bowls. Wisconsin got the Granddaddy against TCU. Ohio State got the Sugar against Arkansas. Michigan State got the short end of the stick against Alabama in the Cap One.

Wisconsin needed this win in Iowa City to forge the three-way tie and head to Pasadena. Without this win, the Badgers would have had to deal with an angry Bama team in the Capital One Bowl. (That 2010 season was the only time since Nick Saban’s first season at Alabama in which the Crimson Tide lost three games.)

The other obvious point to make about this win in Iowa City is that Iowa has been noted for busting up great seasons of other Big Ten teams. The Hawkeyes ruined Minnesota’s season in 2019. They kept Ohio State out of the playoff in 2017. They prevented Michigan from winning its first Big Ten division title in 2016. They prevented Penn State from having an unbeaten regular season in 2008. The Kinnick graveyard was waiting to add Wisconsin to its collection.

The Badgers almost died, but scored a gutsy win on a fake punt deep in their own territory. Brad Nortman ran for 17 yards on fourth and four from the Wisconsin 26 in the fourth quarter, sparking the winning drive in a come-from-behind triumph.

Wisconsin players loved Bret Bielema for pulling the trigger on the play, as reported in The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa):

“That was awesome. That was one of the reasons I came here,” Wisconsin linebacker Blake Sorensen said. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s not afraid. That’s a coach you love to play for.”

Bielema, typically, was pretty pleased with himself:

“We had seen that they had gone with two edge pressures and were covering down,” Bielema said. “We made the call once I saw them send out the punt return unit. Great execution, great faith.”

Iowa drove into Wisconsin territory in pursuit of a field goal, getting just inside the Badger 40, but the Hawkeyes used their final timeout and then threw a pass in bounds, short of the sticks. Wisconsin’s sure tackling and Kirk Ferentz’s poor game management caused the final seconds to expire, sealing UW’s huge win.

The decade in Wisconsin football ended with a Rose Bowl bid. It also began with one — not just because of the 2010 win over Ohio State, but the win in Kinnick Stadium as well.

Wisconsin is one part of a sexy Big Ten bowl season

Big Ten bowl thoughts

I’m not going to tell you that the full Big Ten Conference bowl season is great. Michigan State-Wake Forest? ZZZZZZ. Illinois-California? Nap time. Indiana-Tennessee? That’s nice. Penn State, thanks to Wisconsin making the Rose Bowl, gets pushed into the corner to play Memphis, getting the Group of Five assignment Power Five schools hate at bowl season.

However, five of the Big Ten’s nine bowl games are really sexy and very important. The Wisconsin Badgers are just one part of a five-part story. This year, the Big Ten’s better teams all drew high-profile opponents, which lends some snap, crackle and pop to the 2019 bowl season. One could very easily make the argument that in a generally lackluster lineup of 39 bowl games (UCF-Marshall! Appalachian State-UAB! Pittsburgh-Eastern Michigan!), the Big Ten has the best and most interesting matchups, the games a lot of casual sports fans will watch at bowl season.

Oregon. Clemson. Alabama. Auburn. USC. Those five schools have all played for national championships this century. More specifically, they have all played for national titles in the past 15 years. Four of the five (USC being the exception) played for the national title THIS DECADE. Three of those four schools (Oregon being the exception) won a national title this decade.

These are the five opponents for Big Ten teams in the upper-tier bowl games.

Oregon is Wisconsin’s opponent in Pasadena. Clemson faces Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl playoff semifinal. Alabama returns to the Citrus Bowl — where it began this decade against Michigan State — to play the other Michigan school, Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines. Auburn gets P.J. Fleck and Minnesota in the Outback Bowl.

A hilarious aspect of the Outback Bowl:

USC is Iowa’s opponent in the Holiday Bowl. A trip to San Diego and a marquee opponent give Hawkeye fans a good reward for their team’s season. We can power-rank these games later on (you can bet that we will), but for now, simply realize that the five best Big Ten bowl games are all showcase events. None of the matchups are dull. Bama might blow out Michigan, but the matchup isn’t a snoozer. Harbaugh versus Saban demands attention… at least the first one and a half quarters.

The Big Ten isn’t going low-profile this bowl season. This is an attractive, dressed-up, high-end football fashion show to close out the 2010s and ring in the new year… and the new decade.

5 takeaways from the Big Ten-opener for No. 4 Michigan

No. 4 Michigan bounced back from their loss to No. 1 Louisville with an impressive 103-91 victory over Iowa to open Big Ten Conference play.

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Hosting Iowa for their Big Ten season-opener, No. 4 Michigan bounced back nicely from their first loss of the season at No. 1 Louisville by defeating the Hawkeyes by the score of 103-91.

The two teams traded blows early in the game, before the Wolverines ended the half with a 7-0 run to take a 50-38 lead into the locker room. In the second half, Iowa got within 78-71 but Michigan’s offense was too much as they pulled away again, improving to 8-1 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes fall to 6-3 on the season.

Five takeaways from the Wolverines’ victory:

1. BACK TO (SHOOTING) FORM

Michigan had an ugly shooting night against Louisville, finishing at just 26 percent from the floor and 16 percent from three-point range. However, the Wolverines returned to form against Iowa, shooting 32-of-58 from the floor (55 percent) and 10-of-24 from deep (42 percent). It was a welcome sight, and a product of better ball movement and fluidity on offense than Michigan had against the Cardinals.

2. SHARING THE WEALTH

As mentioned above, the Wolverines’ ball movement was noticeably better on Friday night, leading to 21 assists on 32 made shots. As a result, Michigan was able to get several guys going offensively, finishing with an impressive six players scoring in double figures (Franz Wagner, Jon Teske, Zaver Simpson, Isaiah Livers, Eli Brook, Brandon Johns Jr.). The offensive outburst led to the Wolverines scoring their most points in a Big Ten game since 1998, when they scored 112 against Indiana.

3. BATTLE OF THE BIGS

Iowa center Luka Garza, the Big Ten’s leading scorer, had a career-high with 44 points and added 8 rebounds to lead the Hawkeyes. Michigan had no answer defensively for the Iowa big man, and Wolverines center Jon Teske picked up four fouls trying to defend Garza. However, Michigan countered with the combined efforts of Teske (16 points, 5 rebounds), Brandon Johns Jr. (12 points, 8 rebounds) and Austin Davis (8 points, 3 rebounds). The Wolverines will need to tighten up their post defense moving forward, but it was good to see the response from Michigan’s big men on offense.

4. OWNING THE BOARDS

One area that Michigan appeared to struggle in early this season was rebounding, but the Wolverines have seemed to correct that as of late. Michigan held their own on the glass throughout the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament — out-rebounding their opponents by 10 over the course of three games — and that trend continued against the Hawkeyes. The Wolverines won the rebounding battle 38-30 over Iowa. It was a team effort to win on the glass, as five Michigan players finished with five rebounds or more.

5. YOUNG WOLVERINES BREAK OUT

A pair of young Wolverines had their best outings in maize and blue uniforms, as freshman Franz Wagner finished with a career-high 18 points to lead Michigan in scoring. He was aggressive throughout the game and went 9-of-10 from the free throw line. Brandon Johns Jr. also had a career game for the Wolverines, scoring 12 points (career-high) and adding 8 rebounds (tied career high). John Jr.’s minutes off the bench were vital with fellow sophomore Colin Castleton being limited due to a non-serious first half injury, and junior Isaiah Livers struggling with foul trouble.

Making sense of the Big Ten bowl lineup

We will find out what bowls Big Ten teams are going to on Sunday. Let’s look at the potential destinations so we can be prepared for them.

Nine Big Ten teams will find out their bowl destinations on Sunday. Where will they be headed? And who are the likely opponents? Let’s look up and down the lineup and see what we can find. There are a few things that we know, though a ton is still up in the air. What happens this weekend–especially in the College Football Playoff race–will have trickle effects on all of the Big Ten’s biggest bowls.

First, we have to explain the Big Ten’s bowl process. After the Citrus Bowl, every bowl sends its preferred team(s) to the Big Ten. The conference then decide which teams go where, though there are some requirements. For example, most bowls have some sort of deal for “five teams in six years,” while the Pinstripe Bowl says its “goal is to have eight different Big Ten schools participate in eight years, with a minimum of six different” teams playing. As this year is the end of the six-year cycle for most of the bowls in the lineup, this leaves some bowls–most notably the Outback Bowl–in an awkward situation.

The easiest way to make sense of the lineup is to go through, bowl by bowl, what teams will be the likely option. Let’s start at the very top, where the answers are very obvious.

College Football Playoff

Restrictions: None

Likely teams: Ohio State

Barring an incredible collapse on Saturday night, the Ohio State Buckeyes will be going to the College Football Playoff. Either the Peach Bowl or Fiesta Bowl is possible for the Buckeyes, though the Fiesta Bowl seems more likely. There is also a very slight chance that Wisconsin could find its way into the tournament. If the Badgers do make it, that will have shakeups down the bowl lineup, as I will explain.

Rose Bowl Game

Restrictions: None

Likely teams: Wisconsin, Penn State

Potential Opponents: Utah, Oregon

Based on the selection committee’s rankings this week, it seems very likely that Wisconsin will be going to the Rose Bowl. If, however, the Badgers get bumped down below Penn State after losing to Ohio State again, we could see the Nittany Lions in the Rose Bowl.

Remember, though, the Rose Bowl gets to select its Big Ten team. It will very likely follow the selection committee’s rankings, but it is not bound by them. So if Wisconsin loses badly but doesn’t drop in the rankings, it could still be passed over by the Rose Bowl. The Rose Bowl could even select Minnesota after the Gophers had their best season in over 50 years, though that no longer seems likely now that Minnesota is the Big Ten’s sixth-highest ranked team.

The opponent in this game will be either Utah or Oregon. If Utah wins the Pac 12 Championship Game but does not make it to the Playoff, then Utah will be the opponent. If Utah reaches the CFP or Utah loses the Pac 12 Championship Game, then Oregon will be the opponent.

Next… Other NY6 Bowls and New Years’ Day Bowls

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Iowa kicker drills 48-yard game-winner, wags finger at Nebraska bench

This kicker is savage.

With bowl eligibility on the line, Nebraska erased a 14-point deficit at home against No. 17 Iowa on Friday, but a field goal in the final seconds by Iowa’s Keith Duncan dashed the Cornhuskers’ postseason hopes. Duncan, who hit a 49-yarder earlier in the game, drilled a 48-yard game-winner with just one second remaining on the clock – after being iced by Nebraska coach Scott Frost – to seal the Hawkeyes’ ninth win of the season.

In a savage move, Duncan celebrated his kick by wagging his finger at the Nebraska bench, Dikembe Mutombo style, and then blowing his opponents a kiss.

According the Des Moines Register’s Chad Leistikow, Duncan was informed that he will become a scholarship athlete after the game.

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Iowa at Nebraska odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Iowa Hawkeyes at Nebraska Cornhuskers sports betting odds and lines, with college football betting picks and best bets.

The Iowa Hawkeyes (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten West) do battle with the Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-6, 3-5) Friday at 2:30 p.m. ET in Lincoln, Neb. We analyze the Iowa-Nebraska odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Iowa at Nebraska: Three things you need to know

1. The Cornhuskers need a victory or they’re going to be home for the holidays rather than bowling.

2. Iowa ranks 13th in total yards allowed (306.5), and it’s 19th in the nation against the pass (191.3), 22nd in rushing yards allowed (115.2) and fifth in points allowed (12.2 PPG).

3. After starting out 2-5 against the spread, Iowa has posted a 3-1 ATS mark across the past four. The Under is 8-1-1 across the past 10 after an Over result in the opener vs. Miami (Ohio).

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Iowa at Nebraska: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 3:15 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Iowa 26, Nebraska 18

Moneyline (ML)

Iowa (-228) should be able to pull off its ninth victory of the season while securing a spot in an upper-tier bowl game. Nebraska (+185) handled a defensively-challenged Maryland side last week to give itself a chance at a bowl trip, but Iowa is a great defensive club which will give the ‘Huskers fits. Nebraska has just one victory against winning teams this season, and it’s 0-5 ATS in such situations.

New to sports betting? Every $1 wagered for Iowa to win outright will return a profit of $4.40.

Against the Spread (ATS)

IOWA (-5.5, -115) is a near-elite side, especially defensively, and Nebraska (+5.5, -106) won’t roll over the Hawkeyes like they did last weekend against the Terrapins. Iowa’s offense isn’t terrible, either, as QB Nate Stanley can make the throws to be a difference-maker.

Over/Under (O/U)

PASS. The projection of 44.5 is a strong total, and Iowa’s defense has me leaning to the Under. However, the over is 9-3 in Iowa’s past 12 road games, and 14-6-1 in Nebraska’s past 21 Big Ten affairs. The Over is also 5-1 in the past six meetings in this series.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Big Ten Football Week 14 Rooting Interests

With one week left in the college football season, bowl pictures are beginning to shape up. Here is what every Big Ten team should root fo.

We have already looked at what Ohio State should root for this week. As the Buckeyes have gone undefeated until now and the Playoff picture is clearer, Ohio State’s interests are becoming simpler. There is plenty for the rest of the Big Ten to root for, though, especially as the bowl picture becomes clearer. There isn’t much for the lower Big Ten teams to root for, so I’m only going to deal with those teams that are (potentially) bowl-eligible. I will go more or less in reverse order of the current Big Ten standings, but Indiana is by far the most interesting, so I’ll deal with them before Illinois.

Michigan State Spartans

This is simple for the Spartans. Win this week and go bowling. Depending on what fans want in a bowl game, other rooting interests can be different. Do you want to face another 6-6 P5 team? Root for North Carolina and Boston College to win this week. (And I guess for Clemson to lose to South Carolina to potentially free up another ACC bowl spot.) If you’d rather see Michigan State play a more winnable game against a replacement team, then root against North Carolina and Boston College instead.

Indiana Hoosiers

The last time Indiana was in anything approximating a major bowl game was the 1990 Peach Bowl. Well, due to a weird confluence of circumstances, the Hoosiers are looking at an Outback Bowl bid this year. How and why could the Big Ten’s seventh-best team end up in a New Years’ Day (and the conference’s third/fourth-best) bowl game? Let’s break it down.

The Big Ten’s current six-year bowl contract states that each bowl must have at least five different teams over the six year. The only Big Ten bowl partner that has to worry about meeting this criteria is the Outback Bowl. The Outback Bowl took Iowa both last year and after the 2016 season, and therefore has only had four Big Ten teams in the last five year. The other three teams were Wisconsin, Michigan, and Northwestern. Northwestern won’t be in any bowl game this year, obviously. However, this means that Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa cannot be selected for this year’s Outback Bowl.

So, what other teams would be selected in front of Indiana? The other top-level options are Ohio State, Penn State, and Minnesota. It seems nearly impossible for Ohio State to not make an NY6 Bowl. So all Indiana needs is for Penn State and Minnesota to be selected for NY6 bowls or the Citrus Bowl, and Indiana is the only real choice left for the Outback Bowl.

What should Indiana fans look for to get this outcome?

First of all, Ohio State should beat Michigan to keep the Wolverines out of the NY6 and Citrus Bowl pool. Then Minnesota should beat Wisconsin. If those two happen, Indiana is a near-lock for the Outback Bowl. The Ohio State-Minnesota winner will make the Playoff and the loser heads to the Rose Bowl; Penn State will either be in the Orange Bowl or Citrus Bowl. And even if Big Ten bowls slide up a slot or two (say, if both Ohio State and Minnesota make the Playoff and/or if Penn State gets the Cotton Bowl), Indiana will still get the Outback Bowl. Michigan and/or Wisconsin would move up into the next NY6 bowl or Citrus Bowl, which still leaves Indiana as the best option for the Outback Bowl.

In fact, even if Indiana loses to Purdue, the Hoosiers are possibly headed to the Outback Bowl. Illinois would be competition for the spot, though, so Northwestern taking out Illinois would be important. Of course, there is a chance the Outback Bowl would request a 6-6 Michigan State team (or Nebraska) over Indiana, so Indiana should just take care of business and beat Purdue.

If, however, Wisconsin beats Minnesota or Michigan beats Ohio State, then things get complicated. As long as Penn State or Minnesota doesn’t get pushed out of the NY6 and Citrus Bowls, Indiana will get the Outback. If, however, one of those two falls far enough, that team will almost certainly get priority for the Outback Bowl over Indiana.

Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois is very likely locked into the Pinstripe Bowl (very slight change at the Redbox Bowl). While the Big Ten bowl pool doesn’t officially have any real hierarchy, in reality those are the two lowest. And it makes sense–those will also have the weaker opponents, which will provide better games. The Pinstripe Bowl will have a middle-of-the-pack ACC team, while the Redbox Bowl will feature a middle-of-the-pack Pac 12 team. Either should be a good opponent for this Illinois team.

If Illinois fans want a more prestigious bowl, though, just look at everything in the last section about Indiana. Root for all of that, plus an Indiana loss to Purdue. If that happens, 7-5 Illinois might just be the Outback Bowl’s (and the Big Ten’s) preferred choice.

Next… Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan

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Illinois-Iowa odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Illinois at Iowas college football matchup, with college football betting odds, picks and best bets

The Illinois Fighting Illini (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten West) and Iowa Hawkeyes (7-3, 4-3 West) lock horns at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City at noon ET on Saturday.

We analyze the Illinois-Iowa odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Illinois at Iowa: Three things you need to know

1. Illinois has won four in a row, moving to 6-4 to secure bowl eligibility for the first time since 2014 when they appeared in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

2. The Illini have won six games despite the fact they rank 112th in the FBS in total yards (333.7) and 108th in passing yards (183.4).

3. Iowa QB Nate Stanley has passed for 2,331 yards, 14 passing touchdowns and five interceptions with just one rushing score.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Illinois at Iowa: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 1:15 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Iowa 21, Illinois 18

Moneyline (ML)

Iowa (-834) is favored by more than two touchdowns, and the Hawkeyes should be able to get it done at home. However, the Illini have surprised and defied the odds, winning in this spot before. I expect the Hawkeyes to win, but it will be a one-possession game.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Iowa to win would return a profit of $1.20.

Against the Spread (ATS)

ILLINOIS (+14.5, -106) continues to get no respect from Vegas. Despite their winning ways lately, the Illini have been a double-digit underdog in six of their past seven outings, winning three games outright while going 5-1 ATS. Illinois is 5-0 ATS in the past five games overall, too, so why bet against the Illini now?

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER (46.5, -110) is the dominant trend for both sides lately. The under is 4-1 in the past five on the road for Illinois, while going 4-0-1 in Iowa’s past five at Kinnick. The under is also 6-1 in Iowa’s past seven league games and 5-1 in the past six against teams with a winning overall mark.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Watch Iowa’s game-winning interception to end Minnesota’s unbeaten streak

Minnesota’s path to the playoff just got a lot harder

The Iowa Hawkeyes probably just ended Minnesota’s Cinderella season with a game-sealing interception.

The Golden Gophers were on the cusp of history and a potential College Football Playoff berth coming into Saturday’s game against Iowa. They were 9-0 for the first time since 1904 and were being talked about as one of the best college football teams in the land.

Winning in Iowa is tough, though. They found out the hard way.

They were down  23-19 with just under a minute left on 4th & 21 and senior quarterback Tanner Morgan just got hurt. The final drive was left up to Freshman Cole Kramer. This final play was the result.

Iowa just gets up for these matchups, apparently.

Minnesota will have a chance to prove themselves again in a couple weeks against Wisconsin and, if the standings hold as they are, they could play Ohio State in the Big Ten championship. Things aren’t all the way over — the path is just a bit more difficult.

The feel good story is gone but hold on to hope, Minnesota fans. There are still games left to be played.

Wisconsin fixed problems against Iowa, but will that beat Minnesota?

Considering the Wisconsin Badgers’ situation relative to the Minnesota Golden Gophers after UW’s win over the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Had the Minnesota Golden Gophers not beaten Penn State and made themselves an even bigger target for the Wisconsin Badgers, we wouldn’t be devoting quite as much time or energy to the task of beating the Gophers on Nov. 30. Yet, one can’t work with events as one wishes they would be. One must deal with events as they actually are. It’s called living in the real world.

Minnesota has made itself more of a problem for Wisconsin. It’s not what UW fans wanted, but it is the reality the Badgers must confront. That will be a very hard game to win. Therefore, it is worth spending some of these November days focusing not just on Nebraska and then Purdue, but on P.J. Fleck and his folks. How will the Badgers go into Minneapolis and come away with Paul Bunyan’s Axe?

Based on Wisconsin’s win over the Iowa Hawkeyes this past Saturday, a number of interesting questions and attached tension points have emerged. The question I will explore in this particular piece is as follows: Can Wisconsin win this game simply by eradicating mistakes, or will the Badgers need to push themselves far beyond their limits?

Yes, the best answer is “both,” but let’s be clear before we continue with this brief piece: Against Ohio State (or, to use a non-Big Ten example, LSU or Clemson), it is obvious that Wisconsin and other second-tier teams in the United States have to play way over their heads and make “value-added” plays to have a real chance to win. Is Minnesota that kind of opponent? I am inclined to say “no,” but my opinion doesn’t matter that much. A reasonable middle ground on this question is that while Minnesota certainly isn’t in Ohio State’s league, the Gophers made Penn State look bad for much of this past Saturday’s game and — had they not fumbled when leading by two scores in the third quarter — could have blown the doors off the Nittany Lions.

Minnesota went from being “a team which beats up on the bottom of the Big Ten” to “a team that is for real” against Penn State. Do we know yet if the Gophers are not merely “for real” and “a team to be taken seriously,” but genuinely ELITE? I don’t think so.

The tricky part for Wisconsin: The Badgers can’t use that lack of knowledge to assume they can win merely by avoiding mistakes against the Gophers. This leads us into the heart of this piece, and one of the most fascinating tension points of the game on Nov. 30 in TCF Bank Stadium:

The Badgers’ offense improved when the dumb penalties ceased. Wisconsin’s offense got out of its own way. Its running game flourished when the Badgers weren’t behind schedule. Two plus two equals four.

However, after the offense got out of its own way, the defense allowed a 75-yard touchdown and endured another one of its fourth-quarter swoons, the previous one being against Illinois. We wrote about the problems in the secondary which have allowed that alarming detail to remain part of this team’s identity in the second half of the season.

Imagine, then, if both the offense and the defense spend a full game not making huge mistakes, with the level of performance we saw from Jack Coan (tolerable, but not spectacular). Is that going to be enough against the Gophers? It’s an interesting query. One could go back and forth on that topic.

The strength of the argument rests with the offensive line. If there aren’t any false-start penalties and Jonathan Taylor gets four or more yards per carry, the Badgers could pound Minnesota’s defensive front and turn this game into the trench warfare battle they want. A game based on the elimination of mistakes could be all Wisconsin needs.

The weakness of this argument is based on the awareness of how much speed Minnesota has, not only in relationship to Iowa but to a Wisconsin team which was outflanked at times by Illinois. Keep in mind that if Jack Coan throws the ball against Minnesota the way he did against Iowa, the Gophers’ closing speed in the secondary might turn Wisconsin catches into incompletions on successful pass breakups. Eliminating bad mistakes from the ledger sheet will put Wisconsin in position to win, but that might not be enough to put UW over the top.

Yes, Wisconsin’s offense fixed its problems versus Iowa, and the team in general took a clear step forward from the previous two games. Yet, will that be enough to beat Minnesota? You don’t have to answer that question right away… and that’s part of the point. Wisconsin will have to wrestle with that question over the next few weeks. This is the reality facing the Badgers, now that the Gophers have made themselves such an obstacle, at least in 2019.