Tag: wisconsin northwestern

Why Wisconsin wins, or why Wisconsin loses tomorrow at Northwestern

The 2-0 and No. 10-ranked Wisconsin Badgers will take the field for the third time this season tomorrow against the 4-0 and No. 19-ranked…

The 2-0 and No. 10-ranked Wisconsin Badgers will take the field for the third time this season tomorrow against the 4-0 and No. 19-ranked Northwestern Wildcats.

Wisconsin vs. Northwestern matchups always seem to be close ones, but I don’t think anybody predicted that this year’s contest would be between two undefeated teams and would in essence decide who wins the Big Ten West.

Related: Here’s who could return to action for the Badgers this weekend

This week I’ve gone through five keys to a Wisconsin victory, previewed the 2020 Northwestern team, gave five players to watch in the contest and looked at what the Wildcats were saying about Wisconsin football.

Here, now, is why Wisconsin wins tomorrow at Northwestern and why Wisconsin loses:

What Northwestern is saying about Wisconsin football this week

The 2-0 and No. 10-ranked Wisconsin Badgers are not off to the start this season that many expected. No, not because of their record…

The 2-0 and No. 10-ranked Wisconsin Badgers are not off to the start that many expected. No, not because of their record, but because the team has only been able to play two games through the first four weeks of the season.

If you didn’t already know, the Big Ten requires teams to play at least six games in order to qualify for the Big Ten Championship game. That means, that the Badgers will need to play all of their remaining four games without any interruption if they want a shot at winning their first Big Ten title since 2012.

The COVID-19 outbreak within the program and the two canceled games aside, when the Badgers have been on the field this season they’ve been nothing short of dominant–outscoring Illinois and Michigan by a combined 76 points.

Both Illinois and Michigan, though, have played poorly this season and didn’t give Paul Chryst’s team a real test, one which they have on Saturday against the 4-0 and No. 19-ranked Northwestern Wildcats.

Related: Four players are set to return to the field for the Badgers this weekend

On Monday, Northwestern Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald met with the media and discussed both the team’s win against Purdue and their upcoming contest against Wisconsin.

First, Fitzgerald raved about the defensive depth that his team has and talked about what made Saturday’s contest against Purdue a successful one. He also said that his team hasn’t played a complete game thus far this season, noting that they are still yet to put together a complete defensive, offensive and special teams performance.

Related: Five players to watch: Wisconsin football at Northwestern

The focus then shifted to Wisconsin, and Fitzgerald had great things to say about the Badgers and where they are as a team, saying they play “a physical, unselfish and complementary style of football” and are a “very complete team.”

On the Badger offense specifically, the Northwestern head coach had a lot of good things to say:

“We’ve got our hands full…to their players’ credit, in both games they executed almost to perfection. It was really fun football to watch. They’re Wisconsin, they’re gonna have good balance and they’re gonna punish you up front.”

After Fitzgerald’s media availability on Monday, Northwestern assistant coaches and players followed up on Wednesday with similar sentiments.

Offensive lineman Gunnar Vogel on Wisconsin’s blitzing:

“At the end of the day it comes down to our footwork and our eyes in pass protection and communicating to each other to pass stuff off. It definitely is a lot. It’s a very different from what we faced last week, but we’re used to playing these guys and we know what to expect as far as the type of defense we’re going to play. It’ll be different, but if we’re all communicating and on the same page I think we’re going to have success at blocking these guys.”

Defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore on the Badgers’ offensive line and stopping the run:

“They’re definitely bigger guys, so we understand that it’s going to be a physical game. We just gotta make sure we use the correct techniques that we work on each and every day and we’ll be alright.”

“No matter what, we’re going to have to do our jobs and focus on our keys. That’s really been the focus. It doesn’t really change much for us we just gotta make sure we’re doing our part and doing our jobs.”

Finally, Defensive Back Coach Matt MacPherson spoke about tight end Jake Ferguson, noting that “he runs good routes, is able to separate and can catch the contested ball. He’s tough to defend because he is such a big body. Because he has the big frame but runs good routes and able to separate, that’s always going to be a problem.”

The Badgers will take the field in Evanston, Illinois at 2:30 CST against the Big Ten West-leading Wildcats in a game that will likely decide who goes to the Big Ten Championship game.

Stay tuned to BadgersWire as we preview the contest and continue to follow the Badgers’ rest-of-season outlook.

Related:

5 players to watch: Wisconsin football at Northwestern

The No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers have been nothing short of excellent so far this season, outscoring Illinois and Michigan by a combined…

The No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers have been nothing short of excellent so far this season, outscoring Illinois and Michigan by a combined 76 points.

They’ve only played two games, though, after they had two contests canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the program. We can look back at the Illinois and Michigan wins all we want, but it’s fair to say that neither has been a good football team this season, or at least not nearly as good as the Badgers’ upcoming opponent–the 4-0 and No. 19-ranked Northwestern Wildcats.

This week we’ve already previewed the 2020 Northwestern team and gave five keys to a Wisconsin victory.

Here, now, are five players to watch when the two teams take the field on Saturday:

Related:

Five keys to a Wisconsin victory over Northwestern on Saturday

The 2-0 and No. 10-ranked Wisconsin Badgers are set to go into battle on Saturday against the 4-0 and No. 19-ranked Northwestern Wildcats…

The 2-0 and No. 10-ranked Wisconsin Badgers are set to go into battle on Saturday against the 4-0 and No. 19-ranked Northwestern Wildcats in a game that will most likely end up deciding the Big Ten West division.

Northwestern has completely turned things around from their 3-9 2019 campaign and currently sit atop the West division after wins against Maryland, Iowa, Nebraska and Purdue. They haven’t exactly beaten the Ohio States of the world, but this is a much-improved football team that is playing well on both sides of the football.

Related: Everything you need to know about the 2020 Northwestern Wildcats

The Badgers, on the other hand, enter the contest after a 49-11 drumming of the Michigan Wolverines last Saturday. We know about the two-week layoff that led up to that contest due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the program, but what Paul Chryst’s team did on Saturday answered a lot of questions about how good his team really is.

It seems like every year when these two teams meet their records go out the window, as no matter how good either team is the contest turns into a slugfest and seems to always be closely-contested.

The Badgers will need to many things right if they want to come away with a victory and move into first place in the West division.

Here are five keys to a Wisconsin victory over Northwestern on Saturday:

Related:

Everything you need to know about the 2020 Northwestern Wildcats

Entering the season I don’t think anybody predicted the November 21 contest between the Northwestern Wildcats and Wisconsin Badgers…

Entering the season I don’t think anybody predicted the November 21 contest between the Northwestern Wildcats and Wisconsin Badgers to be, in essence, a game for the Big Ten West crown.

That’s where we are now, with the No. 10 Badgers sitting at 2-0 on the season and the No. 19 Wildcats undefeated as well at 4-0.

If Wisconsin was to lose this game, it would pretty much put the division out of reach, as Northwestern would own the tiebreaker and have one less loss entering the final three games of the regular season. And if we know anything about the history between these two schools, the game has a chance to be a really close one.

Related: Former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer ‘likes everything about Wisconsin’

Paul Chryst and his team showed a lot in Saturday’s 49-11 win over Michigan, proving that the Illinois performance wasn’t an outlier and showing that even after two weeks off and with players out, they still have what it takes to push teams around on the field.

Northwestern will be a different test, though, as they’re much improved from their 3-9 2019 campaign and seem to always play the Badgers close.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2020 Northwestern Wildcats:

Related:

Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz is ‘pumped’ to see Jack Coan get back to healthy

What Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh said after the game

Wisconsin offers a four-star 2022 wide receiver with blazing speed

Wisconsin vs Northwestern Prediction, Game Preview

Wisconsin Badgers vs Northwestern Wildcats prediction and game preview.

Wisconsin vs Northwestern prediction and game preview.

Wisconsin vs Northwestern Broadcast

Date: Saturday, November 21
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Ryan Field, Evanston, IL
Network: ABC

[jwplayer wI9gRkfD]

– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Wisconsin (2-0) vs Northwestern (4-0) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on the NFL, go to BetMGM

Why Wisconsin Will Win

It’s only a two-game sample size, but Wisconsin has been totally dominant.

It was like this way early last year, too – and the the Illinois loss happened – but Wisconsin is being Wisconsin. It owns third downs, it’s No. 1 in the nation in fewest penalties per game, it’s No. 1 in run defense, No. 1 in scoring defense, and in the most Wisconsin way of all, it’s No. 1 in time of possession by a mile.

41:51. Again, it’s only a two-game run so far, but the Badgers are holding the ball for close to 42 minutes per game. Considering Northwestern lives on handling the tempo and making games go its way, Wisconsin’s ability to keep things moving is a problem.

More than that, Northwestern is about to have a rough time on the ground – the Badgers have allowed just two decent runs, giving up 178 yards in the first two games. The defense is swarming, but …

Why Northwestern Will Win

The Northwestern lines have been fantastic.

The run defense is a killer – only Nebraska got past 77 yards among the four games on the Wildcat schedule – and the offensive front has given the program a real, live offense again coming off a disastrous 2019.

Yes, Wisconsin controls the clock with gut-punch drives that grind out games, but that suits Northwestern just fine. The Cats have no problems on third downs on either side of the ball, they’re fine with the midrange passes without taking a whole slew of chances and playing the long game.

This team is a master of hanging around, hanging around, hanging around … and then pouncing when it gets the chance. No one knows that better than Wisconsin, especially in Evanston.

What’s Going To Happen

This was supposed to be played in Wrigley Field, but as is, the – most likely – game for the Big Ten West title will be just fine at Ryan Field.

Last year’s Northwestern team was a hot mess, and yet it gave Wisconsin a bigger fight than anyone did in the first six games. And why? Two takeaways.

In 2018, Jack Coan filled in for an injured Alex Hornibrook, wasn’t able to throw, Jonathan Taylor dropped the ball, and Northwestern came up with three takeaways in the win.

In 2017, Northwestern lost, but forced three turnovers. Famously, a fantastic Badger team turned it over five times in a loss to the Cats after giving it away four times in 2014 – both Northwestern wins.

Over the last seven years, Northwestern has forced 20 takeaways – Pat Fitzgerald has found a way to make the team that never screws up to always screw up.

The Badgers will pull this off, but it’s going to be a very tough, very nasty fight against a Northwestern team that’s the absolute real deal. Wisconsin’s defense will have to hold on for dear life on two late Wildcat drives with a shot at the win.

– CFN Experts Picks, Predictions: Week 12

Wisconsin vs Northwestern Prediction, Line

Wisconsin 26, Northwestern 20
Bet on Wisconsin vs Northwestern with BetMGM
Wisconsin -7.5, o/u: 44
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5

Must See Rating: 4.5

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Former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer ‘likes everything about Wisconsin’

One of the biggest storylines from the Wisconsin Badgers’ blowout victory against the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday was Michigan HC…

One of the biggest storylines from the Wisconsin Badgers’ blowout victory against the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday was Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh‘s performance and the state of the Michigan football program.

While ESPN and other mainstream outlets had a lot to say about Harbaugh’s future, there were still a few conversations about the Wisconsin side of the game and how great the Badgers have played this season.

Related: What Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh said after the game

One of the most notable analysts to rave about the 2020 Wisconsin Badgers and the program as a whole was former Ohio State HC Urban Meyer.

“I like everything about Wisconsin, I always have,” Meyer said. “I go back to Barry Alvarez, [Brett] Bielema, Gary Anderson and then Chryst…It starts with the boss and that’s coach Alvarez. I love what they do fundamentally, offensively and defensively.”

The three-time National Championship-winning coach continued to cite why Wisconsin is so effective on offense, saying “Wisconsin doesn’t run plays, they run concepts. I think they’re as well-coached as anybody.” He then got into specifics by explaining how the jet sweep actions come off an entire offensive set that sets up those plays.

Related: Studs and duds from the Badgers’ onslaught of the Michigan Wolverines

Meyer finished his comments by giving high praise to redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz and the Badger football program as a whole.

“I think Graham Mertz is going to be a star in the Big Ten,” Meyer said. “But I’ve always been a huge fan of Wisconsin. And to come back after two weeks, all the COVID-19 issues they’ve dealt with. I think they’re one of the best programs in college football.”

This is all high praise coming from anybody who covers the sport, let alone one of the most successful college football coaches of all time. And given the way things are trending on the field and on the recruiting trail, it seems like the best is still to come from Chryst and the Badger football program.

Here is the full interview clip:

 

Gameday work:

Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz is ‘pumped’ to see Jack Coan get back to healthy

One of the forgotten storylines of the 2020 Wisconsin Badgers is the foot injury to senior quarterback Jack Coan back in early October…

One of the forgotten storylines of the 2020 Wisconsin Badgers is the foot injury to senior quarterback Jack Coan back in early October.

His story was caught up in the team’s 45-7 victory against Illinois, the COVID-19 outbreak within the program, the three weeks in between games and their 49-11 onslaught of the Michigan Wolverines. However, Coan was in line to be the starter this season and not much has been said about when he will return to the field.

In good news for Coan’s injury and his possible path to returning, the senior quarterback was out on the field before the game this weekend throwing passes and moving around without a boot on his foot.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz — a player who has a completion percentage of 74.4, 375 yards, 7 touchdowns and 0 interceptions through his first two starts — talked yesterday about Coan’s status and his mindset in his recovery.

“I see him in there working every day in the training room,” Mertz said. “He’s pushing himself and I’m happy to see him recovering…His edge of working back to get healthy has been great.”

Related: Wisconsin’s bowl history over the past 20 years

Mertz continued to cite the senior’s work ethic during his rehab, while also noting his hard work hasn’t just appeared after his injury.

“He’s always had the same work ethic,” Mertz said. “It’s not ‘Oh, I got injured now I have to work.’ He’s always had that work ethic and I think our group as a whole has always had that work ethic.”

The redshirt freshman finished by saying he is “pumped to see him getting back to healthy.”

Related: Studs and duds from the Badgers’ onslaught of the Michigan Wolverines

Here is the full clip of the interview:

Mertz and the Badgers will be back in action on Saturday in Evanston, Illinois, against the 4-0 and No. 19-ranked Northwestern Wildcats.

It seems unlikely Coan will have reached 100 percent by then, and, therefore, it is unlikely he will suit up and be available. Whether he starts at quarterback when he returns is yet to be seen, though there are definitely promising signs surrounding his return and the team is happy to be getting him back.

 

Gameday work: