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Michigan Football: Getting to Know 8th-Ranked Wisconsin

By Chris Peterson

Sep 24, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst after they were penalized for unsportmanslike conduct during the fourth quarter of their game against Michigan State at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst after they were penalized for unsportmanslike conduct during the fourth quarter of their game against Michigan State at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY Sports /
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The Michigan football team is thought to be among the best in the nation. This week, the Wolverines will get the chance to prove it against Wisconsin.

It wasn’t Brady Hoke and it’s not Jim Harbaugh. No, the last Michigan football head coach to beat a top-10 team was Rich Rodriguez. Yes, it’s been that long.

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Saturday at the Big House, Michigan football will host the Wisconsin Badgers, the No.8 team in the country. A win would be the Wolverines’ first over a top-10 opponent since 2008, when they beat — you guessed it — Wisconsin.

This year, the Badgers come into the game as underdogs. Yet, seeing as Wisconsin beat both LSU and Michigan State, when they weren’t favored to, it doesn’t seem wise to put much stock in that.

The one thing we do know for sure, is that the Badgers are the best team Michigan football has faced this season and there are a number of reasons why this game could prove tricky for UM.

For starters, this Wisconsin team will be the first opponent all year that can match Michigan’s physicality.  The Badgers are a hard-nosed team. They run the football, even though they haven’t done so as effectively, and they stop the run.

Defensively, Wisconsin is allowing just 277 yards per game. Against the run, the Badgers are surrendering a measly 3.2 yards per carry.

Not only are the Badgers stout against the run, they can also rush the passer. The combination of T.J. Watt and Vince Biegel, may be as as good as any pass-rushing tandem in the Big Ten.

They will be a handful for Michigan’s offensive tackles. Their presence on the edge will also give the Wolverines plenty of incentive to run the football and keep them honest.

The Badgers do have two, very impressive wins, but they also had a tough time with Georgia State and trailed in the fourth quarter before rallying for the win.

Corey Clement (251 yards, 3.9 YPC) and Dare Ogunbowale (182, 4.3) give Wisconsin a solid pair of running backs, but their yards per rush leaves much to be desired, even though they have scored six touchdowns.

Throwing the football may be more of a challenge for Wisconsin with freshman quarterback Alex Hornibrook.

Yet, the young quarterback impressed Harbaugh and threw for 195 yards and one touchdown against Michigan State, so forcing him into mistakes may not prove easy to do.

At the end of the day, Michigan and Wisconsin should be a battle. Both teams want to win in the trenches and out-physical their opponents.

Next: Top 10 Michigan Running Backs of All Time

The Wolverines may have more in the way of skill players and maybe that will be the difference. But make no mistake, the Badgers are more than good enough to keep Michigan’s losing streak against top-10 teams intact.

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