Michigan Football: Breaking down the Wisconsin Badgers
Michigan football doesn’t have any impressive wins yet this season, but that could change Saturday against Wisconsin. Here is a breakdown of the Badgers.
After three consecutive wins, Michigan football seems to be back on track. The Wolverines are ranked in all three major polls and sitting at 8-2 overall. However, missing from the resume is a marquee win.
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Michigan football beat Florida to open the season but the Gators have fallen apart. Michigan State and Penn State are the only ranked teams Michigan has played and the Wolverines lost both games.
That’s why the 8-2 Wolverines ranked 24th in the College Football Playoff Rankings. They look like a good football team, they also have plenty of talent, but at some point, you have to beat somebody.
Wisconsin (10-0), the fifth-ranked team in the playoff rankings, offers the perfect opportunity to do just that. To paraphrase Jim Harbaugh, Michigan has a chance to get back on the national stage, because let’s face it, ruining the Badgers dream season will get the Wolverines noticed. It will also get them some respect.
But beating the unbeaten Badgers, in Madison no less, is much easier said than done. Camp Randall has never been friendly to Michigan football and with College Gameday in town, the atmosphere should be more frenzied than usual.
That’s cause as much as this game means to Michigan, it probably means even more to Wisconsin.
After all, Badgers playoff hopes hang in the balance. Three more wins and Wisconsin will certainly be among the top four teams in the final rankings. But the Badgers also need quality wins. They got one last Saturday, besting Iowa 38-14, but Michigan is the last true test before the Big Ten Championship Game, likely against Ohio State.
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That’s why this matchup is garnering national attention. Wisconsin is the No. 5 team yes, but can the Badgers manhandle Michigan like they have everyone else?
The Badgers have basically blown out every team in their path. They did play Northwestern, another top-25 team and won 33-24 at Camp Randall, but every other game was decided by double figures.
Wisconsin has the third-best scoring offense in the Big Ten (36.3), while also leading the league in scoring defense (13.4). In terms of total offense, the Badgers average 433 per game (2nd in the Big Ten) and are first in total defense (245 per game) just nine yards in front of Michigan football, which is second.
Where Wisconsin is really good though, is on the ground, on both sides of the ball. The Badgers rank second in rush yards per game to Ohio State (245) but lead the conference in rushing touchdowns at 25. Wisconsin also leads the league in rush defense, limiting opponents to just 81 yards per game.
Those numbers are scary good and they should frighten the Wolverines, who could be without their top rusher in Karan Higdon. On the other side, Jonathan Taylor has 1,525 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s not Saquan Barkley, but he’s damn good and will be a huge challenge for UM.
Like Michigan, the Badgers are little challenged in the air. They average just 186 yards per game, which is more than UM, but Alex Hornibrook has struggled with turnovers, tossing 17 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
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However, Wisconsin does have some solid targets in the pass game. Quintez Cephus was the leading receiver with 30 receptions for 501 yards and six touchdowns but is out due to injury. That leaves Troy Fumagalli, another threat with 33 catches, 422 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, the Badgers are equally tough. They have several keys players but few are playing as well as T.J. Edwards, who has 49 tackles, four interceptions, six tackles for loss, five passes defensed and a defensive touchdown. Joe Ferguson has also been a turnover machine, picking off four passes and recovering two fumbles.
Alec James is one of the team’s top pass rushers with 5.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. Andrew Van Ginkel also has 7.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks, while Garrett Dooley has 8 TFL and five sacks. Those players are key, but the Badgers have a ton of depth, kind of like Michigan football.
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At the end of the day, it’s going to be a battle. Wisconsin has dominated its competition this season, hopefully, the Wolverines won’t suffer that same fate Saturday at Camp Randall.