With all the talk about Wisconsin going undefeated the rest of the year to finish 11-1, fans must remember that taking down four Big Ten opponents is never an easy task. Purdue, Indiana, Michigan and Northwestern, although not competing for the Big Ten title, are still solid teams that could easily pull off an upset against the Badgers.
Wisconsin at Purdue
Purdue sits a 4-4 so far this year and 2-2 in conference play, with key wins over Northwestern and Minnesota. Although the Boilermakers give up a lot of points, they have a solid rushing defense that could challenge the Badgers’ running attack. Led by stalwart senior defensive end Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue could slow down Wisconsin’s rushing game, the foundation of its offense.
Offensively, Purdue lacks a prolific, pass-heavy attack, something the Badgers’ defense usually struggles with. With an offense that has had most of its success on the ground this year, a healthy Wisconsin defense should be able to stop fullback Dan Dierking and speedy quarterback Rob Henry. On paper it looks like Wisconsin should have no trouble stopping the Boilermakers, but road games present a serious challenge for any team.
Indiana at Wisconsin
Despite their winless record in conference play this season, Indiana’s explosive passing offense could pose a serious challenge to the Badgers. Led by talented senior quarterback Ben Chappell, Indiana ranks eighth in the nation in pass yards per game, a scary statistic for the Wisconsin defense. The Hoosiers have already scored 18 touchdowns through the air this season in an offensive system that is the complete opposite of the Badgers’ run-first offense. The play of Wisconsin’s passing defense will be the key to this game, but it certainly helps that the Badgers get to face the Hoosiers in Camp Randall.
The Hoosiers’ rushing defense ranks toward the bottom of the Big Ten, so UW’s dynamic duo of John Clay and James White should have no problem dominating the ground game against Indiana. Wisconsin will be heavily favored at home, and it’s hard to imagine the Badgers losing this one.
Wisconsin at Michigan
Wisconsin’s trip to Ann Arbor in their second to last game of the year will probably be the toughest of the Badgers’ four remaining games. Although the early-season hype surrounding Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson has slowed down, he still poses a formidable challenge to the Badgers’ defense. Having passed for 1500 yards and rushed for nearly 1300 yards already this season, Robinson is the centerpiece of the Wolverines’ offense. The outcome of this game will ultimately come down to stopping the dual-threat quarterback.
With a mediocre rushing defense, the Wolverines will probably struggle to stop UW’s powerful running game. Also, their passing defense ranks last in the Big Ten, so the Badgers should not have too much trouble putting up points against Michigan. However, the fact that Michigan is playing at home works to their advantage. The difficult atmosphere of “The Big House,” combined with a Michigan team hungry for redemption, could make this a very close game.
Northwestern at Wisconsin
As last year proved, a late season matchup with Northwestern should never be overlooked. With an impressive passing attack orchestrated by senior quarterback Dan Persa, Northwestern could take advantage of what is probably the weakest part of Wisconsin’s defense–its secondary. UW will have to hope that the change at quarterback will work to their advantage, as Mike Kafka passed all over the Badgers secondary in last year’s loss to the Wildcats. It will help that the game is in Madison this year, but the Badgers must remain focused for their final regular season game of the year.
On the other hand, Northwestern’s weak passing defense, which ranks near the bottom of the Big Ten, could give quarterback Scott Tolzien a shot at revenge this year. The Wildcats solid rushing defense might be able to slow down Clay and White, but the Badgers proved against Ohio State and Iowa that they can have success on the ground against some of the best rushing defenses. Wisconsin should not have too much trouble taking down Northwestern at home, but the Wildcats will keep things competitive in the last game of the year.
Even if the Badgers do win out in the closing part of the season, their postseason fate remains unclear. Predictions have Wisconsin landing everywhere from the Rose Bowl to the Sugar Bowl to the Capital One Bowl. However, the Badgers can only help their chances of reaching Pasadena and fulfilling preseason hopes by taking down their final four opponents.
