Ahh, the bye week. Always a time for gentle – if your team is winning – reflection and introspection, a time to assess the season collectively to that given point.

Bye weeks usually foster a sort of banal conversation if a week off is welcome, or if said team would be better served by just continuing to play.

For No. 4 Wisconsin, forget about that. The way this team has racked up points and whacked literally every opponent it has faced, a simple week off is beyond trivial to discuss. With 1-5 (0-2 in Big Ten play) Indiana coming to town Saturday, the push through Big Ten play remains in focus – especially with consecutive road trips to Michigan State and Ohio State looming immediately after.

But in true “it’s a bye week, so let’s nitpick” fashion, there are a few areas that could, down the road, lead to some issues with this team. It’s certainly hard to see much of anything going wrong against the Hoosiers this weekend, but remember – it’s only October.

Stat No. 1: Time of possession (31:36 per game)

How much importance do you place on this statistic, measuring how long the Badgers hold the football each game? How much importance do you place on it only five games into the season?

On average, the Badgers hold the football for 31:36 per game, good for a middle-of-the-pack No. 33 ranking. For a Wisconsin offense that averages the third-most points per game (48.4) in the nation, the statistic certainly doesn’t seem to be of much importance. UW has 16 plays this season that have gone for 30 or more yards each, 12th-most in the country. In terms of 40-yard plays, the Badgers rank even higher, tied for fourth with 11.

So when Russell Wilson can flick the ball downfield with such ease, make plays with his feet outside of the pocket and open up the vaunted rushing attack for Montee Ball and James White, does it matter how long it takes to score? Sure, the all-too-popular question of the moment regarding UW’s weak schedule persists, but make no mistake – this team has proven it can score.

But as the calendar pages turn closer to November and those Spartans, Buckeyes and even the Illinois Fighting Illini (don’t sleep on them – perhaps a column for a later date?) face the Badgers, might it be nice to allow the defense a little more time on the sidelines? That’s always the principal argument for controlling the clock, of course. Hold the ball as long as possible, and any dangerous opposing offenses will be kept off the field.

The answer, interestingly enough, might trace back to the topic of the Badgers’ weak opponents. This team still hasn’t been tested for a full four quarters, and it’s yet to be compelled to crank out any 10-play, 80-yard drives to kill clock with, say, a three- or seven-point lead with five minutes remaining in the game. Of course, it has not yet had to come from behind late in the game, though UW’s remarkable big-play ability has proven the Badgers capable of seemingly scoring at will.

Stat No. 2: Turnover margin (+3)

Before Wisconsin could even dream about embarrassing Nebraska the way it eventually did Oct. 1, the Badgers hosted Football Championship Subdivision foe South Dakota the week before. UW held a 3-0 record entering that Sept. 24 game and fans were already stretching to identify areas of weakness.

Forcing turnovers was the most popular, as the Badgers had forced only one in the two games prior to the matchup with the Coyotes. The defense had forced four fumbles overall, though it had yet to force any interceptions. Wisconsin ultimately got its first interception against South Dakota courtesy of interceptions by linebacker Chris Borland and safety Shelton Johnson, appearing to support the “turnovers come in bunches” line the players were pushing in the week leading up to that game.

Again, any sort of issues only arise here when looking forward. To date, the Badgers have forced just six turnovers, tied for the second-fewest in the Big Ten. Wisconsin’s plus-three turnover margin ranks them tied for No. 29 with several other schools in the nation, though as the level of competition is expected to rise, the offense is expected to make more mistakes. Without having played an actual road game yet (there were approximately 20,000 empty seats at Soldier Field, and many fans in attendance were pro-UW), it’s impossible to say for certain how Wilson and the offense will respond in front of a hostile crowd.

Stat No. 3: Sacks (12)

There are other ways to measure the amount of pressure a defense places on opposing quarterbacks, though sacks obviously remain the most significant. The Badgers have 12 so far this season, tied for 43rd in the nation and fourth in the Big Ten.

The sack totals were more noticeable before Wisconsin really got on the board with two against the evasive Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez. Defensive end David Gilbert and defensive tackle Beau Allen lead UW with three sacks apiece, though Gilbert will be out for an extended period of time (likely 5-7 weeks) with a broken foot. Allen, a sophomore, isn’t a starter, though he is obviously a key contributor on a defensive line that is capable of rotating in as many as 10 different players in any given game.

With Wisconsin in the upper half of the conference and about average with the rest of the nation, the sack totals aren’t necessarily concerning right now. But moving forward, it seems fair to ask, where will the sacks come from, especially without Gilbert for the time being? Reputed playmakers Borland and linebacker Mike Taylor have just one sack between the two of them (belonging to Taylor), though they certainly have made their presence felt in leading the team in tackles. Defensive end Louis Nzegwu has two sacks so far, though he’s been relatively quiet elsewhere this season. One candidate to watch will be defensive end Brendan Kelly, who stepped into the starting lineup against Nebraska when Gilbert went down and recorded four tackles and one sack.

Of the three statistics, the sacks total might be the least pressing for the Badgers. But as injuries begin to mount and the weather begins to usher in real Big Ten Football – at least, it should start to soon – certain areas across UW’s roster will need improved performances. Wisconsin is certainly galloping toward what seems like another BCS bowl berth, but in order to get there, this sort of business must, of course, be taken care of first.

Mike is a senior majoring in journalism. Are you concerned about any stats or numbers in particular? Let Mike know on Twitter @mikefiammetta and be sure to follow @BHeraldSports for all the latest Badgers news.