The Wisconsin football team has bounced back in a big way after falling to Alabama in their season opener, dominating Miami (Ohio) in a 58-0 victory. Now, here are three questions to consider as UW looks to continue to build up momentum against Troy Saturday.

Can the Wisconsin backfield improve on their strong second-half performance against Miami (Ohio)?

At the conclusion of the first half of last week’s game against Miami (Ohio), UW tailbacks Dare Ogunbowale and Taiwan Deal combined for a total of just 54 yards on 18 carries.

But the running backs put the poor performance behind them and stepped up as the game rolled into the second half. By game’s end, Ogunbowale and Deal had a combined 30 carries and a grand total of 157 yards on the ground, with third-string running back Caleb Kinlaw accumulating 30 yards on seven carries of his own.

With would-be starting running back Corey Clement officially ruled out until the Big Ten opener against Iowa, it will be Ogunbowale’s backfield for the next couple of games with Deal filling in on short yardage situations. If Wisconsin wishes to maintain a balanced offensive attack, they will need to produce on the ground like they did in that second half.

Will the Badgers’ offensive attack continue to move through the air rather than on the ground?

While the team is attempting to remain balanced, they’ve still managed to be a pass-heavy offense through the first two games. That has been circumstantial given Clement’s status and the questions that continue to surround the offensive line — and UW has still been very effective throwing the ball.

Through their first two outings of the season, starting quarterback Joel Stave has thrown 69 passes for a total 491 yards, while UW has totaled just 228 yards on the ground. While these numbers do stray away from the typical ground and pound style of a Badgers offense, it hasn’t affected the offensive rhythm of the team, and Stave has looked sharper than he ever has.

If they get a big lead against a lesser opponent in Troy, Wisconsin may let their ground game go to work in an attempt to milk the clock. But expect the UW offense to come out firing through the air to start, hoping to remain productive as a unit.

Can UW’s defense continue to force timely turnovers?

Against Miami (Ohio), the Wisconsin defense and special teams forced a total of four turnovers, with Leo Musso intercepting two passes, Tanner McEvoy picking off one and cornerback Sojourn Shelton forcing a fumble on a Miami punt in the first quarter.

Turnovers are something defensive coordinator David Aranda emphasized coming into this season. A game in which the defense forced four turnovers is a great performance to build on.

Takeaways not only make the offense’s job easier, but they also cause huge shifts in momentum, so look for Aranda’s defensive unit to continue the aggressive play, especially against a weaker non-conference opponent.