Location: Big House
TV: ESPN
Line: Wisconsin -4
Weather: 43/34 Partly Cloudy
Wisconsin again enters the Big House as a top 10 team in the nation. They have already beat the "Eyes" of the (Buckeyes and Hawkeyes) Big Ten with their only loss (in the State of Michigan) to the Spartans. Everyone and their brother knows what to expect from the Badgers on Saturday. They will run the ball but are a pretty balanced offense averaging 200 yards in the air and 228 on the ground. Like most years they have a strong offensive and defensive lines and want to play power football and solid defense. That formula has lead them to a 5 game win streak with a BCS Rose Bowl birth dancing in their heads.
Michigan is almost the exact opposite of Wisconsin. They have a high powered fast offense that prefers to spread you out and run and throw in space. Michigan's defense won't win any awards this year but is clearly playing better in the last two weeks (yes even after giving up 65 points). Michigan prefers quick scores and Wisconsin prefers long drives. This could be an interesting game.
Big House of Horrors: Last week in my Big Ten preview we discussed the strange mojo that Northwestern has over Iowa. Wisconsin seems to have a similar Michigan complex. The Badgers haven't won in the state of Michigan since 2004 and hasn't won a game at the Big House since 1994. Two years ago, Wisconsin was up 19-0 in RR's first year and the Michigan defense and Steven Threet brought the Wolverines back to win the game in the second half. Spooky Stuff
Tale of the Tape
Michigan Offense vs Wisconsin D = DAD Denard All Day
Wisconsin Offense vs Michigan D = Way too Ezeh
Special Team = Stop kicking field goals!
Intangibles = Michigan "Spooky" Mojo
I would be remiss, if I didn't take a few minutes to thank all the seniors for sticking and staying with this program when the program was clearly re-building. Thank you to: Martell Webb, Perry Dorrestein, Steve Schilling, John Ferrara, Greg Banks, Adam Patterson, Renaldo Sagesse, Obi Ezeh, Jonus Mouton, Mark Moundrous, and James Rodgers. You all have contributed to this years squad and I hope you enjoy your final home game, last game against Ohio State, and your well deserved Bowl Game. You are true Michigan Men! Congratulations.
Michigan has won 2 games in a row and Wisconsin has won 5. A steak will come to end on Saturday. Which one will it be? Let me give you a hint, the key is turnovers.
Sing Hail to the Victors if..............
- Michigan protects the damn ball
- Denard is effective in both running and passing (no picks!)
- Michigan's Defense forces some stops and field goals
- Martin and Mouton are healthy and effective
- Michigan gets production out of it's running backs
- Michigan's offensive line plays very well
- Wisconsin wins the turnover battle
- Clays backup are better then John Clay
- Michigan young defense gets confused with Wisconsin's balance
- Wisconsin's Defense has Denard figured out
- The cold weather favors Wisconsin
The boys from Florida and California had some issues with the cold rain last weekend. Will they have the same issues in 40 degree weather? It's probably already snowed in Wisconsin so they are used to it.
This is one of those match ups you could call either way. Wisconsin doesn't play well in Ann Arbor but are clearly the better team. They will try to pound the Wolverines into submission with the run game and just when Michigan plays the run, they will hit Toon at WR for a long gain. Michigan has seemed to play confident football since the Bowl Game Monkey is now off their back. Are they good enough to beat the 7th ranked team in the country? That is the big question. Will senior day give the Wolverines the emotion they need to beat a better team? If Michigan protects the ball they should be in the game. If they don't they won't. Wisconsin 32 Michigan 21
GO BLUE!
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