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Series History Since 1950
Overall Series Record: Wisconsin leads 34-16-1
Longest Wisconsin winning streak: 13 (1972-1984)
Longest Northwestern winning streak: 5 (1967-1971)
Best Wisconsin "run": Wisconsin was 14-1 against Northwestern from 1972-1986.
Best Northwestern "run"Northwestern was 6-1-1 against Wisconsin from 1964-1971 .
Wisconsin record when favored: 28-3
Northwestern record when favored: 7-2-1
Tossup games:Northwestern leads 6-4.
Biggest Wisconsin upset: #96 Wisconsin defeats #68 Northwestern 21-7 in 1965.
Biggest Northwestern upset: #87 Northwestern beats #49 Wisconsin in 1985 17-14, which cost Wisconsin a winning record.
Most important game:#6 Wisconsin puts the hurt on #16 Northwestern, 37-6 in 1962.
Least meaningful game:#103 Northwestern nips the #115 Badgers 13-10. The Badgers were winless while this game was the Mildcats only win of the year.
Biggest Wisconsin blowout: 52-0 in 1981.
Biggest Purdue blowout: 35-0 in 1995.
October 25, 2003
Northwestern Season Preview
Analysis of Badgermaniac's Keys to the Game
Northwestern dominated the line of scrimmage, basically erasing any edge the Badgers had in terms of matchups.
As I expected, Northwestern had some success with their option. "decide", and counter type action plays. They did run the ball even much better than even I thought however.
Wisconsin was not effective closing out their few drives, resulting in missed field goals.
Turnovers were not a factor.
It did not surprise me that it was a close game, but ultimately I was way off on the number of points on the board and of course, I was wrong in picking the Badgers.
Badgermaniac's Keys to the Game
This game looks like a mismatch here as the Badgers should be able to run at will against Northwestern. Wisconsin must dominate this matchup and take control of the game in order to negate Schabert's inexperience. If NW can hang in here, they have a solid shot at a victory.
One wouldn't think that Northwestern would be able to line up and run the ball on Wisconsin. However, Northwestern has had success in the past with their spread rushing attack against the Badgers. Wisconsin has also had trouble with misdirection/counter type action, so they will have to be disciplined enough to stay home and not allow the Cats to confuse them.
Northwestern has been very stout in the red zone, while Wisconsin has been erratic. Wisconsin, and namely Matt Schabert, needs to be efficient in the red zone. He probably won't have many throws in the red zone, but when he does he must be steady and make plays.
Turnovers is always a key factor and could be listed as a vital point every game. However, this is another game where it takes on added importance. Northwestern has been opportunistic while the Badgers have been on the short end of the stick. If NW wins this battle, expect a game down to the wire. If Wisconsin wins it, they will win convincingly.
I don't believe this is anywhere near the gimmie game that many Badger fans predict it will be. Wisconsin has not manhandled anyone this year, and Northwestern is a scrappy team that isn't as bad as they have been in some year's past. They can't really stop anyone, but they have moved the ball reasonably well for much of the year. I expect Northwestern to put some points on the board and to hang around a lot longer than might be comfortable. Wisconsin salts the game away with a late touchdown.....Badgers 30. Northwestern 23.
Unit matchups:
WISCONSIN'S TOTAL OFFENSE VS NORTHWESTERN'S TOTAL DEFENSE:
For the first time in three weeks, the Badgers will face a defense that is far from stellar. Wisconsin should put up big numbers offensively (450 yards?), even with Schabert at QB. Advantage: WISCONSIN.
NORTHWESTERN'S TOTAL OFFENSE VS. WISCONSIN'S TOTAL DEFENSE
Northwestern has moved the ball reasonably well this year and their scheme has given Wisconsin trouble in the past. I expect them to move the ball.
Advantage: EVEN.
NORTHWESTERN'S RUSHING OFFENSE VS. WISCONSIN'S RUSHING DEFENSE
Wisconsin has stuffed the run well this year, but I expect NW to have moderate success running the ball since the Cats do run pretty well and their scheme is one that is not the type that Wisconsin typically stuffs. Look for around 130 yards. Advantage: EVEN.
WISCONSIN'S RUSHING OFFENSE VS. NORTHWESTERN'S RUSHING DEFENSE
On paper, NW is a team that Wisconsin should hammer on the ground. 200 yards looks like a lock. Advantage: WISCONSIN.
NORTHWESTERN'S PASSING OFFENSE VS. WISCONSIN'S PASSING DEFENSE
Wisconsin has been inconsistent against the pass, but Northwestern just doesn't throw it that well (2 TD vs. 8 INT). Advantage: EVEN.
WISCONSIN'S PASSING OFFENSE VS. NORTHWESTERN'S PASSING DEFENSE
Look for Wisconsin to be very efficient with the pass. They won't throw it a lot, but I expect them to have success. Advantage: WISCONSIN.
NORTHWESTERN'S SCORING OFFENSE VS. WISCONSIN'S SCORING DEFENSE
I expect Northwestern to score about 23-24 points.
Advantage: EVEN.
WISCONSIN'S SCORING OFFENSE VS. NORTHWESTERN'S SCORING DEFENSE
The numbers suggest the Badgers should top 30 points. Advantage: WISCONSIN.
NORTHWESTERN'S PUNTING VS. WISCONSIN PUNT RETURNING
Wisconsin should gain some hidden yardage here. Advantage: WISCONSIN.
WISCONSIN PUNTING VS NORTHWESTERN'S PUNT RETURNING
Again, Wisconsin should win this battle. Advantage: WISCONSIN.
WISCONSIN KICK RETURNS VS. NORTHWESTERN'S KICK COVERAGE
Wisconsin has been improving, but NW has pretty good coverage units. Advantage: SLIGHT TO NORTHWESTERN.
NORTHWESTERN'S KICK RETURNS VS. WISCONSIN'S KICK COVERAGE
Wisconsin has been improved the last few weeks and NW stinks. Advantage: EVEN.
WISCONSIN'S 3RD DOWN CONVERSIONS VS. NORTHWESTERN'S 3RD DOWN
DEFENSE
Wisconsin's rushing offense should put this figure around 50% for the game. Advantage: WISCONSIN.
NORTHWESTERN'S 3RD DOWN CONVERSIONS VS. WISCONSIN'S 3RD DOWN DEFENSE
Advantage: SLIGHT TO WISCONSIN.
TURNOVER MARGIN
This has been the bugaboo for the Badgers in their losses. If NW wins this battle, the game will be close. Advantage: NORTHWESTERN.
WISCONSIN PASS RUSH VS. NORTHWESTERN'S PASS PROTECTION
Wisconsin did a nice job last week against Purdue, but may have some trouble getting to NW with their quick passing game. Advantage: EVEN.
NORTHWESTERN'S PASS RUSH VS. WISCONSIN'S PASS PROTECTION
The worst pass rush vs. the worst pass protection. Advantage: PUSH.
FG KICKING
Northwestern has had big problems with their kicking. Advantage: WISCONSIN.
PENALTIES
Advantage: WISCONSIN.
TIME OF POSSESSION
Advantage: PUSH.
WISCONSIN'S RED ZONE OFFENSE VS. NORTHWESTERN'S RED ZONE DEFENSE.
Northwestern has allowed a ton of yards, but has been very stout in the red zone. Wisconsin meanwhile has been shaky. Advantage: NORTHWESTERN.
NORTHWESTERN'S RED ZONE OFFENSE VS. WISCONSIN'S RED ZONE OFFENSE.
Northwestern had been great at punching the ball in for touchdowns (even if their overall scoring percentage is marginal). Wisconsin's defense has also been strong here. Advantage: PUSH.
The Line Says...
Sagarin has the Badgers as a 6 point favorite while Howell has the Badgers favored by 10.5 with a 67% chance of winning and a projected score of 30-20.
NCAA Stat Rankings
Here is how the two teams rank in terms of NCAA stats:
Rushing Offense: WIS 20, NW 43
September 23, 2000
Game Grades
QB: B-
RB: A
WR: C
TE: B
OL: B+
DL: D-
LB: C-
DB: F
Special Teams: D-
Analysis of Badgermaniac's Keys to the Game
1.) Keeping Bentley and company off balance
2.) Exploiting the middle
3.) Make Kustok beat you, not the scheme
4.) Continued special teams dominance
PREDICTION:
Badgermaniac's Keys to the Game
1.) Keeping Bentley and company off balance
2.) Exploiting the middle
3.) Make Kustok beat you, not the scheme
4.) Continued special teams dominance
PREDICTION:
The Line Says...
The Howell computer projection has Wisconsin as a 21 point favorite with an 84% chance of victory. Projected score of 33 to 12.
9/22 Update: Here is how the Wildcats and Badgers compare nationally:
Team Passing Offense: Wis 113, NW 81
October 30, 1999
Game Grades
QB: C+
Bollinger only threw 2 of 8 short passes well, which is a pretty poor percentage. His bad throws were generally low, forcing the receivers to have to bail Brooks out more than once. He threw a very bad pick on simple out pass. His two medium throws were ok, with the nice TD pass to Chambers and another nice cross to Chambers in which he showed some nice body control to make a good delivery. His one deep ball was well overthrown.
He did have some nice runs though, with two nice scrambles for first downs and a really nice option run for his TD.
His only real negative in the running game was a muffed handoff (which I still do no know who was responsible for).
He wasn't awful by any means and did make some plays, though he obviously has played better.
RB: A
Kuhns was excellent again, with his highlight block being on Dayne's second TD run in which Chad leveled two Wildcats on the same play.
The backups didn't do much and drives generally stalled when they were in. Faulkner played a bit early but really blew a blitz pickup. Bennett played the rest of the time (when Dayne wasn't in).
WR: A
Chambers had to fight for his TD. Davis made a nice spin to catch a ball thrown behind him. Brown picked one off the turf.
Ahmad Merritt had a few nice crack block plays to help spring Dayne.
TE: B
The TEs did a nice job of controlling the corner, which is all you really need on many plays (avoiding the big defensive play). Retzlaff has come a long way IMO in his blocking from last season.
OL: B+
McIntosh was terrific as always. If you don't generally watch lineplay, I invite you to tape a game and just watch Chris on every play. He always seems to have the right footwork to turn his man and when they need him to fire off the line, he gets good push. He is going to be a good pro.
Casey Rabach had what I thought was one of his better games (minus one holding call and one play where he was beat on a QB draw). He consistently sealed off the tackles and often ALSO got a big push, leaving 5 yard holes smack in the middle of the line for Dayne to run through.
Ferrario was also getting solid push.
Costa had some trouble from time to time, and left with an injury. He is still inconsistent in space I believe.
Tauscher was beat on a pass rush fairly easily, but was quietly consistent.
DL: B-
The big problem for the Badgers in general was a complete lack of pass rush. True, the Cats did run basically simple outs, curls, and flairs, but even when Kustok or Krienbrink dropped back, rare was the pressure from the DL.
Favret was able to get some occasional penetration, but much as he has done all year, failed to make many plays.
Kolodziej had some good pursuit early, but wasn't heard from later in the game.
Wendell Bryant made a nice read on a screen pass.
Delante McGrew got some nice penetration late in the game, but usually overran the play, flushing the QB out of the pocket, but allowing him to scramble for some yards. He needs to make the play.
LB: B
Ghidorzi was again the big hitter on defense, laying some serious wood to the Cats throughout the game.
Knight was quite for much of the game, but did make a couple of very athletic agressive plays later in the game (once by blowing up a screen with a big hit).
The main problem I had with the backers was mediocre coverage out of the backfield, primarily on the backs. Of 7 passes where the LBers had primary coverage, I counted only once where I thought the coverage was very good.
Thompson was beaten deep badly, being saved by a poor Kustok throw, whild Ghidorzi had poor coverage on the two point conversion. Thompson and Echols also blew coverage on the long pass down the middle that also would have been a TD if not for a bad throw.
DB: A
Jamar Fletcher led the way with some nice takling, a big game breaking INT return, and a very athletic pass deflection. He provided blanket coverage and broke well on the ball.
Echols had good coverage (other than the previously mentioned play), but had numerous arm tackles that were broken.
Doering provided his regular sure tackling and solid deep help.
Special Teams: C
Pisetsky's kicks were pretty good.
Davis muffed one punt and failed to show much on a nice kickoff into the corner of the endzone.
Coverage was good.
Analysis of Badgermaniac's Keys to the Game
1. Handling the blitz
2. Chambers' big plays
3. Surviving Bollinger's turnovers
4. Not looking ahead.
PREDICTION
Badgermaniac's Keys to the Game
b>1. Handling the blitz
2. Chambers' big plays
3. Surviving Bollinger's turnovers
4. Not looking ahead.
PREDICTION
The line says...
Sagarin has Wisconsin as a 19 point favorite. Howell's computer has the game as a 14 point
Badger victory with a predicted score of 29 to 15. Wisconsin has a 75% chance of
winning.
Sagarin now has Wisconsin at #10 in the country while Howell has them at 9th.
Here is how the Badgers and Spartans match up nationally.
Total offense: WIS 18, NW 98
Nationally....
Positional Breakdowns
With regard to individual mathcups, Wisconsin dominates in nearly every one so there really isn't much to say other than Wisconsin should clobber the Cats. For the record though, here are the numbers:
WISCONSIN'S TOTAL OFFENSE VS. NORTHWESTERN'S TOTAL
DEFENSE:
NORTHWESTERN'S TOTAL OFFENSE VS. WISCONSIN'S TOTAL
DEFENSE
NORTHWESTERN'S RUSHING OFFENSE VS. WISCONSIN'S RUSHING
DEFENSE
WISCONSIN'S RUSHING OFFENSE VS. NORTHWESTERN'S RUSHING
DEFENSE
NORTHWESTERN'S PASSING OFFENSE VS. WISCONSIN'S PASSING
DEFENSE
WISCONSIN'S PASSING OFFENSE VS. NORTHWESTERN'S PASSING
DEFENSE
NORTHWESTERN'S SCORING OFFENSE VS. WISCONSIN'S SCORING
DEFENSE
WISCONSIN'S SCORING OFFENSE VS. NORTHWESTERN'S SCORING
DEFENSE
NORTHWESTERN'S PUNTING VS. WISCONSIN PUNT RETURNING
WISCONSIN PUNTING VS. NORTHWESTERN'S PUNT RETURNING
WISCONSIN KICK RETURNS VS. NORTHWESTERN'S KICK RETURNS
NORTHWESTERN'S 3RD DOWN CONVERSIONS VS. WISCONSIN'S 3RD DOWN
DEFENSE
TURNOVER MARGIN
WISCONSIN PASS RUSH VS. NORTHWESTERN'S PASS PROTECTION
NORTHWESTERN'S PASS RUSH VS. WISCONSIN'S PASS PROTECTION
FG KICKING
PENALTIES
TIME OF POSSESSION
September 26, 1998
Game Grades
QB: B+
Let's get the bad out of the way, the sideline toss at the end of the first half, thrown right into the hands of the NU linebacker. Although he had time on the play, he seemed to panic for a split second and revert into ole "fidgitty Mike mode".
We are still waiting to see how Samuel handles a team that can mount a formidable pass rush. Decision making under pressure is what often separates the good from the mediocre QB and Samuel has not been tested under this fire yet.
Samuel showed nice touch on the short passes, throwing 5 of 7 with excellent accuracy and timing. He threw a very nice touch pass over Dague Retzlaff's shoulder and another nice toss to Retzlaff on a roll out.
On the medium and long balls, 3 of 7 were excellent, 3 were acceptable, and I graded one out as poor (overthrowing Chambers). As many have pointed out though, after his overthrow, he put a bit more air under the next deep ball which allowed Chambers to make a play on it. I think we would all agree this is much more preferrable to gambling on the big strike, throwing the ball on a line, and getting zilch on the play. On the TD throw, Samuel made a really nice pump fake as well which the entire NU squad seemed to bite on.
In the running game, Samuel continues to make plays. The QB draw was a nice call but was defensed fairly well. Samuel made a quick move to the outside to pick up the first.
The other big play was on the 4th down TD run where he made a nice cutback.
Kavanagh didn't get the opportunity to throw the ball, but had a nice run and a nice pitch on the option.
RB: B+
As always, he punished defenders in the open field, often driving forward for 2 or 3 extra yards. In short, a typical Dayne performance.
Martin also deserves credit here as two of Dayne's long runs were ignited following outstanding lead blocks downfield by Cecil.
Eddie Faulkner, though not that involved in general, was able to contribute a beautifully run screen reception.
I still would like to see the Badgers get Faulkner the ball outside on the option pitch.
Faulkner also made a nice blitz pickup early in the game, though he was late later in the game, causing Samuel to get drilled for one of the few times in the game.
WR: A-
Chris Chambers continues to be the home run threat and big play maker. I am still waiting for a reverse to him.
Ahmad Merritt contributed with a couple of excellent downfield blocks on long runs, including an excellent seal on Dayne's TD run. He also showed good elusiveness and good hands on his catch. Merritt will never be a big playmaker ala Chambers, but he is solid.
His blocking, a weak point to now at times, was not a problem on Saturday. He didn't make too many key blocks, but contrary to past games, also eliminated the obvious blown assignments.
OL: A-
The offensive line was nearly perfect in their pass blocking. I graded the pass protection out at nearly 100% effectiveness. Samuel had a stable pocket and plenty of time virtually all day.
The run blocking had its moments, but was not as dominating as I would have liked. They had superior blocking on 25% of the plays, which, with a back like Dayne, can be enough against opponents like Northwesterns.
Another added plus was the increased effectiveness of the Badger OL in space, particularly on the outside. Virtually all of the big plays came outside the tackles, a tribute mainly to Aaron Gibson, as almost all of the Badger runs were to his side.
Gibby was a force all game long. He manhandled any defender in his path, demonstrating nice drive blocking, as well as some good lateral movement on the outside runs. Watch his feet sometime. You will be impressed.
Bill Ferrario also played a really nice game with numerous solid pulls springing Dayne.
Casey Rabach also showed some really nice quickness on the screen play, throwing a block almost 10 yards downfield.
The second string OL didn't play very well late, though against a team gearing for all runs, it is tough on them.
DL: A
The pass rush wasn't quite as effective as in previous games, but this isn't that surprising considering the step up in competition. However, they were able to put solid pressure on the QB on about 33% of pass plays which is still pretty darn good.
The run containment was truly exceptional however. The Cats got a few nice runs very early and very late, but the majority of the game belonged to the DL. They were able to get outstanding penetration on run plays over 50% of the time.
Tom Burke was his usual self, despite facing many more double teams than in previous games. He consistently in able to not only penetrate and force the action, but is usually able to make the play himself.
Burke's increased attention was able to free up Favret even more. Favret showed excellent movement and recovery speed, twice getting up of the ground to make the defensive big play, once on a screen play and once on the tipped pass.
Chris Janek also played his best game of the year in my estimation, getting solid inside push, especially early in the game.
Finally, off special mention again is Wendell Bryant. The kid can flat out move for a 290 pounder. He is consistently around the ball, even when it is well down the field. He provided excellent pass rush inside on two occasions, resulting in one fumble.
LB: B+
Donnell Thompson was solid once again. He is a solid linebacker who is generally where he is supposed to be. This makes him very effective with a defensive front as Wisconsin does.
He was a bit slow on pass coverage a couple times, though generally he did a nice job in this regard.
DB: B-
Echols was beat on Bates' deep ball, but Doering played his solid two deep position to come over for the pick. I would hope that Echols knew that he had deep help which accounted for the release. A quicker throw would have possibly gone for six though.
Rosga was also really toasted late in the game, at which time he was promptly pulled.
Joey Boese was beat deep on the TD pass where he seemed to lose track of his man looking back for the ball. Nothing experience won't fix.
Jamar Fletcher was able to make some nice solid pass defenses including the diving stop in the endzone where his closing speed really impressed.
The bad part was the tackling, Mike Echols in particular. He missed tackles on at least 4 occasions and seemed to become more tentative as the game went along. Where this could end up being a problem is if he is in single coverage deep where missed tackles turn into touchdowns.
Special Teams: A+
Recovered botched onside/wind blown squib kick.
Downed punt inside the 5.
Blocked punt for the TD. By the way, I watched this play closely and yes, the Badgers did hold as Barnett complained. However, it appeared that Rosga was already through the crease and probably would have blocked the kick regardless.
Pisetsky's kickoffs out of the endzone. The two against the wind were a beautifully placed squib kick and a deep kick that went two yards deep. Coverage was great on both instances.
Davenport...money.
Nick Davis and his punt return. Phenomenal blocking, especially Dontae King.
Overall, the Badgers dominated all facets of the game, even though the stats are a bit deceiving.
Analysis of Badgermaniac's Keys to the Game
1. Pressure on Hoffman
Not only was Burke his usual disruptive self, but I thought the Badger did a good job of collapsing the pocket from all sides.
Hoffman often looked harried and flustered. Mission accomplished.
2. D'Wayne Bates vs. Jamar Flether and Mike Echols
On a number of Bates' catches, the coverage was right there.
The only moderatly big play the Badger DBs gave up to Bates was on the open field run where they missed the tackles early.
The Badger corners played tighter on the corners than any Alvarez coached Badger corners than I can remember.
Taylor was also matched up with Bates more than I thought he would. On these plays, Taylor had solid coverage.
3.Dayne's Health
Subjectively, he didn't appear to be as hobbled or gimpy as the last few games. He looked good.
4.Special Teams
Blocked punt for TD. Punt return for TD. Most kickoffs out of endzone and the ones that weren't were very effective with great coverage. Stemke punted solidly with good hang time and nice placement inside the 20. Davenport....money. Recovered onside kick. Fantastic!
5. Emotion and the Crowd
Clearly, the Badgers brought the play to the Wildcats and were ready to go.
6.Fourth Quarter
PREDICTION: For the second time this year, I picked the Badgers correctly, while at the same time underestimating their dominance (Ohio was the other). Granted, I am not complaining.
Badgermaniac's Keys to the Game
1. Pressure on Hoffman
Adding to the 'Cat difficulties are the injuries to an already questionable line in Ty Garner and Brian Hemmerle. (Hemmerle is questionalbe)
Also, look for Wisconsin to unveil more blitzes against the young quarterback. Last week Bob Adamov and the safeties blitzed more regularly, although the Badgers have put good heat on the QB with a four man rush.
If this patchwork line cannot give Hoffman time, the Cats are in trouble.
2. D'Wayne Bates vs. Jamar Flether and Mike Echols
Look for Wisconsin to leave other receivers in single coverage in an attempt to contain Bates.
3.Dayne's Health
4.Special Teams
Of particular note is kick off man Vitaly Pisetsky against NU freshman returner Sam Simmons. Keeping the ball out of Simmons hands as much as possible will be vital.
5. Emotion and the Crowd
6.Fourth Quarter
How the Wildcat front 7 holds up going into crunch time will be a decisive factor as the Badgers possess the depth advantage.
Not to mention, we know about how the Badgers play when behind so maintaining a lead entering the final stanza will be important.
PREDICTION: I like the Badgers advantages in the lineplay again. I think Bates will have his moments and make some big plays for the Wildcats, but I don't think they will be able to run the ball consistently against Wisconsin. However, I look for them to find a way to stay in the game until the 4th. Yet, this Badger team is just too deep at this point, Badgers 27, NU 17.
The line says...
Regarding the much anticipated Badger/Wildcat game on Saturday, the 'puter says....Wisconsin has a 69% chance of winning and is an eleven point favorite (the "official" line is at 10). Projected score is Wisconsin 30-18.
NCAA Stat Rankings
Rushing Offense: Wis 14, NW 63
Return to Game Previews/Reviews Page
Northwestern Depth Chart
Northwestern Stats
Analysis of Badgermaniac's Prediction
Badgermaniac's Prediction
Wisconsin is 5th at 391 YPG while Northwestern is 11th at 427 YPG.
Northwestern is 6th at 364 YPG while Wisconsin is 7th at 347 YPG.
Northwestern is 5th in the conference at 169 YPG while Wisconsin is 5th at 97 YPG.
Wisconsin is 2nd at 197 YPG while Northwestern is 10th at 186 YPG allowed.
Northwestern is 10th in efficiency with a rating of 102 and 6th in yardage at 195 YPG while Wisconsin is 8th in efficiency defense with an opposing rating of 120 and 10th in yardage allowed with 250 YPG.
Wisconsin is 4th in efficiency with a rating of 134 and 7th in yardage at 194 YPG while Northwestern is 10th in efficiency defense with an opposing rating of 144 and is 8th in yardage allowed with 242 YPG.
Northwestern is 8th in scoring at 21 PG while Wisconsin is allowing 22 PG, which is 8th.
Wisconsin is 5th at 28 PG while Northwestern is 9th with 27 points allowed per game.
Northwestern is 9th in gross average at 40 yards per punt, and 7th in net yardage at 36 yards per punt while Wisconsin is 1st in punt returns at 18 yards per return.
Wisconsin's gross average is 6th in the conference at 41 yards per punt with a net is of 37 which is 4th. Northwestern ranks 10th in punt returns at 7 yards per return.
Wisconsin is 8th at 19 yards per return while Northwestern is 4th allowing 17 yards per return.
Northwestern is 9th at 19 yards per return while Wisconsin is 11th allowing 23 per return.
Wisconsin is 3rd in the conference at 44% while Northwestern ranks 9th at 45% allowed.
Northwestern is 7th at 40% while Wisconsin ranks 5th at 34% allowed.
Wisconsin is 9th at -3 while Northwestern is 3rd at +2
Wisconsin is 3rd in the conference with 23 sacks while Northwestern ranks 4th with 12 sacks allowed.
Northwestern is 11th with 11 sacks while Wisconsin ranks 11th in sacks allowed with 25.
Wisconsin is 9 for 13 for 69% while Northwestern is 2 for 6 for 33%.
Wisconsin is 3rd in fewest penalties with 42 yards per game. Northwestern is 8th with 52 yards in penalty yardage per game.
Wisconsin ranks 3rd at 32+ minutes per game while Northwestern is 2nd at 33+ minutes per game.
Wisconsin is 10th in red zone efficiency at 81% (56% TDs) while Northwestern is 1st allowing scores only 60% of the time (40% TDs).
Northwestern is 8th at 83% (74% TDs) while Wisconsin is 7th, allowing scores 84% of the time (48% TDs).
Passing Offense: WIS 79, NW 76
Passing Efficiency: WIS 38, NW 101
Total Offense: WIS 51, NW 68
Scoring Offense: WIS 51, NW 90
Rushing Defense: WIS 20, NW 95
Passing Defense: WIS 92, NW 83
Passing Efficiency Defense: WIS 56, NW 101
Total Defense: WIS 44, NW 98
Scoring Defense: WIS 48, NW 71
Turnover Margin: WIS 81, NW 40
Net Punting: WIS 51 , NW 70
Punt Returns: WIS 3 , NW 98
Kickoff Returns: WIS 86, NW 88
Overall, I thought Bollinger played a bit better than his numbers might indicate (though his numbers weren't too shabby relative to what they have been). While again he was a little late at times in delivering the ball, he generally got it where it needed to be. Take out the receiver drops and his numbers look really solid. He also added about 60 or so yards on the groud and generally displayed pretty good pocket presence. His one fatal mistake was not throwing the ball away on the Bentley TD.
I must say this crow has been some of the most tasty crow I have eaten in some time. Michael Bennett continues to show more and more of the pure tailback skills that I questioned whether or not he had. Bennett ran hard and seems to be growing ever more confident.
Both Evans and Davis had their moments, Davis in particular with a couple of nice grabs late in the game in the endzone. However, Davis dropped a potential TD in the endzone, and the receiving corps in general came up short when it came to big plays.
Pretty good job of blocking by the threesome, though limited involvement in the passing game after an early TD catch by Retzlaff.
While the line wasn't what you would call consistent, it can hardly be a surprise given the shakeups they have gone through. Wisconsin ran for over 300 yards and Bollinger generally had adequate time to throw. Ben Johnson really shored up the tackle spot and picked up pressure pretty well.
Not only did the DL put limited pressure on Kustok, and not only did they fail to gain any significant penetration despite a lot of 5 man lines (limiting double teams), but perhaps most importantly, they continually allowed Kustok and Anderson to break containment on the outside which was the key element of the NW attack IMO. The DL seemed puzzled and confused at times, and often were out of position as the misdirection went by them. Favret supposedly played well, though to be honest I didn't notice anyone standing out on this unit today. Ben Herbert had a rough day.
While I don't think they played an incredibly strong game, I think some of the criticizm of them is a bit harsh after watching the replay of the game. For one, there were generally only two of them on the field, which is a lot of room for each to cover. Secondly, they were left at the mercy of the DL all too often, forcing them to take some bad angles to the ball. Given these constraints, I thought Nick Greisen played pretty well as far as reading the holes and plugging the gaps. Still, too many missed tackles to give a good grade to.
Blown assignments, soft coverage, penalties, and big plays while matched up against a below average receiving corps. One of the worst secondary games I have seen in a few years.
Fumbled punts, blocked kicks, missed key field goal, and limited success in the return game. Stemke was solid though for the one bright spot.
While Bentley had a pretty good game, Wisconsin was outstanding offensively. They predominantly ran the ball of course, but they also threw the ball pretty well despite missing Chambers.
While they still did not make a habit of going over the middle, they did complete some big plays down the middle of the field in some key situations. Look for this to continue next week with Chambers back.
Kustok played about as well as he is capable of IMO, but was not the key factor. Instead, the scheme gave Wisconsin fits. Utilizing a wide array of misdirection out of the shotgun formation, Northwestern limited the defensive line penetration, allowing Kustok time to make some plays.
Complete and utter failure. Two fumbled punts, mediocre kickoffs, a botched extra point, and a missed field goal all were important aspects in the game. Despite the poor defensive play, Wisconsin wins going away if they receive typical special teams play.
The OL did play very well, even when Costa went down. Nick Davis made a few plays, but I would say his day as a receiver was subpar to say the least. While a reasonably close game did not surprise me, I was totally dumbfounded by all of the mental and fundamental errors, particularly on defense, that led to a poor team putting up 500+ yards and 47 points on the Badgers. I expected containment of the NW offense, but clearly I wouldn't call 30+ points in regulation containment (even though the offense "gave" them 14 points).
Northwestern's linebackers are very active and pretty talented. If Wisconsin is not able to generate much offensive flow (as they haven't quite often this year), look for Bentley and company to really flow to the ball, taking away many of Bennett's rushing lanes. While I don't expect a total opening up of the offense, they will need to show more than they have so far to keep the chains moving.
In the same regards, much of this can be accomplished by using the middle of the field in the passing game, something Wisconsin has been reluctant to do. With (fingers crossed) better pass protection due to a complete OL and the return of Nick Davis and Michael Bennett, the middle of the field could be a key battleground due to a weak Northwestern secondary.
Northwestern has gone to the spread attack that Wisconsin has seen so often this year. Unlike Deontey Kenner, I don't believe Kustok is talented enough to make plays on his own. Playing assignment sure football and tightening up on the outside, forcing Kustok to make plays down the field is vital.
Wisconsin has a history of beating the Cats in the area of special teams as of late. And, with the offense still looking to gel, the special teams needs to continue to put points on the board. Northwestern's kicking game has been subpar in general so look for Davis to get some good looks.
Sadly, I think we are in store for another sluggish game. I expect the OL to play better with the expected insertion of Ben Johnson, but I still am not sold on Nick Davis as a big time receiver. If he can make big plays, look for Wisconsin to control the game early. But, if he is not as much of a factor as I suspect he won't be, then look for another 4 quarter battle. Wisconsin will control the NW offensive line, keeping Kustok running and Damien Anderson contained, but NW will also have some success up front defensively as well as Wisconsin cannot seem to hit offensively. Bennett will finally gain the upper hand early in the 4th as NW's smallish defensive tackles finally wear down, propelling the Badgers to a 21 to 13 win.
Team Rushing Offense: Wis 18, NW 26
Team Scoring Offense: Wis 57, NW 45
Team Total Offense: Wis 83, NW 54
Team Passing Defense: Wis 106, NW 29
Team Rushing Defense: Wis 14, NW 94
Team Scoring Defense: Wis 41, NW 58
Team Total Defense: Wis 59, NW 65
Bollinger had a really tough time with the wind and it affected his passing, forcing the staff to really lessen the emphasis on the pass (which in turn closed up some of the running lanes).
Ron Dayne did not show a whole lot of his power game, but what he did show is some fabulous footwork. He was very patient and was decisive in his cuts. When it was obvious that Wisconsin wasn't going to throw much, the Cats came after Dayne hard and when this happened, he did a nice job of getting what he could. He did fumble once to get the Cats going in the second half.
Only one big play (Chambers TD), but they caught everything that was thrown their way, including a number of really nice grabs.
Solid unspectacular job. Retzlaff made a nice grab early, but that was the last we saw of throws to the TE. Kuhns has really taken over those patterns in the flat that our TEs have been known for in the past.
The line was dominant early in the game, totally blowing NW off the line of scrimmage. McIntosh, Rabach, and Ferrario were clearing solid holes on nearly every play. As the game went on, NW mades some adjustments in their fronts and took away many of the big gaps.
The line played pretty well for most of the game, not allowing a hole lot off of the initial rushing plays NW ran. However, they did get sloppy late in the game when many reserves were on for the Badgers, allowing a lot of scrambling via loss of containment.
Again, a mixed bag. The tackling was generally good and Donnell Thompson in particular showed nice range and pursuit all over the field. He had some tremendous fills, including a key stop on 4th down early in the game. At times, he overpursued (missing a sack once), but made a lot of plays.
Outstanding game. Tight coverage, some big hits, and big plays.
Stemke struggled with the wind and had a really poor game punting the ball.
Northwestern had some success with Bentley shooting the gaps, holding Dayne to some plays with minimal yards. When Bollinger didn't throw the ball well early, it allowed Northwestern to plug up the gaps even further, leading to a mortal second half on Dayne's behalf. Still, they did manage 200+ yards rushing, well under their average, but enough to control the game.
He did have one big play for the last TD and given the scarcity of passes, I guess this qualifies.
Brooks did throw his first interception since the Cincinnati game and it did lead to a score. However, it came when the game was pretty much sealed away so it was not costly. When it was apparent that Bollinger was not "on", the coaches really put the passing game under wraps.
Mission accomplished. Northwestern deserves some credit for playing the Badgers pretty even on a day when the Badgers were not very inspired. As good teams do though, Wisconsin made the big plays when they had to in order to come home with a solid win.
Wisconsin was sloppy at times but did what they had to do. Without some poor defensive play late in the game, the score was right where I predicted so no surprise there.
Northwestern knows that they cannot simply stand toe to toe with Wisconsin on the defensive side of the ball. I would assume they are going to shoot their linebackers (who are pretty good by the way) in an attempt to make some big plays. This really isn't much different than what Wisconsin usually faces, but still, they will need to make sure they are blitz sound.
I don't necessarily believe that Wisconsin needs some big plays from Chambers to win, but I just wanted to include it because I expect Chris to break out with some big plays (of which he has had relatively few of this year..his yards per catch is almost half of what it was last year). He is due.
Just as I think Chambers is due for some big plays, Brooks is due for a few turnovers. All QBs are going to throw a pick or put the ball on the ground every so often. Bollinger has not done so in 5 games. He is also due. Wisconsin must play a solid all-around game so that if/when Brooks makes a gaffe, it is not critical.
Purdue is next week. Wisconsin needs to play consistent football from the start, keeping that ball rolling for the big game next week. They cannot afford to let Northwestern hang in the game like they did with Cincinnati, allowing the Cats to possibly win with some late breaks. Wisconsin is a much better team. If they come to play, they will show it.
Wisconsin is playing tremendous football. Northwestern is a rebuilding team with some key injuries. I expect some Wisconsin sloppiness. But I also expect a slow pull-away by the Badgers. Final score: Wisconsin 38-Northwestern 13.
Passing offense: WIS 94, NW 90
Rushing offense: WIS 3, NW 74
Scoring offense: WIS 13, NW 103
Total defense: WIS 7, NW 83
Rushing defense: WIS 21, NW 83
Passing defense: WIS 11, NW 36
Scoring defense: WIS 7, NW 53
Turnover margin: WIS 10, NW 68
Ron Dayne is 4th in rushing, 6th in scoring, and 12th in all-purpose yardage.
Damien Anderson is 19th in rushing and 39th in all-purpose yards.
Vitaly Pisetsky is 16th in scoring and 4th in FG/game.
Kevin Stemke is 17th in punting.
Nick Davis is 39th in kickoff returns, and 13th in punt returns.
Sam Simmons is 8th in punt returns (though he is injured and will not play).
Jamar Fletcher is 20th in interceptions.
Wisconsin is 3rd at 433 YPG while Northwestern is 9th at 390 YPG.
Northwestern is 10th at 294 YPG while Wisconsin is 2nd at 279 YPG.
Northwestern is 8th in the conference at 133 YPG while Wisconsin is 4th at 108
YPG.
Wisconsin is 1st at 277 YPG while Northwestern is 8th at 175 YPG allowed.
Northwestern is dead last in efficiency with a rating of 87 and 10th in yardage at 161 YPG
while Wisconsin is 2nd in efficiency defense with an opposing rating of 98 and a yardage
allowed rating of 170 YPG, also 2nd in the conference.
Wisconsin is 7th in efficiency with a rating of 125 and 11th in yardage at 156 YPG while
Northwestern is 3rd in efficieny defense with an opposing rating of 111 and is 6th yardage allowed rating of 215 YPG.
Northwestern is 10th in scoring at 16 PG while Wisconsin is allowing 13 PG, 2nd in
the conference.
Wisconsin is 2nd at 36 PG while Northwestern is 7th with 24 points allowed.
Northwestern is 9th in gross average and 10th in net yardage while Wisconsin is 3rd in punt returns.
Stemke's gross average is 2nd in the conference, though his net is still 1st. Northwestern ranks 8th in punt returns.
Wisconsin is 1st in the conference at 47% while Northwestern ranks 7th at 34% allowed.
Northwestern is 10th in the conference at 31% while Wisconsin ranks 3rd at 28% allowed.
Wisconsin is 1st at +7 while Northwestern is 8th at even
Wisconsin is 8th in the conference with 19 sacks while Northwestern ranks 9th with 22
sacks allowed.
Northwestern is 10th with 13 sacks while Wisconsin ranks 5th in sacks allowed
with 15.
Wisconsin is 15 for 17 for 88% while Northwestern is 10 of 14 for 71%.
Wisconsin is 7th in fewest penalites with 47. Northwestern is 4th with 43.
Wisconsin ranks 1st at 35+ minutes per game while Northwestern ranks 2nd at 31+ minutes per game.
Another workmanlike yet impressive performance for Mike Samuel. Although he didn't do anything to knock your socks off, other than one play he made solid decisions and played within himself, which is all we ask of him.
Dayne seemed to show much more explosiveness than in previous games. Unlike earlier games, Wisconsin was able to get some big plays on the perimeter of the defense. Dayne was able to turn the corner quickly and efficiently.
The best development regarding the receivers to this point in the season, is that the drops have been few and far between.
Retzlaff made his usual two catches in unspectacular yet effective fashion.
The offensive line was awarded the game ball by the coaches, though it could have gone to Aaron Gibson if I were in charge.
Once again....control...which is all you can really ask of a defensive line.
Chris Ghidorzi set the tone early in the game with a couple of great run fills, a nice blitz, and some solid pursuit. Late in the game, he missed a few tackles but continued to be the most aggressive linebacker.
First the good. I was delirious with delight when I saw the Badger corners pressing on the line of scrimmage play after play. Coverage was generally tight all around, even on a few of Bates' catches.
Can't ask for much more.
Once again, the Badger put consistent pressure on the QB. This has been the defensive key this season in my mind.
Bates got his yards, but Echols and Flether (mainly Echols) did a great job of preventing the big play.
Almost 8 yards per carry certainly tells the story here.Dayne also showed great burst on his long TD run.
Wow! THE key to the game in my mind.
I never thought the crowd got that into the game relative to other Badger games. The score certainly had a lot to do with this. Barnett implied that Hoffman had trouble with the environment, though I didn't think it was that bad.
Not a factor. Game wrapped up long before.
The Badger defense has thrived this year by putting intense pressure on opposing QBs. Northestern QB Gavin Hoffman likewise has been shaken when teams have not allowed him to sit back in the pocket and throw. Like most freshmen, he is going through typical growing pains.
Conversely, if the OL IS able to give Hoffman time, the Badgers will have to contain outstanding WR D'Wayne Bates. Fletcher and Echols have played well, but have not faced a QB with as good an arm as Hoffman nor a receiver as talented as Bates.
I should just leave this key to the game as a given. Wisconsin is clearly a different team with Dayne on the field.
Both teams feature solid special teams play. If either team is able to gain an advantage in this area, it could sway the momentum of the game.
This game has developed into quite the heated rivalry over the last few years. How NU reacts to the potentially very hostile crowd and which team comes out with fire in its belly and establishes the tempo of the game early will be key issues to watch.
Most of the recent NU/UW games have gone into the fourth quarter until being decided. Although I like the matchups for the Badgers, it certainly wouldn't surprise me if this is the case on Saturday.
Passing Offense: Wis 87, NW 75
Total Offense: Wis 43, NW 75
Net Punting: Wis 40, NW 15
Punt Returns: Wis 34, NW 61
Kick-off Returns: Wis 32, NW 12
Scoring Offense: Wis 10, NW 58
Rush Defense: Wis 5, NW 74
Pass Efficiency Defense: Wis 15, NW 31
Total Defense: Wis 1, NW 55
Scoring Defense: Wis 3, NW 49 (note that Wisconsin would be #1 nationally if not for the two TDs the offense surrendered)
Turnover Margin: Wis 10, NW 50
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