NFL
By: Melo Williams
The Wisconsin Badgers (3-1) football team returns to B1G action at Camp Randall Stadium hosting the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-1) after having a bye last week.
The bad news coming out of the bye week Wisconsin will finish out its season without running back Chez Mellusi. Mellusi left the game against Purdue with a fractured fibula and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Offense:
The Badgers offense still has been getting off to slow starts and I know that’s something head coach Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo want to change by getting the Badgers off to better hot starts consistently.
Getting the Air Raid offense going early this week will be a huge challenge for Wisconsin. Rutgers’ defense is tied for 12th in the Top 25 and is allowing only just 12.8 points per game this season led by Tyreem Powell, Deion Jennings, and Aaron Lewis.
Against Purdue, QB Tanner Mordecai finished with a career-high 14 rushing attempts, for 44 rush yards, and 2 rush touchdowns in the win. Braelon Allen rushed 16 times for 116 yards averaging 7.3 yards per carry with 2 touchdowns.
The ground game is where the Badgers found its mojo against the Boilermakers and I feel Wisconsin needs to duplicate the gameplan versus Rutgers because they are 24th (98.6 ypg) in defending the run.
Braelon Allen is ranked No. 4 in the B1G with 371 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Allen is averaging 92.8 rushing yards per game through Week 5.
Wisconsin is No. 2 in rushing offense in the B1G while Rutgers is No. 4 against defending the run.
Rutgers will most likely try to limit Braelon Allen’s impact in the game rushing the ball and making the Badgers throw the ball more with Mordecai.
Defense:
Not only have the Badgers been having slow starts offensively, but the defense has started slow and has given up big plays early on. Against Rutgers that’s not a great sign at all being the Scarlet Knights are one of the most efficient teams in college football.
Rutger’s offense has scored first in all five games this season, including points on the first opening offensive drive in 4-of-5 games.
Scarlet Knights offense is ranked No. 5 in fewest interceptions thrown (1). Their offense is also ranked No. 5 for red zone efficiency and is No. 4 in touchdown scored in the B1G conference.
The Badgers defense has forced nine turnovers over the last two weeks.
Wisconsin’s run defense must look to improve this week.
Badgers head coach Luke Fickell… “It’s not like there’s an over-concern level. We feel like we’ve given up some big runs in third down situations, and those are the ones that have probably cost us as much as anything,” he said.
“Obviously against Purdue the quarterback scrambling and running cost us a lot, a couple of the big runs on the third down stuff that just really put you in a bad situation. So not alarming, but you’re finding things that you need to shore up and definitely run defense is one of those things.”
Wisconsin will have their hands full with Rutgers running back Kyle Monangai, who leads Rutgers with 471 yards and six touchdowns on the season. Rutgers ranks 22nd in rushing yards nationally.
Conclusion:
Wisconsin will miss Chez Mellusi though I believe Braelon Allen can carry the workload against Rutgers. The Badgers will have to play a minimum turnover game and call a balanced attack offensively against that Scarlet Knights defense that is very stingy.
Defensively Wisconsin will have to stay aggressive get pressure on Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt and continue forcing turnovers giving the Badgers good field position.
Though Rutgers is off to their best start through five games since joining the B1G, coming to Camp Randall facing a fresh well-rested Badgers defense hasn’t faired well for any team. I expect the Badgers’ defense to get after it Braelon Allen run Wisconsin to its second victory in the B1G conference.
Wisconsin wins 23-13
Kickoff Time
• When: Saturday, October 7
• Where: Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin
• Time: noon EST
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