Week 11: Wisconsin at Indiana

Perhaps the least exciting conference game of the week will take place in Bloomington, where Wisconsin is trying to prove it does not belong in the Big Ten basement, while Indiana is trying to show its win two weeks ago over Northwestern was not a fluke.

Last week Badger fans finally could feel like they got their patented running game back. Both P.J. Hill and John Clay rushed for more than 100 yards against Michigan State; now Wisconsin will attempt to duplicate that formula against an Indiana squad that has allowed a 100-yard rusher in three of five Big Ten contests this season.

Indiana is a team of many weapons but lacking a go-to player. Last week Marcus Thigpen and Bryan Payton produced nice numbers on the ground, while in previous weeks Ben Chappell or wide receivers Ray Fisher and Andrew Means have supplied the boost. Last year the team knew it could count on James Hardy; this year no one can be sure week to week who will step up, if anyone at all.

This game could be decided by the kickers. Indiana ranks last in the Big Ten in red zone offense, while Wisconsin ranks last in red zone defense. Likewise, Wisconsin has stalled many of its drives in recent weeks. If the game does come down to kickers, Wisconsin will hold the advantage; Philip Welch has been superb (15 of 18), whereas Austin Starr has made just 50 percent of his attempts for Indiana.

Notes:

Wisconsin ranks dead last in the conference in sacks (14) and penalties (57) — perhaps two reasons for the team’s poor showing this season.

Indiana last defeated Wisconsin in 2002. The Badgers blew a 12-point fourth quarter lead in the 32-29 defeat.

After losing by an average of 24.4 points during its five-game mid-season slide Indiana’s last two games have been decided by a total of five points. That statistic demonstrates that Bill Lynch’s club has matured heading into the season’s final month. 

Key Player (Badgers) — David Gilreath, WR

Two Central Michigan receivers combined for three scores last week, with each player collecting 130-plus yards receiving. Gilreath’s play has elevated in recent weeks, and with Travis Beckum on a shelf the team needs for its best wideout to make big plays and take pressure off of tight end Garrett Graham.

Key Player (Hoosiers) — Ben Chappell and Kellen Lewis, QBs

Wisconsin has done well in frustrating mobile quarterbacks this season (Juice Williams threw three interceptions, and up to his final run Terrell Pryor failed to do much with his feet). Indiana needs Lewis to break that trend, and it needs Chappell to crack the secondary for a few big plays; the duo is the Hoosiers best offense and only hope to knock off the Badgers.

Wisconsin by 4