7B
TheMichiganDaily, www.michigandaily.com

Michigan 
survived 
the 
Terrapins’ tricky, jet sweep-
filled run game, but as secondary 
coach Michael Zordich explained 
Wednesday, the Badgers are a 
different animal.
“These guys, they’re gonna 
hit and go north and south,” 
Zordich said. “For our corners 
and the safeties on the edges, 
they gotta fill the lanes. So it’s 
gonna be more of a challenge, 
big-time.
“They’ll get in these sets, it’s 
like rugby. These formations, 
everybody’s in there real tight, 
they’ll run the ball, run the ball, 

run the ball, run the ball.”
Taylor rushed for 221 yards 
last week, and even against a 
top-ranked defense, he can turn 
in stat-stuffing efforts behind 
the country’s best offensive line.

Edge: Wisconsin

Special Teams

Michigan’s 
stretch 
of 
dominance on special teams 
ended 
last 
week. 
After 
a 
Wolverine field goal, Maryland 
grabbed a 7-3 lead off a 98-yard 
touchdown return.

Elsewhere, this is a game 
with two competent kickers 
— a rarity in college football. 
Redshirt 
sophomore 
Quinn 
Nordin is up to 8-of-9 on field 
goal attempts this season, as his 
leg seemingly grows stronger by 
the week. The Badgers’ Rafael 
Gaglianone, meanwhile, is one 
conversion away from setting 
the school record at Wisconsin.
It’ll come down to which unit 
can perform when pressure 
comes Saturday.

Edge: Toss-up

Intangibles:

Since the Big Ten signed its 
TV deal with FOX, night games 
at 
Michigan 
Stadium 
have 
become less of a novelty — the 
Wolverines were required to 
play at least three split between 
2017 and 2018. Michigan played 
under the lights twice last 
season, losing to Michigan State 
before routing Minnesota on a 
cold November evening.

Edge: Michigan, by virtue of 
the sports-writing convention 
of playing at home

Bottom Line

The Wolverines have come 
out of the gates flat against their 
two best opponents this season, 
Notre Dame and Northwestern. 
If they can avoid doing the same 
while generating some longer 
passing plays Saturday, it’s a 
winnable game for Michigan.

Prediction: 
Michigan 
24, 
Wisconsin 20

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily
Sophomore running back Jonathan Taylor is an offensive threat for the Badgers, and has currently rushed for 849 of Wisconsin’s 1,435 total yards throughout 5 games so far during the 2018 season.

