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.