Wisconsin Badgers Football 2014 Season Breakdown: Game-By-Game Analysis

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WEEK 6: Wisconsin at Northwestern

The kickoff to the Big Ten season is an interesting one. Last year the Wildcats were supposed to arrive as a Big Ten power but failed to deliver on their early-season hype. Their offense has the potential to be explosive with Trevor Siemian at quarterback and Treyvon Green in the backfield so Wisconsin’s defense could have its hands full. Plus, there’s not too many games that Northwestern fans get more amped-up for than a matchup with Wisconsin. Geographically speaking, this is the closest Big Ten school to Madison. That is one of the reasons why some believe this is a budding rivalry; thus it’s by no means an easy game.

 WEEK 7: Wisconsin vs. Illinois

This is the Badgers’ first home Big Ten game and it’s against another team from Illinois. But this Illini squad isn’t quite as dangerous as last year’s team; which went an underwhelming 4-8 on the year. I say that because Illinois will be without their dual-threat quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase has left Champaign, IL. But the Badgers’ defense will have to look out for to-be junior running back Josh Ferguson, who got better and better with each game last year — especially at catching passes out of the backfield. If Wisconsin can contain him they will likely have control of the game by the time Jump Around concludes at Camp Randall.

WEEK 8: BYE

WEEK 9: Wisconsin vs. Maryland

Maryland is coming to Camp Randall, as a member of the Big Ten, for the first time in school history I am quite confident they will leave Madison with a firm understanding of what Badgers football is all about. Maryland does not have the defensive depth to deal with four quarters of Wisconsin’s line-em-up and run it-at-em approach. As the game unfolds, Maryland’s defense will break down and not be able to handle Melvin Gordon III and Corey Clement continually running behind that famous Badgers line. Maryland will be coming off two straight games against Iowa and Ohio State before facing Wisconsin. Quite the rough stretch.

WEEK 10: Wisconsin at Rutgers

Wisconsin will be making its first ever trip to Rutgers to face the Scarlet Knights in their second road Big Ten game of the year. Here is the Scarlet Knight’s introduction to the Big Ten; Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin in their first four games. Insane. Rutgers will undoubtably be fairly beat up and most-likely slightly demoralized by the time it faces Wisconsin. Rutgers is coming off an okay year in which it lost in the Pinstripe Bowl to Notre Dame. The Scarlet Knights are bringing back talented quarterback Gary Nova and sometimes explosive running back Paul James to go along with its subpar defense. Wisconsin should take this game but road games in the Big Ten are never a guarantee.

WEEK 11: Wisconsin at Purdue

The Badgers continue their road trip in week 11, albeit closer to home in West Lafayette, IN. Purdue is coming off an abysmal year (1-11) and there is no evidence to suggest that it’ll be much better in 2014. Quite literally, the Boilermakers were one of the worst offenses and defenses last year. In recent years the Badgers have destroyed Purdue and that trend will continue this year. I mean, it won’t even be close. I would assume that a lot of Wisconsin fans will make the trip to the game; Badgers fans have become quite accustomed to to traveling to Indiana for Badgers sporting events.