Badger of Honor
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Wisconsin Football stays put in week two Big Ten Power Rankings

By Tanner Nestle

MADISON, WI - SEPTEMBER 08: Elijah Lilly #19 of the New Mexico Lobos is brought down by Andrew Van Ginkel #17 and Zack Baun #56 of the Wisconsin Badgers during a game at Camp Randall Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MADISON, WI - SEPTEMBER 08: Elijah Lilly #19 of the New Mexico Lobos is brought down by Andrew Van Ginkel #17 and Zack Baun #56 of the Wisconsin Badgers during a game at Camp Randall Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – SEPTEMBER 08: Rashan Gary #3 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts to a sack against the Western Michigan Broncos at Michigan Stadium on September 8, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

4. Michigan Wolverines

Coming off a disappointing showing against Notre Dame in week one (and Notre Dame didn’t look so hot this weekend) Michigan really needed this strong performance. It’s just Western Michigan, and Michigan was supposed to crush the Broncos, but the win still goes a long way for the sanity of that fanbase.

Shea Patterson completed just 12 of 17 passes for 125 yards, but three of those completions went for scores. It wasn’t flashy, but it was dominating. The Wolverines ran for over 300 yards as a team and had control from start to finish. It’s a step in the right direction for a program that struggled so much a week ago.

Michigan plays SMU next week before opening Big Ten play against Nebraska at home. Scott Frost has some of his own work to do at Nebraska, but if the Husker offense gets going Patterson may need to work some magic to pull out the win.

Michigan doesn’t play another big game until it hosts Wisconsin on October 13th. That starts a three-game stretch that sees the Wolverines going to Michigan State, then hosting Penn State. Of course, the big rivalry at the end of the year against Ohio State could decide the entire division. Michigan will have its chances to climb these power rankings, but not for another few weeks.

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