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Week 8 games of interest to Wisconsin Football fans

By Sam Land

BLOOMINGTON, IN - OCTOBER 20: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions throws a pass in the first quarter of the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - OCTOBER 20: Trace McSorley #9 of the Penn State Nittany Lions throws a pass in the first quarter of the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium on October 20, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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No. 9 Florida vs. No. 7 Georgia (Jacksonville, FL) – 3:30 p.m. ET

Wisconsin fans should tune in to this matchup for two reasons. One, with the Badgers looking increasingly likely to face off with an SEC opponent in their bowl game, there’s a decent chance that they could draw the loser of this contest.

Second, who doesn’t love a battle between two teams in the Top Ten, especially one that has such massive postseason implications?

Both Florida and Georgia come into this game with only one loss, which means a Playoff berth remains in sight for each. Whoever loses this one will take themselves out of that conversation, as well as a chance at an appearance in the SEC Championship Game in all likelihood.

The Bulldogs are coming off a bye week after a crushing 36-16 defeat at the hands of LSU in Baton Rouge, so they have had plenty of time to prepare for the Gators and put that setback behind them.

More. Biggest games for Wisconsin football the rest of the year. light

In contrast, Florida’s stock has been trending up ever since the Week 2 loss to the upstart Kentucky Wildcats, as the Gators have won five straight, including last weekend’s 37-27 win over a sneaky-good Vanderbilt team.

Both teams boast defenses that rank among the nation’s best, so points could be at a premium in this one. The outcome could very well be decided by which quarterback outperforms the other. Georgia’s Jake Fromm struggled mightily in the loss to LSU, but his overall body of work suggests he is still one of the nation’s top signal callers. Florida’s Feleipe Franks has been solid this season, but it’s hard not to give the edge to the Bulldogs with Fromm under center.

The game will be played on a neutral site at TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The immediate reaction of most would be that this should still be an advantage for Florida, but I would expect Georgia fans to travel well considering the relatively short distance and the enthusiasm of its fan base.