Badger Football: 3 Things We Want to See Against Penn State

Wisconsin will face one of their toughest challenges of the season this Saturday when Penn State comes to town. The Nittany Lions boast a top 10 offense and defense and currently rank No. 3 in the country. It would certainly be a huge upset if Bucky is able to pull off a win, but there is a path to victory. Here are three things we want to see from the Badgers in this primetime matchup.

1. Keep QB Braedyn Locke Upright

The Badger offensive line has reminded us of years past this season, ranking and playing as one of the top units in college football. One of the biggest reasons Wisconsin has had so much success as of late is their ability to keep Locke clean in the pocket. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), the Badger line has allowed the ninth-lowest pressure percentage thus far, even after games against Alabama and USC.

Penn State, though, has a projected first round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft in OLB Abdul Carter who will be doing everything he can to blow those rankings to smithereens. He has four sacks and nine tackles for loss so far this season and could cause problems for Locke, who hasn't done well under pressure.

2. No Turnovers

One of the few bug-a-boos from the Badgers' win streak has been turnovers. Despite playing well overall, Locke has thrown four interceptions over the past three games. The Badgers have also lost seven fumbles throughout the season. It's something that has continued to plague them all season and against a team like Penn State, the margin for error is minimal.

3. Make Some Kicks

Kicker Nathanial Vakos is just 1-for-3 on field goals during the win streak and only 6-for-10 on the season. Like turnovers, it hasn't cost Wisconsin yet, but one of these times these issues are going to come back to bite them. Points may be hard to come by against Penn State and Vakos will need to be on his A-game if the Badgers want to win.