1. A Good Game Against a Good Team
The Badgers absolutely routed Purdue last week, winning 52-6. But at the same time, the Boilermakers are debatably the worst team in the Big Ten and anything less than a blowout would've felt like a loss. So the big question this week is, are the Badgers actually improving, or did they just beat up on a bad team?
Enter Rutgers, who is 4-1 and will provide a tough test for Wisconsin on the road. The two previous 'good' teams the Badgers played this season, Alabama and USC, smashed them by a combined score of 80-31. It was a great team win last week, but we really need to see a similar performance this week against a stronger team to really buy into the Badgers again.
2. Strong Run Defense
The Badgers are about to face the nation's fifth-leading rusher in Kyle Monangai. The Badger defense has allowed 140 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks a pedestrian 59th in the country. Rutgers wins and loses with Monangai and his 5.8 yards per carry, so if Wisconsin is able to bottle him up, things will be a lot easier.
The Badgers' defensive front has been the weak spot on defense however, and if Alabama and USC are any indication, things won't go well for that unit. They allowed 180 rushing yards per game against those opponents and now face another tough test. Still, maybe some momentum from the Purdue game will carry over to propel the group to a statement win.
3. Another Kekahuna Breakout
After weeks of limited game action, fans got their wish with a breakout from wide receiver Trech Kekahuna. He finished his day against Purdue with six catches for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns in a standout performance that earned him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
It was exactly what fans have been begging for since the start of the season. Prior to the Purdue contest, Kekahuna had only registered four catches on the season, despite showing some promise. Depending on the Badgers' injury situation with Bryson Green and Will Pauling, Kekahuna may see similar opporunites against Rutgers. Regardless, it's time Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo find more ways to incorporate him into the offense.