It's finally game day, and the Wisconsin Badgers will face off against the Miami (OH) Redhawks at 8 pm CST at Camp Randall and on the Big Ten Network. It's an exciting first game of the season as the Badgers are bringing in the MAC runner-up from last season.
The Redhawks aren't a team to turn your nose up at, as they did something the Badgers didn't do last year: win a bowl game. They will also be featuring a former Baylor Bear quarterback, Dequan Finn. He's fast, he's electric, and he will make big throws.
Everyone is warning Badger fans that the Miami (OH) Redhawks will present some challenges and the Badgers won't simply run away from them under the lights at Camp Randall. The MAC has a tendency to sneak out a Big Ten win every season, and Wisconsin is preparing to make sure it's not them.
Related: Barry Alvarez isn’t holding back on what he wants from Wisconsin in Week 1
This sets the stage for the final odds and prediction.
Final Odds for Wisconsin vs. Miami (OH) - 17.5 Badgers
The FanDuel odds haven't moved all week. They have remained steady at 17.5 in Wisconsin's favor. However, even a three-score difference in the spread shows that Vegas doesn't see it as a blowout. It will feel closer than the final score may indicate. The over/under has moved to 40.5. This means the final prediction, based solely on odds, is approximately 29-12.
That's not the prediction we want to go with at Badger of Honor, but it is the prediction that Vegas gives the game if you combine the odds and the over/under.
Final score prediction: Wisconsin 34 Miami (OH) 10
I do think the game will feel scary for a little while, but as the players settle in and clear their nerves, they will jump on Miami (OH). While many are worried that Wisconsin will overlook the Redhawks, that's silly for a team that lost five games in a row to end last season. Not to mention how much they talk about the chip being huge on their shoulder. They are going to come out hungry.