Wisconsin Badgers vs. Purdue Boilermakers: Predictions

They average 148.2 rushing yards per game, No. 13 in the Big Ten.

A consistent running game would take pressure off the quarterback, but the Boilermakers aren’t equipped.

The best cure of not-so-good offense is an abysmal defense and that is exactly what the Badgers will be up against early on Saturday when they host the Boilermakers of Purdue (1-5).

Injuries have forced the Wisconsin football team to use four offensive line combinations in their six games this season. Redshirt freshman Jacob Maxwell played the week before against Iowa.

This is Drews’ second straight Player of the Week accolade after sharing the honor with Audra Appold on October. 5.

“We talked about self-motivation, and I think that (the team’s) player council group of 13 or 14 guys has to do more in terms of dragging people along, and making sure that they pull a couple of guys here and there and really infuse a few of that energy that we’re not getting out of the masses”.

“It’s hard to say”, running backs coach John Settle said when asked if he expects to have him this week.

Purdue made a quarterback change after three games, benching returning starter Austin Appleby and inserting redshirt freshman David Blough.

Wisconsin running back Corey Clement has returned to practice but isn’t participating at full speed three weeks after the team announced he needed sports hernia surgery.

Chryst said that Clement was rehabbing his body and “the confidence as well”. “I think this work well on both hands”. He won’t be available this week, but we’ll evaluate him going forward.

While that may scare Badgers fans heading into Saturday’s game, we have six weeks of evidence that suggests that half was an outlier (and six weeks of evidence that suggests Michigan State shouldn’t be anywhere near the top five).

Only seven FBS teams have allowed more runs of 20-plus yards than the Boilermakers.

But now, if the Badgers want to improve their level of effectiveness on offense for the remainder of the season, they will need Stave to play with poise and accuracy for 60 minutes, rather than just two. The Purdue Boilermakers ground game is averaging 148.1 yards per contest, and Markell Jones leads the way with 412 yards and five touchdowns.

It also means that UW’s leading receiver – now Alex Erickson with 463 yards – could end up with more yards than their leading rusher for just the third time since 1990. Garcia started in that spot when Herman was out with a hamstring injury. Rutgers has yet to win a Big Ten match since joining the league and the Knights have lost of five of six conference matches in straight sets.

In just over 50 seconds, Stave marched Wisconsin down the field, throwing crisp, accurate passes to get the team within field goal range and setting UW up for the win. Minnesota’s secondary is rock solid, ranking 15th in the nation and ninth in pass efficiency defense – the Nebraska air show isn’t going to take off this week.