Wisconsin - Maryland, two previews

[BigAppleBucky]

One funny, one serious, both non-professional.

PureBwa

Enjoy.



Badger1Bob


Conclusions:


1. The Badger's offense has an edge against against the Terrapins defense. Wisconsin is 4th in total offense and 5th in scoring offense (34.7 ppg) despite an anemic passing game versus Maryland's 12th in total defense and 10th in scoring D (26 ppg).


2. The Badger's defense has a slight edge against Maryland's offense. Maryland averages 35.1 (4th) ppg and is 7th in total D. The Badgers are 2nd in scoring (15.2 ppg) and total O 286 ypg). On the face of these stats, UW's defense is playing good football.


3. Maryland has excellent special teams and a big edge in this phase of the game. The Terrapins are good enough on offense and ST to win the game in these areas.


So 10 or 11 point spread for UW? Don't see that at all. This is a field goal game that will be decided by a few big plays. I'm going to go with...

 

[ATerp]

Thanks. Butch Vig?

This should be a good, hard game. Wisc's run game will be hard to stop. What has the Badgers competition been like so far?

 

[JonScott]

Well, that was a colossal misjudgement, wouldn't you say?

 

[BigAppleBucky]

Originally posted by JonScott:
Well, that was a colossal misjudgement, wouldn't you say?

Yep. But I've followed B1B's analyses for about six years now and he's right far more often than wrong.

There were a few factors. I think Brown may have been bothered by the wind. He overthrew a bunch of passes. That happens in Camp Randall, but usually when the winds are stronger. (They come from the north over the lake which is behind the student section.)

Wisconsin had a bye week to prepare and it was homecoming.

Watt and, especially Herring, came back from injuries suffered the first game of the season.

Some of Stave's rust wore off. He has his flaws, but he's now close to the form he showed last year. It was not apparent that he would be able to do that.

One thing about losing 52-7. It doesn't stick with the team the way a close last second loss would. No woulda, shoulda, coulda, involved. Move on. That's life in the Big Ten.