Well this just changed up in a hurry. What was growing into the West game of West games has now been reduced to the backburner after Nebraska (2-3) couldn’t hang on in a loss to Illinois and Wisconsin (3-2) couldn’t stop giving the ball away in an ugly 10-6 loss to Iowa. While each team is only one game into the Big Ten season, the loser might as well pack of the bus on the season, while the winner will be in the hunt for the West title – as it was supposed to be from the start. Check out the Nebraska vs. Wisconsin prediction and game preview.

Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
Game Time: 3:30 pm
Venue: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE
Network: ABC/ESPN2

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Why You Need To Care

Wisconsin hasn’t just beaten Nebraska the last two times, it took away its identity. Bo Pelini had a nice run as the Husker head coach, but part of the reason he got fired came from the team’s performances against the Badgers with a 70-31 loss in the 2012 Big Ten championship – allowing 539 rushing yards and eight touchdowns – and last year’s record-setting day from Melvin Gordon highlighting a 59-24 loss allowing 581 rushing yards and seven scores. New head man Mike Riley has his own problems with a 2-3 start, but on the positive side, the team is three plays away from being 5-0. It’s also one loss away from starting a season 2-4 for the first time since 1959.

Wisconsin failed in its two games against real teams – starting out the season losing to Alabama along with the debacle against Iowa – but the defense has still only allowed 13 points in the last four games. Can the offense finally start running the ball again, and can it stop making the big mistakes that ruined last week’s game? With Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers and Maryland up next, a win over Nebraska would get the team back into the West title chase.

Why Wisconsin Will Win

With some due respect to Iowa, if Wisconsin doesn’t keep shooting itself in the foot, it wins last week. The Badgers won’t lose this season when it wins the turnover battle – 0-2 when losing it, 3-0 when it doesn’t – and it’s not going to lose it to Nebraska. The Huskers can’t stop turning the ball over, giving it away ten times this year and having problems with any sort of offensive consistency. On the other side of the ball, the Nebraska secondary isn’t slowing down anyone. Nebraska hasn’t exactly been dealing with Baylor or TCU, but it’s allowing 354 yards per game.

Why Nebraska Will Win

Wisconsin just can’t be Wisconsin. The running game is fine against the weak and the sad, but the young offensive line isn’t pounding away and isn’t doing enough to open holes for the mediocre backs. Teams haven’t been running on the Huskers – they’re too busy lighting things up through the air – but the front seven really is solid against teams trying to pound it. That means the game will be in the hands of the Badger passing game, and while it’s not bad, that means there’s a chance for the mistakes to come, meaning …

Player Who Matters

Joel Stave has the season on his shoulders. Unless Corey Clement can come back and healthy, Wisconsin won’t have a ground attack. Stave and the short-to-midrange passing game have to move the ball, and he could carve up the Husker secondary if he gets hot. However, Wisconsin is 2-5 when he throws two or more interceptions. The Badgers have won their last ten games when he didn’t give up a pick – Nebraska has just three interceptions on the year.

What’s Going To Happen?

Wisconsin’s defense will take over. The Badgers will have to grind it out after a tough loss, and even though there won’t be a 500-yard rushing day, the ground attack will be just effective enough to get out alive.

Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Prediction

Final Score: Wisconsin 24, Nebraska 16, Line: Nebraska -1.5, o/u: 48

Must See Rating: 5: The Walk – 1: Pan … 4

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