Wisconsin Defense vs. NIU Offense
Wisconsin's defense did not fare well last weekend against Penn State, whose offense sliced through it in all phases of the game. In its last three games, the Wisconsin defense has given up averages of 470 yards and 34 points. However, the Badgers could redeem themselves by sticking it to NIU, a team that has been struggling to win games this season.
Perhaps the most powerful presence for the Huskies is sophomore tailback Justin Anderson, who leads the team in scoring with 42 points on the season and averages 152.9 yards per game. Junior quarterback Dan Nicholson averages 193.2 yards per game, and his go-to receiver has been junior Matt Simon. Simon has three touchdowns and 580 total yards, and is averaging 95 yards per game. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Morris filled in at quarterback last week, and if he starts again, Wisconsin may find his inexperience to work in their advantage. In first quarter action, the Huskies have been able to outscore most of their opponents. The Wisconsin defense will have to play solidly from kickoff and not let NIU gain early momentum.
Advantage: Northern Illinois
Wisconsin Offense vs. NIU Defense
Ever since senior wide receiver Luke Swan fell with a season-ending injury two weeks ago, Wisconsin has been struggling offensively. Last week, unranked Penn State embarrassed Wisconsin by a final score of 38-7. Senior quarterback Tyler Donovan and his teammates failed to push the ball down the field. The Badgers had a fumble, two interceptions, a missed field goal and two turnovers on downs, along with six punts during this game. Only one offensive possession early in the game was successful when sophomore running back P.J. Hill found the end zone.
Redshirt freshman strong safety Alex Kube is leading NIU defensively this season, registering 68 tackles, 20 more than any other teammate. Junior cornerback Chase Carter leads the Huskies with two interceptions on the season, returning them for a combined total of 120 yards. Donovan needs to make smart passing decisions because any of his mistakes can be crucial.
Advantage: Wisconsin
Special Teams
Though Wisconsin has had strong special teams' performances early in the season, last week's game against Penn State was another story. The Badgers only attempted one field goal in the game, a miss by senior kicker Taylor Mehlhaff. Prior to this kick, Mehlhaff had only one other missed field goal on the season, a 38-yarder against Illinois.
NIU's Chris Nendick has knocked in two-thirds of his kicks, making eight and missing four. Two of those misses were short kicks between 20 and 29 yards. But Nendick has also shown an ability to make longer field goals; he drilled a 47-yarder earlier this season.
Advantage: Wisconsin
Coaching
After losing two games on the road to two unranked teams, Bret Bielema's boys are happy to return home to Camp Randall Stadium this weekend. The Badgers have not lost in front of the home crowd since Bielema took over Barry Alvarez's duties in 2006. Bielema, along with offensive coordinator Paul Chryst, has received a lot of criticism for poor play calling. However, it can be argued that Wisconsin has been doing pretty well in dealing with unfortunate injuries.
Like Bielema, NIU's head coach Joe Novak is looking to end his team's losing streak. NIU's only win on the season came Sept. 22 at Idaho. Since then, the Huskies have lost three consecutive games to Central Micigan, Temple and Western Michigan. In a press conference on Oct. 10, Novak said he and his players are very frustrated and the team is hungry for a win.
Advantage: Wisconsin
