1
Mario Manningham
The Wolverines junior wide receiver is second in the Big Ten with 949 receiving yards this season and tied for third in the conference with 59 receptions. Manningham has scored a touchdown in six of the nine games he's played this year, scoring multiple touchdowns in three of his last four. Wisconsin fans, however, do not need to be reminded just how talented the Wolverines' go-to guy truly is. In last season's match-up, he made several dazzling catches, finishing with seven receptions, 137 yards receiving and two touchdowns. His performance that day was a large reason why Wisconsin was unable to pull off the upset.
While playing a limited role as a freshman with Michigan in 2005, Manningham's first impressive collegiate performance came at Camp Randall, as he racked up 106 receiving yards and a touchdown. This week, Wisconsin defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz is going to have to mix up his coverage schemes and call for double teams in the secondary to try and slow down Manningham. Simply put, the Wolverines' star offensive player is just too good to be left alone on an island in one-on-one coverage with any Badgers cornerback.
2
The Revenge Factor
During Bret Bielema's successful first season as head coach last year, Wisconsin posted a 12-1 record. The one loss: Michigan. Kicking off the Big Ten season in Ann Arbor, the Badgers hung with the No. 6 Wolverines throughout the first two quarters, heading into halftime tied at 10. However, in the second half, Michigan outscored Wisconsin 17-3 behind running back Mike Hart, as the home team recorded a 27-13 victory. Badgers then freshman running back P.J. Hill, who entered the game leading the Big Ten in rushing, was held to just 54 yards. The victory last season brought Wolverines head coach Lloyd Carr's record against Wisconsin up to 7-1 since taking over at Michigan in 1995.
Besides the head-to-head revenge factor, Wisconsin will be out for blood after a gut-wrenching 38-17 defeat to No. 1 Ohio State last week, a game which was much more competitive than the final score indicates. The Badgers outplayed Ohio State for virtually three quarters, yet fell apart at the seams in the fourth and left Columbus with a loss. In a major rivalry game against a ranked opponent, look for the home team to come out fired up.
3
Tyler Donnovan
Was his resurgence last week a trend or mirage? During the non-conference schedule to begin the season, Donovan seemed to show Badger fans that the coaching staff made the right decision to start him ahead of junior transfer quarterback Allan Evridge, as he threw for 623 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions through the first three games. Since the Big Ten season started however, he has only thrown six touchdowns and nine interceptions.
In Donovan's defense, a significant portion of his downfall has resulted from the injury suffered by go-to senior wide receiver Luke Swan, which forced the Badgers quarterback to become increasingly reliant on young, and often inconsistent wide receivers. Donovan, however, excelled by making smart decisions, passing for 238 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against Ohio State, who entered the game as the fourth best pass defense in the country.
More importantly, it finally appeared as though Donovan was again feeling calm in the pocket and not panicking when he felt the pass rush. If the Badgers hope to pull off an upset against Michigan, it's imperative that he spread the field and utilize all of his wide receivers against a tough Wolverines defense.
4
Pressure by the Front Sevens
Over Michigan senior quarterback Chad Henne's last three games, he has thrown eight touchdowns and only one interception while playing his best stretch of football this year. However, he can easily become rattled and taken out of his groove if the defense hits him early and often. During Michigan's eight-game win streak, the offensive line has done an excellent job keeping Henne on his feet. The Badgers defensive line struggled to consistently pressure Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman last week, allowing him to get off to a fast start. In order to contain Michigan's high-powered offense, the front seven is going to need to generate a consistent pass rush.
On the other side, the Badgers offensive line has struggled in recent weeks and has had trouble all season adjusting to the loss of offensive tackle Joe Thomas. The low point came last week, when senior quarterback Tyler Donovan was sacked nine times. Michigan possesses the second best pass defense in the Big Ten and consistently pressures opposing quarterbacks. Wisconsin's offensive line is going to have its hands full with a quick and physical unit that can dominate the game.
5
Wisconsin's Backfield Committee
Even if Hill is declared healthy enough to play this week, look to see him worked back into the mix slowly after missing last weekend's game against Ohio State. For the foreseeable future, expect Bielema to regularly rotate sophomore Lance Smith and freshman Zach Brown into games to keep Hill rested while returning from his leg injury.
Each running back brings a different dimension to the table, but what's clear is that to beat elite opponents such as Michigan, last year's Big Ten Freshman of the Year needs to be healthy and effective. Brown appeared in his first start last week in Columbus against Ohio State. He finished with 63 yards on 20 carries, while 22 of those yards came on one run. However, Brown showed some growing pains, losing a fumble while making his cuts against a tough Buckeye defense. If Hill is limited or unavailable, look for the bulk of the workload to fall upon Smith, who proved capable two weeks ago rushing for 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns after Hill was forced to leave the game against Indiana.
