Well rested off a bye week, the Wisconsin (1-1 Big Ten, 3-2 overall) offense had more time than usual to prepare for No. 19 Northwestern (0-1, 4-1) and to shake off the tough loss against No. 4 Ohio State (2-0, 6-0).
The Wildcats put up a fight against the Buckeyes while the Badgers watched from home during their bye week.
Northwestern was ahead 23-20 at the end of the third quarter before allowing Ohio State to put up 20 points in the fourth quarter.
The Buckeyes did a good job of taming Wisconsin’s running game the week before and forcing the Badgers to put the ball in the air.
In Wisconsin’s last match-up redshirt senior wide receiver Jared Abbrederis had 207 yards, his career high. The Badgers have utilized Abbrederis’ talented receiving ability to complement their historic running game.
“It feels good to get back, had a nice bye week to get refreshed,” Abbrederis said. “I’m never worried about numbers. It’s about coming out here and playing the game, just doing what I love to do.”
Both of Wisconsin’s losses this season have come on the road, the first to Arizona State in a controversial heartbreaker and the last in their most recent game against the undefeated powerhouse Ohio State.
“It’s fun playing here, we have a great crowd here. One of the best in the nation in my opinion,” Abbrederis said, “You definitely feel a good vibe from them, when things get down they can pick you up.”
The home field advantage can play a big role in college football. There is a dedicated fan base that consistently shows up each week with organized chants and cheers. Beyond the moral support fans provide they can be completely debilitating to a visiting team trying to call an audible as the play clock ticks down.
Red shirt sophomore quarterback Joel Stave experienced a situation similar to this under the lights at Ohio Stadium with over 106,000 screaming fans, the third biggest crowd in Ohio Stadium history.
Senior running back James White is averaging just less than 95 yards per game this season.
“It’s a lot of fun playing here; it’s my senior year and I need to cherish it,” White said, “At the same time for us to be a great team we need to win on the road. That will be the challenge for us in the coming weeks.”
Redshirt sophomore running back Melvin Gordon has 698 yards off of 68 carries this season.
He is currently the sixth ranked rusher in the NCAA for the 2013 season. With the help of White and true freshman running back Corey Clement, the Badgers will look to bounce back against the Wildcats and continue their rushing heritage.
