After a pair of close wins against Iowa and Nebraska, Wisconsin (2-1 Big Ten, 5-2 overall) was able to pull away late against Purdue, giving the Badgers some momentum moving into this week’s matchup against Illinois (1-1, 4-2), who is coming off a bye week.
Players were hesitant to say whether coming off a bye is a blessing or a curse.
“A couple weeks off could be good for your body, but also a week off can slow you down,” senior wide receiver Rob Wheelwright said.
For the Badgers, the key to the game is to continue the momentum they grabbed at the tail end of the Purdue game. UW was only up by three at halftime, but scored two touchdowns in the second half while shutting out Purdue in the final two quarters. That said, Illinois is a higher quality opponent than Purdue, a team that ranks near the bottom of the nation in most major defensive categories.
“Their defense is pretty good and not big on letting big plays happen, and they’ve been really good at stopping that,” Wheelwright said of the Illini defense.
The Illinois defense is adept at limiting opposing offenses, especially through the air, ranking 30th in the nation in yards allowed per game (332.5) and 24th in pass yards allowed per game (181.2). Their rushing defense isn’t quite as stellar, but still good, ranking 50th in rush yards allowed per game (151.3).
This could bode well for a Wisconsin offense that has struggled to find consistency in the running game, with injuries to backs and linemen plaguing the squad. There is a chance of previously injured center Dan Voltz and running back Corey Clement both returning on Saturday, which would likely give the Badgers’ ground game the boost it has needed all season.
In the passing game, the depth chart may be shaken up by news that broke this week, with backup quarterback DJ Gillins moving to play wide receiver. This has led to speculation about the former four-star recruit’s long-term future, but offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph squashed those thoughts this week.
“I think he just sees an opportunity to make an impact on this team this year and wants to do it, and I wouldn’t read anything more into it than that,” Rudolph said. “He wants a chance to be on the field and impact this team, and I think it’s pretty cool.”
On the other side of the ball, Wisconsin’s defense, which has been the strength of the team, should have an easier time adjusting. The Illinois offense is fairly one-dimensional, with the team favoring the pass due to the impressive skillset of junior quarterback Wes Lunt.
Knowing that they face a team with a limited running game should allow Wisconsin to put less guys in the box and focus more on putting defensive backs on the field to limit progress through the air. The key to that will be to slow down the Illini skill players.
“Their running backs and receivers are very skilled and very explosive. They try to use that to their advantage, get the ball in their hands as fast as possible, take shots down the field and get those guys the ball,” senior linebacker Joe Schobert said.
If anything were to happen to Lunt, Wisconsin must be ready to adapt, because Illinois’ backup, freshman Chayce Crouch, is a more mobile quarterback, and the offense will adjust.
“There’s really two offenses in there. The ability to flip switches like that and go from throwing the ball to running the ball … they do some runs with [Lunt], but he’s not gonna run, it’s a fake, they’ll bring in [Crouch] and he’ll run, he’s a good athlete,” defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said.
The Badgers and Illini will face off at 2:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Urbana-Champaign, Ill.
