The Biggest X-Factor for Wisconsin's Tilt at No. 12 UCLA No One is Talking About

Wisconsin has a chance to do something it hasn't done since the 2023 season, the first year of the Luke Fickell era: crack the AP Top 25.

A win over the No. 12 UCLA Bruins on the road Saturday evening in Week 7 would surely do it, especially considering the Badgers already have a road win over a then-top-15 team and a victory would propel them to 5-1 overall (3-0 in conference play).

If the Badgers do in fact hand the Bruins their first loss under new head coach Bob Chesney, we can start dreaming much bigger. But first things first; Wisconsin must handle its business in Pasadena.

The big storyline in the early lead-up to this game has been UCLA's quarterback, or lack thereof. Monday afternoon, it was reported that starter Nico Iamaleava was slated to miss the rest of the season with a knee ailment, pushing Ty Dieffenbach (or perhaps Madden Iamalaeva) into the Bruins' QB1 role.

And yet, that's not the biggest X-factor for this game in my eyes. This is a game that's going to be won and lost in the trenches. Both teams pride themselves on controlling the line of scrimmage. UCLA boasts the No. 6 rushing offense in America, gashing opposing defensive fronts for 253.2 yards per game on the ground.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, prides itself on stopping the run, ranking 35th nationally in that regard and deploying a big, stout defensive line backed up by two of the best run-stopping linebackers in the country in Mason Posa and Cooper Catalano.

Thus, the Bruins' ground game versus the Badgers' run defense is a matchup many will have circled, and for good reason. And while that will certainly go a long way in determining the outcome of the game, I'm more concerned with Wisconsin's offensive front.

What's Wisconsin's center situation?

Wisconsin offensive lineman Ryan Cory. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Before the season, I wrote that the health of starting center Austin Kawecki was of the utmost importance, to the point that he's the No. 1 player who must stay healthy on this roster.

Flash forward to Week 7, and he's a massive question mark ahead of the biggest game yet this fall.

"Austin, I don’t really know yet. He’ll have a club on his hand right now. As the week goes, we’ll see how much he can do," head coach Luke Fickell said this week, before adding that the club is on his right (snapping) hand.

That doesn't sound all that promising for the starting center. The good news for Wisconsin? Its backup center, Ryan Cory, looked miles ahead of where he was last season in relief of Kawecki against the Spartans. He only allowed one pressure, per Pro Football Focus, and didn't send any snaps flying over the head of his quarterback like he did last fall in his lone start against Maryland. In fact, his snaps were actually a little more consistent than that of Kawecki's, in obviously a much smaller sample size.

If it's indeed Cory who trots out with the starters Saturday evening, he'll primarily be matched up with Tyson Ford, a 6-4, 321-pound fifth-year defensive tackle who's the Bruins' primary nose tackle. Ford has notched eight tackles, five pressures and one fumble recovery this fall.

UCLA's defensive front poses a bigger challenge, and the veteran experience and leadership of Kawecki is irreplaceable. We'll know more when Wisconsin's initial injury report drops on Wednesday night. But center is a massive question mark right now for the Badgers, and it's an overlooked huge factor in this game.

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