Wisconsin football: Three questions for Week 4 at Ohio State
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The Wisconsin Badgers will have their hands full this weekend as they take their talents on the road for the first time this season for a primetime matchup with Ohio State.
The game is by far Wisconsin's hardest game of the season and it will be a true test of how far the Badgers have come since last season.
Entering the game as double-digit underdogs, several players on Wisconsin's roster will be playing their first collegiate road game and for others, it will be their first opportunity against the No. 3 ranked Buckeyes.
With that in mind, here is a look at three questions for the Badgers heading into the battle with Ohio State.
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud throwing the football against Toledo in Week 3.
Barbara Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK
Can Wisconsin pressure C.J. Stroud and make him uncomfortable?
It is no secret by now that Ohio State has one of the best offenses in college football this season. The Buckeyes have explosive athletes out wide and have multiple running backs that make plays out of the backfield. However, the catalyst for the entire offense is quarterback C.J. Stroud. He has a nation-leading 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions through the first three games.
If the Wisconsin Badgers want to have a chance against the talented quarterback, they will need to bring pressure and not allow him to get comfortable in the pocket. He is too good and has too many top-level receiving targets to throw to that he can pick apart a defense with ease when in rhythm.
Defensive lineman Keeanu Benton and outside linebacker Nick Herbig are two of the defensive leaders for Wisconsin and the duo will need to play well to give the Badgers a chance on Saturday. Herbig has four sacks this season in only three games, but he will need to record multiple sacks and pressures to alter Stroud and the Buckeye passing attack. I would anticipate that defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard deploys several new stunts up front and Wisconsin will need to get after Stroud to help out the secondary.
Wisconsin inside linebacker Maema Njongmeta (No. 55) intercepting a pass against New Mexico State.
Mark Hoffman / USA TODAY NETWORK
Can Wisconsin win the turnover battle?
In a game where Ohio State has several advantages and is at home, the Wisconsin Badgers will need to have some favorable bounces go their way on Saturday.
Wisconsin ranks No. 1 in the Big in terms of turnover differential this season and they will need to carry that over against the Buckeyes. That means the offense needs to limit mistakes and the defense needs to be opportunistic when there are chances to take the ball away.
Ohio State can score quickly and on any given play. Turnovers give the ball back to Wisconsin's offense and keep C.J. Stroud off the field.
Far too often in the matchups against Ohio State, key turnovers have swung momentum away from the Badgers and allowed the Buckeyes to pull away in the second half.
On the road, in a hostile environment, a turnover in favor of the Badgers can help suppress the crowd and give the Wisconsin offense additional opportunities to put up points. The turnover battle is always incredibly important in the game of football, but with Ohio State having a decisive advantage in many key areas, a few extra scoring chances would go a long way in helping the Badgers keep things interesting on Saturday.
Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz preparing to release the football down the field against New Mexico State.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Will the Badgers stay balanced on offense?
Through the first three weeks, the Wisconsin Badgers have been incredibly balanced on offense. They are averaging 218 yards rushing and 260 yards passing as a team, a drastic change from a year ago when the Badgers ranked near the bottom of all FBS teams in most passing metrics.
With a much tougher opponent upcoming, it will be interesting to see if offensive coordinator Bobby Engram can maintain a balanced approach against Ohio State, who will likely look to stop the Wisconsin rushing attack and Braelon Allen.
There is little doubt that the Baders will need to be efficient through the air and on the ground against the Buckeyes, but Wisconsin will need to generate big plays regardless of the play-call. Ohio State's defense is much better than a season ago, and defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has an attacking scheme. How well the Wisconsin offensive line holds up in the run game and in passing situations will be a key to the game and one of the biggest questions. Paul Chryst has stated that starting right tackle Riley Mahlman will not be available this Saturday, meaning that Logan Brown and Trey Wedig will likely earn the majority of snaps.
Wisconsin has more weapons around Graham Mertz this season, and he has done a nice job of distributing the ball to a variety of targets so far this season. The Badgers also have three talented running backs that all deserve touches against OSU. It will be fascinating to see if Mertz and the offense can strike a nice balance on offense to get everyone involved and help dictate the game, rather than allowing Ohio State's defense to be the aggressor.
Related links:
- Tanor Bortolini is 'thrilled' to be back after a knee injury in fall camp
- Wisconsin versus Ohio State by the numbers
- Q&A Preview: Wisconsin versus Ohio State
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