Watch Guide: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Northwestern preview and notes

All the updates and information surrounding Saturday's game between Wisconsin and Northwestern, including how to watch the game, betting odds, game notes, and news heading into Week 6.

It has been a busy week on and off the field for the Wisconsin Badgers football program. Despite everything that has gone on over the past seven days, the team must rally together for a road matchup with Northwestern this Saturday. 

The game will mark the first time that Jim Leonhard is the team's head coach, and it will be fascinating to see if anything has changed over the past few days since Paul Chryst's firing. 

As we do with every game this season, All Badgers has your gameday watch guide to help you be fully prepared for Saturday.

Contents

1. Game details and television information
2. SI Sportsbook for betting
3. Player news
4. Pre-game Notes
5. Articles to get you ready
6. Quote of the week

Game details and television information

• Wisconsin Badgers (2-3 overall) at the Northwestern Wildcats (1-4)
• Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CST from Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois.
• The game will be aired on Big Ten Network.
• Matt Lepay will call the game on Badger Sports Network (Varsity Network App).
• Weather forecast: 60 degrees at kickoff with low winds and clear skies. 

SI Sportsbook for betting

• Spread: Wisconsin is a 10-point favorite
• Over/Under: 43 points

Player news

The following players will not be available on Saturday night for Wisconsin:

• Safety Hunter Wohler (Sophomore)- left leg injury
• Kicker Vito Calvaruso (Junior) - right leg injury
• Tight end Cam Large (RS Sophomore) - right leg injury
• Outside linebacker Aaron Witt (RS Sophomore) - right leg injury
• Quarterback Chase Wolf (Redshirt Senior) - knee injury
• *Defensive end Isaac Townsend (RS Junior) - left leg injury
• *Safety Travian Blaylock (Senior) - right knee injury
• *Defensive end Mike Jarvis (Freshman) - left leg injury
• *Inside linebacker Luna Larson (Freshman) - right leg injury

Coaching connections between Northwestern and Wisconsin:

• Northwestern special team's coordinator Jeff Genyk was previously the tight ends coach and coordinated the special teams at Wisconsin from 2013-2014 under Gary Andersen. 

The following players on Northwestern's roster have connections to Wisconsin:

• No. 83 Blake Van Buren is from Middleton (Wis.) and played at Middleton High School
• No. 90 Adam Stage is from Appleton (Wis.) and played at Kimberly High School

It’s time to get it done. pic.twitter.com/xn5iKuKTHx

— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) October 6, 2022

Pre-game Notes

• Wisconsin beat Northwestern 35-7 last season inside Camp Randall Stadium. It was the largest margin of victory for the Badgers against the Wildcats since 2013.
• The Badgers lead the all-time series 61-35-7, but Wisconsin has only beaten Northwestern eight times since 2000, with only one of those wins coming in Evanston (2016). 
• Dating back to 1993, this is only the third time in the past 24 matchups where both of the teams are unranked.

• Wisconsin inside linebacker Maema Njongmeta has recorded eight or more tackles in four of the team's five games this season and leads the team with 40 total tackles. 
• Wisconsin outside linebacker Nick Herbig is second in the Big Ten with four sacks, but he has not gotten to the quarterback in either of the past two games.
• Running back Braelon Allen was held to a career-low as a starter with two rushing yards last Saturday versus Illinois. 
• Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz has thrown an interception in four straight games, while he has thrown a touchdown to six different receiving targets this season. 

Articles to get you ready

• Three questions for Wisconsin ahead of Northwestern
• Wisconsin versus Northwestern by the numbers
• Week 6 depth chart and injury report for Wisconsin
• Players discuss the firing of Paul Chryst, Northwestern preparation
• Paul Chryst's top ten moments as head coach at Wisconsin
• 10 potential head coaching candidates for the Badgers
• Jim Leonhard, coaching profile and background
• Press conference: Jim Leonhard named interim HC of the Badgers
• Paul Chryst fired as head coach of Wisconsin

Quote of the week

“I also have confidence in Jim Leonhard to guide the program for the remainder of the season. There is still a lot of season left to play and I know Jim will do a great job while the program is under his leadership.” - Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh

Jim Leonhard speaks with the media and gives a look at Northwestern. pic.twitter.com/77yzVnyo8w

— Wisconsin Football (@BadgerFootball) October 6, 2022

Related links:

• Three questions: Wisconsin versus Northwestern
• Wisconsin players discuss the firing of Paul Chryst
• Wisconsin football offers 2023 tight end CJ Jacobsen

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