Wisconsin vs. Ohio State: Stone Cold Final Score Prediction
Oct 21, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell with his players during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
© Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
On Saturday night, the Wisconsin Badgers (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) will host the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0, 5-0 Big Ten) in a matchup that could go a long way in determining both the Big Ten East and Big Ten West champion. With a win, the Badgers would move to a full game ahead of Iowa, who have the week off, while a loss would put them into a tie with the Hawkeyes. That would be a problem because Iowa owns the head-to-head tiebreaker if it comes down to it.
Both Teams are Coming In Hot
Ohio State comes into this contest on the back of a statement win over No. 7 Penn State, while the Badgers managed to outscore Illinois 18-0 in the fourth quarter to secure a 25-21 come-from-behind victory to spoil the Fighting Illini's Homecoming.
Following their win over Illinois, coupled with Iowa's home loss to Minnesota, the Badgers have surged to the top of the Big Ten West Division with a 3-1 record, positioning themselves as the leaders in a relatively weaker division. As it stands, Wisconsin controls its own destiny in terms of getting to the Big Ten Championship Game.
As far as Ohio State goes, the Buckeyes defense was instrumental in their recent victory over the Nittany Lions, holding them to just 240 total yards. On the offensive side, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. proved why he's a force to be reckoned with, catching 11 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown.
QB1 vs. QB Kinda1
Games often come down to which team has a more formidable starting quarterback, and in this situation, there is no question about it that the Buckeyes have the advantage in that area.
The Ohio State offense is led by Kyle McCord (12 TDs and 1 INT), who currently leads the Big Ten in passing yards, with 276.7 per game. His partnership with Harrison Jr. has been nothing short of electric. Though I would not put McCord in the same category as some of the great Ohio State quarterbacks of the past, he is taking advantage of his All-World wide receivers and taking what the defense gives him.
On the other hand, Wisconsin starting quarterback Braedyn Locke has been tossed into the fire after Tanner Mordecai had to undergo surgery after suffering a broken hand. Locke made his first college start this past Saturday against Illinois and though he did not look great early on, he ended up throwing for 240 yards and two touchdowns, while not tossing an interception. Because of his poise, the Badgers were able to storm back from a two-touchdown fourth-quarter deficit to win the game.
Oct 14, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell leads the football team onto the field for warmups prior to the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
The Badgers MUST find success on the ground
The Badgers' strength lies in their ground game, ranking No. 3 in the Big Ten with 180.4 rushing yards per game. They are led by running back Braelon Allen, who is second in the Big Ten in rushing yards, averaging 100.5 per game. This past weekend, Allen racked up 145 rushing yards and a touchdown against Illinois. If the Badgers want any chance at all of beating the Buckeyes, he will have to have a similar or better performance. If Wisconsin is not able to get their run game humming, Locke will need to have a career day through the air, which seems very unlikely against the Ohio State defense.
Final Score Prediction
Saturday night's clash between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Wisconsin Badgers could be a showdown for the ages or it could be over by halftime. With that being said, Ohio State has been solid against the run (100.6 yards allowed per game), and I think it will be very difficult for the Badgers to move the ball regularly. If the Badgers can force Buckeyes QB Kyle McCord into a couple of turnovers, they could have a chance, but I don't see that happening.
Ohio State 34 Wisconsin 13
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