Wisconsin Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Purdue in Week 7
Wisconsin football can take a huge step toward the Big Ten Championship Game with a win over Purdue in Week 7.
It will be just the third conference game for each team, but already the Wisconsin Badgers and Purdue Boilermakers have a game on their schedule with major league and division implications.
With their win over Nebraska this past Saturday, the Badgers sit as the only undefeated team in the Big Ten West division. Other teams- Minnesota, Iowa, and Northwestern already have two losses in league play, while the Badgers’ defeat of the Cornhuskers leaves them with one loss.
Purdue is the only other team unaccounted for. Currently 1-1 in league, the Boilermakers may post as the biggest threat to take down the Badgers in the West division. With a two game lead over three winless teams and virtually a two game league over Nebraska, whom they beat- a win over the Boilermakers would put the Badgers in the driver seat for the West division crowd.
The Badgers have won 11 straight over the Boilermakers as Purdue’s last win in the series has not come since 2003, a 26-23 victory in Madison. Wisconsin leads the all-time series 47 wins to Purdue’s 29 and has been on the opposite side of the spectrum in terms of success than the Boilermakers. The Badgers won last season in West Lafayette 49-20.
Date: Saturday, October 14
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Madison, WI
Venue: Camp Randall Stadium
TV: Big Ten Network
Live Stream: BTN2Go
Keys to Victory
Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the Big Ten in 2017 has been the uprising of Purdue football. While they are still a ways away from competing at the top of the conference, the Boilermakers have competed tough in every game and were a few plays away from a few key upsets so far.What used to be strictly an offensive-minded program, the Boilermakers have responded nicely under new head coach Jeff Brohm.
Against Wisconsin, the Boilermakers will need to strike early and keep the Badgers on their heels. It is evident Wisconsin holds a top-level defense, but with some missing pieces injured, the unit can be vulnerable at times.
For Wisconsin, there is no sense to fix what is not broken and for them that means continuing to pound the ball on the ground. Freshman running back Jonathan Taylor is coming off a 249-yard performance against Nebraska and will look to feast off the young Purdue defense. Quarterback Alex Hornibrook struggled against the Cornhuskers, so the Badgers’ running attack will need to be stellar again to help get him back on track.
Prediction
The Boilermakers are no longer a pushover anymore, but a visit to Madison is not what the doctor ordered at this time. This will be just the second road game of the year for Purdue and the first of the conference schedule, so it is pivotal they come out fired up and ready to go.
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Wisconsin’s Taylor will continue his hot streak and will be a tough battle for the Boilermakers all game. Hornibrook and the receiving core get back on track and Jazz Peavy, who has been invisible all year, hauls in a big touchdown grab to propel the Badgers to another easy win.
Final score: Wisconsin 38, Purdue 17