Wisconsin Football: 3 bold predictions vs Maryland

1. Johnathan Allen will rush for 200+ yards for the third consecutive week

Johnathan Allen has been an absolute revelation for the Badgers so far this season.

After playing the foil to sophomore tail back Bradrick Shaw in Wisconsin’s blowout home opener against Utah State, Allen came alive against Lane Kiffin’s Florida Atlantic Owls, with 223 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 26 carries. That silenced any doubt as to who should be the Badgers’ lead back going forward.

And in Week 8 of the college football season, Johnathan Allen could do it all again against Maryland’s 81st ranked rushing defense.

So far in 2017, Maryland has given up an average of 175 yards rush and two rushing touchdowns a game over their first six games of the season, but they haven’t face off against an offense quite like the Wisconsin Badgers so far this season.

When the Terps faced off against Ohio State’s similarly talented freshman running back J.K. Dobbins in Week 5, they held him largely at bay by Maryland’s standards, 93 yards on 13 carries, but that’s largely due to head coach Urban Meyer’s subbing out his starters midway through the team’s blowout victory. But in Week 8, Paul Chryst’s squad will not offer the Terrapins that same luxury.

Wisconsin has built one of the most formidable rushing attacks in the entire nation based around big offensive lineman, power rushing concepts, and a firm commitment to their bell cow running back.

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In 2017, Johnathan Allen is Chryst’s bell cow. With Maryland giving up an average of 38.5 rushing attempts per game, expect Allen to run wild on the Terps’ front seven, and continue to make a serious push for the Big Ten Rookie of the Year.