Wisconsin Football: Badgers look to salvage season with Pinstripe Bowl win over Miami

For the second straight year, Wisconsin football and Miami meet in a bowl game. Here’s what to watch for between the Badgers and Hurricanes in the Pinstripe Bowl.

More: Picks and predictions for every college football bowl game with confidence points

Last season, Wisconsin defeated Miami 34-24 in the Orange Bowl to cap the 2017 season. Now the two sides will meet for the second straight year, after the Badgers and Hurricanes were matched up in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. The game, played since 2010, offers one of the few chances to see bowl-eligible teams squaring off outdoors in a bowl game above the Mason-Dixon Line.

Wisconsin fell from their perch atop the Big Ten West, dropping to a three-way tie for second in the division after a 7-5 regular season. As quarterback Alex Hornibrook battled injuries, the Badgers leaned even more heavily than usual on their running game. Jonathan Taylor led the nation in rushing yards, as he averaged more than 165 yards per game.

Miami was dependent on their defense to get them to bowl eligibility in 2018. The Hurricanes ranked 15th in points allowed, holding opponents to just over 18 points per game. They were first in passing yards allowed, first in tackles for loss, and first in getting third-down stops. It papered over an offense that struggled to move the ball through the air with redshirt freshman quarterback N’Kosi Perry.

Will the Badgers pull off a similar result to last year’s victory, or will the Hurricanes reverse their fortunes against their Big Ten counterpart this year? Here’s how you can watch the New Era Pinstripe Bowl between Wisconsin and Miami on Thursday evening from the Bronx:

Date: Thursday, Dec. 27
Time: 5:15 p.m. ET
Location: New York, N.Y.
Venue: Yankee Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

Jack Coan will be starting for the Badgers at Yankee Stadium, and the young quarterback needs to take some of the pressure off the backfield to secure victory. Wisconsin, who ended the regular season 105th in turnovers lost, will also need to prevent Miami from handing out the Turnover Chain. On defense, the Badgers need to get more pressure at the line of scrimmage after struggling to generate sacks and tackles in the backfield.

Like Wisconsin, Miami also needs a strong game from their young quarterback. N’Kosi Perry ranks 98th in the country in passing efficiency, and he averages only 109 yards per game through the air. Getting a more complete performance from the quarterback will be critical if the defense is going to get enough support on the scoreboard to pull out victory in the Bronx. Avoiding fumbles will also be critical to any chances of success.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of oddsshark.com

Point Spread: Miami -3
Over/Under: 48

Prediction

Last year, Wisconsin surprised the Hurricanes with a 10-point victory in Miami’s home stadium. This time, the game will be closer and the score will be lower. Jonathan Taylor will make the difference as he rushes for 200-plus yards and a pair of touchdowns to give the Badgers their fifth straight win in a bowl game.

Final Score: Wisconsin 17, Miami 13