Saturday Blitz
Fansided

Michigan Football: Can Wolverines steal big road win vs. Wisconsin?

By Jake Mitchell

ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 7: Shea Patterson #2 of the Michigan Wolverines passes the ball against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Michigan Stadium on September 7, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 7: Shea Patterson #2 of the Michigan Wolverines passes the ball against the Army Black Knights during the first half at Michigan Stadium on September 7, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Michigan football travels to Wisconsin for a huge early-season matchup in the Big Ten. Can the Wolverines get the win on the road?

The eleventh ranked Wolverines make the trip to Madison to take on the 13th-ranked Badgers, in arguably the biggest game in the Big Ten to date this year. Both teams enter the game with a 2-0 record, and both teams are seeing their first conference action of the season.

Unquestionably, the biggest talking point between these teams has to be the Michigan offense. They’ve struggled to be anything more than adequate, despite a ton of great offensive talent across the field. Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis is quickly becoming a household name in college football, but for all the wrong reasons.

Meeting the Wolverines will be a stout Wisconsin Badgers team. Paul Chryst’s squad is off to a strong start, with a 61-0 win over Central Michigan, and also a 49-0 shutout victory over USF in Tampa. Quarterback Jack Coan has thrown five touchdowns with no interceptions, and Jonathan Taylor has already found the end zone eight times.

Here’s how you can watch Saturday’s Big Ten showdown:

Date: Saturday, Sept. 21
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Madison, Wisc.
Venue: Camp Randall Stadium
TV: FOX
Live Stream: FOX Sports Go

Keys to Victory

The biggest advantage that Michigan potentially has is the offense. The pieces are there, with Patterson, Zach Charbonnet, Tarik Black and so many more. Gattis simply has to make them fit together. When, or maybe if, the Wolverines figure out the offense, they become one of the best teams in the country. Until then, they’re still just a good team that can’t make the jump.

When it comes to the Badgers, the biggest focus should de dictating the pace of the game. Coan has been a solid passer so far, but make no mistake, Taylor and the running game are still the foundation of this offense. Especially considering the Wolverines’ offensive frustrations, if Wisconsin can keep the Michigan offense off the field, off-balance, and off-rhythm, it’ll go a long way towards a victory.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of Bovada

Spread: Wisconsin -3.5
Over/Under: 43

Next. Ranking college football's top 50 fanbases. dark

Predictions

The pressure lies almost solely on Michigan in this game. All the talk, especially nationwide, has been about Harbaugh, Gattis, Patterson and why things haven’t been quite as electric as many expected. Wisconsin should be comfortable and loose, especially considering they’re playing at home. This is a Big Ten matchup, but considering the Badgers play in the very winnable West division, an early conference loss doesn’t spell the end. This Badger team will be playing with absolutely nothing to lose on Saturday.

Final Score: Michigan 19, Wisconsin 24

Home/Michigan Wolverines