Michigan Football: 3 reasons Wolverines will beat Wisconsin in Week 4

2. Jack Coan is not for real

Wisconsin fans have been teased before about finally having a real threat at quarterback. The truth is, that hasn’t been the case since Russell Wilson’s graduate transfer year in 2011. The latest candidate is Jack Coan. Coan played in relief of Alex Hornibrook last year for a few games, but never got the chance to show off his arm. He’s looked like a new quarterback so far this year though.

If Coan is really going to be a threat with his arm then this game should be a classic. Both teams will have a full bag of tricks to reach into and should be able to move the ball both on the ground and through the air. But if Coan isn’t going to be that kind of player, it could get tough for the Badgers, and therefore easier for the Wolverines.

Wisconsin’s quarterback last year, Hornibrook, completed just seven of his 20 passes for 35 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. And that touchdown came late in the fourth quarter when the game was already over. It was one of the worst passing performances I had ever seen over the course of a whole game. Wisconsin had no choice but to just try the running game over and over.

Having Jonathan Taylor to lean on, in that case, is definitely not a bad alternative, but a truly one-dimensional offense just isn’t going to get the job done against a team like Michigan.

Fortunately for Michigan fans, this is a very real likelihood. Coan has looked excellent against two very bad teams. The Wolverines are a very different beast.