Wisconsin at Purdue: Four things to watch in the Badgers' Big Ten opener
WISCONSIN (2-1, 0-0 BIG TEN) AT PURDUE (1-2, 0-0)
When: 6 p.m. Friday.
Where: Ross-Ade Stadium.
TV: FS1 with Tim Brando (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analysis).
Radio: FM-97.3 and AM-920 in Milwaukee and a state network with Matt Lepay (play-by-play), Mark Tauscher (analysis) and Patrick Herb (sideline).
Line: Wisconsin by 6.
Series: UW has won the last 16 meetings and leads the series, 52-29-8.
Coaches: Luke Fickell (3-1, first full season; 66-26, seventh season overall) vs. Purdue’s Ryan Walters (1-2, first season overall).
FOUR THINGS TO WATCH
Next task for Luke Fickell and UW? Start fast.
Now that the Badgers have ended their two-game takeaway drought, with six in the victory over Georgia Southern, Fickell and his players face another question. When will you guys get off to a fast start? UW has been spectacular in the third quarter this season, outscoring its three opponents by a combined 48-7. The Badgers have needed that burst because they have been outscored by a combined 41-30 in the first half. UW’s offense has had 20 full first-half possessions but has generated just three touchdowns and three field goals. By contrast, UW has turned the ball over three times and punted 11 times in those 20 possessions.
Third down has not been a charm for UW
One reason UW’s offense has sputtered early in games has been the inability to convert third-down chances. UW is 13th in the league at 35.1%. Only Iowa, at 34.9%, has been worse so far this season. The defense has been better, but not by much. UW is ninth in the league in third-down stops, holding foes to conversion rate of 38.3%. The result has been the offense hasn’t been able to put together enough drives and the defense hasn’t been able to get off the field quickly enough. Purdue’s offense has struggled in short-yardage situations and is 10th in the Big Ten in third-down conversions at 39.5%. Purdue’s third-down defense is worse. The Boilermakers have allowed opponents to convert 48.8% of their chances, the No. 12 mark in the league.
UW defense will be tested by Purdue’s passing attack
Purdue has not shown the ability to run the ball consistently, averaging just 3.4 yards per attempt. That is tied with Indiana for the second-lowest mark in the league. Only Northwestern (3.3) is worse. Look for the Boilermakers to attack UW’s linebackers and secondary on the arm of Hudson Card. The redshirt junior quarterback had four turnovers (three fumbles, one interception) last week in the 35-20 loss to Syracuse but is No. 2 in the league in passing yards per game at 275.0. He has completed 65.5% of his passes, with three touchdowns and one interception (in 110 attempts). Despite the five interceptions UW recorded last week, the pass defense has been below program standards. UW is allowing a completion rate of 63.8% and an average of 274.7 yards per game. The latter is the second-worse mark in the Big Ten, ahead of only Purdue.
Can Tanner Mordecai burn Purdue with his feet?
Purdue sacked Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader five times last week but Shrader still passed for 184 yards and killed the Boilermakers with his feet. He finished with 195 yards and an average of 7.8 yards despite the sacks. He also scored on runs of 3, 35, 1 and 28 yards. Mordecai possesses the ability to gain yards on called draws or scrambles. His 18-yard touchdown scramble last week against Georgia Southern put UW ahead for good in the third quarter.
HISTORY LESSON
Wisconsin has won the last 16 meetings with Purdue, eight in Madison and eight in West Lafayette.
UW’s average margin of victory in West Lafayette during the streak: 18.4 points. The closest Purdue came to winning at home was in 2018, when Jonathan Taylor rushed 33 times for 321 yards and three touchdowns in UW’s 47-44 victory in three overtimes.
Fickell was in his second season as special teams coach at Ohio State the last time the Badgers lost to Purdue (2003). He was with the New Orleans Saints the last time UW lost in West Lafayette (1997).
DID YOU KNOW?
Safety Hunter Wohler has recorded at least 10 tackles in all three games this season. He is No. 2 in the Big Ten in tackles (34). His solo tackle total of 26 is the No. 1 mark among Power 5 teams.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin vs. Purdue: Four things to watch Friday, September 22
