Michigan at Wisconsin
Kickoff: 11 a.m. CT
Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wis.
Weather Forecast: 53F, Cloudy, 20% chance of rain
TV: Big Ten Network
Radio: WIBA-AM 1310, WIBA-FM 101.5 and the Badgers Radio Network
Coverage: A week's worth of coverage at Bucky's 5th Quarter
The Consensus
Jake Harris (8-1, +134): Wisconsin 42, Michigan 28
Adam Hoge (8-1, +137): Wisconsin 27, Michigan 17
Adam Rittenberg (ESPN.com): Wisconsin 31, Michigan 20
The Reasoning
Wisconsin is clearly the better team right now, having won its last two games and sitting pretty at 7-2 overall. Michigan has lost its last five Big Ten games and has yet to win on the road this season. Expect the Badger running backs to find success against a weak Wolverine defense. John Clay is the conference's leading rusher, and he is healthy again after a head injury knocked him out of last week's game against Indiana.
Offensively, Michigan is expected to give Denard Robinson significant playing time at quarterback, after Tate Forcier has proven somewhat ineffective the past several weeks. Robinson is a gifted athlete, but Wisconsin's defense matches up well against him. He has a very shaky arm, which may mask some of the Badgers' problems in pass coverage. Wisconsin is tops against the run in conference play, so expect it to contain Robinson's ground game much the way it did Terrelle Pryor's. Still, Michigan does boast the top scoring offense in the Big Ten, so they will likely put up points. Carlos Brown and Brandon Minor are no slouches at running back, but wide receiver Martavious Odoms will be playing hurt.
The home team has won each of the last five games in this series, with Michigan dropping its last two at Camp Randall Stadium. The Wolverines are playing for bowl eligibility, but the Badgers love beating Michigan and have played with a purpose this season. The Badgers' proficient running game and stout defense will be enough in Madison.
Who has the edge?
Offense: Wisconsin
Defense: Wisconsin
Special Teams: Michigan
Coaching: Wisconsin
Intangibles: Wisconsin
-Jake Harris