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The No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers (3-0 overall, 1-0 B1G) play host to the Northwestern Wildcats (1-2 overall, 0-1 B1G) on Saturday morning at Camp Randall Stadium to open up B1G West division play.
Northwestern’s offense (scoring offense ranked No. 128 in the country and total offense is ranked No. 121) has struggled so far this season and they will be without their top receiving threat, WR Bennett Skowronek, who was ruled out on Friday afternoon.
Northwestern injury report for #Badgers:
— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) September 27, 2019
WR Bennett Skowronek — OUT. He is Cats' leading receiver w/12 catches for 141 yards. S Travis Whillock — QUESTIONABLE. S Bryce Jackson — QUESTIONABLE. Whillock starts + is 2nd on team in tackles; Jackson a reserve.
The Badgers defense should be licking their chops and also looking to avenge last season’s beatdown that the Wildcats dished out. Wisconsin leads the overall series 59-36-5, however the teams have split their last 28 meetings. The Badgers have won five of the last six at Camp Randall though, and it would be six out of six because #JazzCaughtIt, but I digress.
How to watch/listen
TV: ABC, 11:00 a.m. CT, Bob Wischusen, Dan Orlovsky, Allison Williams
Streaming: ESPN App; ABC App; Watch ESPN
Radio: Badger Sports Network (iHeartRadio), Satellite: Sirius 83 or XM 83, Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas, Mark Tauscher, Patrick Herb; for those in Chicago the game is on WGN 720 with Dave Eanet, Ted Albrecht, and B5Q founding editor Adam Hoge (!!!!!)
Stadium: Camp Randall Stadium
Weather: Madison, Wisconsin
Line: Wisconsin -24
Fun facts (according to the media guides)
- Northwestern defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz was DC at Wisconsin from 2006-07, helping the Badgers finish No. 2 nationally in scoring defense (12.1 ppg) and No. 5 in total defense (253.1 ypg) in 2006. Coach Dad was the offensive coordinator on those Badgers teams.
#Northwestern has an awful coaching staff, has for years. I’m sick of hearing about how great Mike Hankwitz is. This defense consistently has trouble tackling and pressuring the QB or receivers. Just like Lovie Smith. It’s getting hard to watch this team.
— The Linkster (@ditka_s) August 31, 2019
- Northwestern special teams coach Jeff Genyk held the same role at Wisconsin from 2013-14 while also overseeing the Badgers’ tight ends.
- Genyk’s son, Jake Genyk (Middleton), is one of two Wisconsin natives on Northwestern’s roster. The other, junior superback Cody Link of Madison, was a teammate of Wisconsin junior WR Jack Dunn at Edgewood High School.
- The Badgers have seven members of the team from the Land of Lincoln: TE Jack Eschenbach from Downers Grove, Ill. (Benet Academy), OLB Izayah Green-May from Bolingbrook, Ill. (Bolingbrook), ILB Mike Maskalunas from Long Grove, Ill. (Adlai E. Stevenson), ILB Maema Njongmeta from Buffalo Grove, Ill. (Adlai E. Stevenson), WR Kendric Pryor from Hazel Crest, Ill. (Homewood-Flossmoor), ILB Jack Sanborn from Deer Park, Ill. (Lake Zurich), CB Cristian Volpentesta from Highland Park, Ill. (Highland Park)
- Northwestern has won eight straight conference road games. They are also 15-2 in their last 17 conference games. Their last conference road loss? To Wisconsin on Sept. 30, 2017.
- Northwestern can always eat my whole entire butt, but this is still important to note: the correct abbreviation for Northwestern is “NU,” not “NW” or “NWU” or the like.
- In Northwestern’s official media guide that they sent out before this game, and presumably all of their other games, they do not list an offensive player of the week for their game against Stanford. You know you had a bad week when your own media guide can’t pick someone who even played...average?