Wisconsin vs Northwestern Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds & Picks
Wisconsin has fired head coach Paul Chryst ahead of its game at Northwestern. Neither team has looked great early in the season, and it cost the Badgers’ coach his job.
The Badgers (3-2, 0-2) lost their second straight conference game against Illinois, 34-10, this one at home, which prompted Chryst’s firing. Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard has been promoted to interim head coach.
The Wildcats (1-4, 1-1) had a losing streak reach four games with a 17-7 loss against No.10 Penn State.
Let’s check the latest NCAAF odds, stats, injury reports, and NCAAF lines for Wisconsin vs Northwestern. We’ve plenty of NCAAF Vegas odds for you to consider.
Wisconsin Needed a Moment Shirt
The two weeks leading up to Chryst’s firing were ugly. It started with a 52-21 loss at No. 3 Ohio State, then the upset by Illinois at home, while Wisconsin was a 6½-point favorite.
The defense seemingly got pulled apart in both games, as Ohio State put up 539 yards and 258 on the ground. Illinois did not put up crazy stats but still rushed for 137 yards, 3.3 yards per carry, with four touchdowns.
On offense, against Illinois, everything that could go wrong did go wrong, as the Badgers rushed for a total of two yards and committed three turnovers. Quarterback Graham Mertz threw two interceptions. He has thrown at least one every game this year.
The big surprise was running back Braelon Allen being held to two yards on eight carries. Against Ohio State, he went off for 165 yards and a touchdown. His stats on the year still look solid, with 499 yards and eight touchdowns.
Northwestern Turnover Problem
The weird thing about this Northwestern season is that despite losing in four straight games, two of which were against teams outside of the Power 5, the offense has put up solid numbers.
The Wildcats average 404.8 yards per game, even though they put up less than 20 points per game. A lot of that is because of how many turnovers the team commits, with four interceptions and nine fumbles. The worst was in a rainy game against Penn State last week, ending with five turnovers.
Quarterback Ryan Hilinski has been solid, outside of the four interceptions, throwing for 1,429 yards and six touchdowns, with his favorite wide receiver being Malik Washington at 347 yards. However, running back Evan Hull has been the main offensive threat, with 758 scrimmage yards and four total touchdowns, while leading the team in receptions.
It has also been less than appealing on defense, giving up nearly 400 yards a game, 384.2, most notably before the upcoming game, 172.6 on the ground.
Wisconsin vs Northwestern Game Injuries
Wisconsin vs Northwestern Head-to-Head
In 103 games between Wisconsin and Northwestern, the Badgers have held the upper hand, winning 61 games, including last year 35-7. However, since 2000 the teams have relatively gone back and forth, with the highest win streak being just two over the last 16 games.
Wisconsin vs Northwestern Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 8th.
- Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
- Location: Ryan Field, Evanston, IL
- How to watch Wisconsin vs Northwestern? BTN
Wisconsin vs Northwestern Live Stream: ESPN
Wisconsin vs Northwestern Betting Lines
Wisconsin vs Northwestern Prediction
Wisconsin is favored by 10.5 points, which seems a little too large. Northwestern has been able to move the ball, and if it could get out of its own way, maybe the Wildcats would put up a few more points.
The Badgers’ defense has offered up little resistance over the last two weeks, but it could have a boost with the interim head coach as the defensive coordinator. However the defense was already bad under Leonhard, so with more on his plate, it probably won’t improve.
The Wildcats’ defense hasn’t done much better, especially against the run, which could lead to a much better day for Allen. Taking the over might be the safest bet because neither defense can be trusted.
