BadgerBlitz.com''s All-Out Blitz weekly series is where you can find everything you need to know about Wisconsin's next opponent. This week we get you ready for the Badgers playing at Michigan.
NEED TO KNOW
No.13 Wisconsin (1-0) vs Michigan (1-2)
Date/Time – Saturday, November 14, 6:30 p.m. CT
Venue – Michigan Stadium (FieldTurf)
Television – ABC (Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Maria Taylor)
Radio - Wisconsin Radio Network (Matt Lepay, Mike Lucas, Mark Tauscher), Sirius 83, XM 83. National Radio (Westwood One)
Point Spread – Wisconsin by 4.5
Wisconsin Head Coach: Paul Chryst (9th year, 6th at Wisconsin) 53-16 record as Wisconsin's coach
Michigan Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh (13th year, 6th year at Michigan) 48-20 record as Michigan's coach
WHEN MICHIGAN HAS THE BALL
SERIES NOTES
Wisconsin has won four of the teams’ last six meetings, including last year’s showdown in Madison, a 35-14 triumph for the Badgers.
The Badgers and Wolverines have divided their four meetings — with the home team winning all four games — since Paul Chryst and Jim Harbaugh took over as head coaches at their respective alma maters in 2015.
Despite playing in different divisions, Saturday’s game will mark the fifth straight season in which Wisconsin and Michigan have faced off.
Saturday’s game will be the fourth prime-time meeting between the Badgers and Wolverines, and the second in Ann Arbor: The teams played in the first-ever night game at Camp Randall Stadium on Oct. 4, 1986 — a 34-17 win for a No. 4 Michigan team that featured Harbaugh at quarterback. The teams met again under the lights at Camp Randall on Sept. 24, 2005 — a 23-20 victory for the Badgers — and at the Big House on Oct. 13, 2018 — a 38-13 Michigan win.
Wisconsin seeks to score wins over the Wolverines in consecutive seasons for just the fourth time in the history of a series that dates to 1892. The Badgers claimed victories over Michigan in back-to-back seasons in 1959-60, 1993-94 and 2009-10.
UW won its first trip to Michigan Stadium, in 1928, but has won there just five times since.
Head coaches Chryst and Harbaugh crossed paths for two seasons in San Diego, when Harbaugh spent the 1999 and 2000 seasons as a quarterback for the Chargers and Chryst served as tight ends coach under head coach Mike Riley.
The Badgers feature 8 Michigan natives on their roster: WR A.J. Abbott (Northville), WR Stephan Bracey (Grand Rapids), OL Logan Brown (Grand Rapids), OLB Jaylan Franklin (Brownstown), OL Michael Furtney (Milan), WR Taj Mustapha (Southfield), S Scott Nelson (Detroit), and ILB Jordan Turner (Farmington).
Michigan (8) ranks second behind only Wisconsin (51) among the states with the largest representation on UW’s roster. Next are Illinois (7), California (6) and Ohio (6).
WHEN WISCONSIN HAS THE BALL
WISCONSIN NOTES TO CONSIDER
UW’s defense didn’t allow a score vs. Illinois (the Illini’s lone score came on a fumble recovery TD), marking the 5th time in Wisconsin’s last 15 games that an opponent failed to score any offensive points. The Badgers have held an opponent without an offensive touchdown 13 times since defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard joined the coaching staff in 2016.
Wisconsin led the country in time of possession last year with an average of 35 minutes, 38 seconds. Against Illinois, the Badgers held the ball for 43:28, their highest time-of-possession total since a mark of 44:31 in a 38-14 win over Minnesota on Nov. 6, 2004.
Wisconsin led the country in opponents’ 3rd down percentage last season at 27.3 percent. Illinois converted just 2-of-10 (20 percent) third downs in the opener. In addition, the Illini were 0-for-3 on fourth down.
Junior TE Jake Ferguson caught a career-high 7 passes for 72 yards and hauled in a career-best 3 touchdowns in the season opener vs. Illinois. He has caught at least one pass in each of his 28 career games. That string of 28 consecutive games with a reception matches the 7th longest active streak by an FBS player.
MICHIGAN NOTES TO CONSIDER
Michigan returns just five offensive starters and five defensive starters from the 2019 team.
Michigan ranks third in the Big Ten and 43rd nationally in total offense, averaging 430.0 yards per game. The offense is averaging 140.3 yards in the rushing game and is passing the ball for 289.7 yards per contest; U-M is third in the conference and 26th nationally in passing offense.
The Wolverines have not fumbled the football in three contests (81 rushing attempts and 65 receptions).
In the secondary, Gemon Green leads the team with six pass breakups this fall, and Brad Hawkins leads the team with 27 tackles this season.
