All-Out Blitz: Nebraska vs. No. 15 Wisconsin

No. 15 Wisconsin looks to retain the Freedom Trophy once again this weekend against Nebraska.

Most importantly, the Badgers (7-3 overall, 5-2 Big Ten) hope to remain in control of their path to Indianapolis with a win over the Huskers (3-7, 1-6) on Saturday inside Camp Randall Stadium (2:30 p.m. CT, ABC).

BadgerBlitz.com presents our weekly "All-Out Blitz," breaking down key matchups on both sides of the ball when UW and Nebraska battle in Madison.

Nebraska comes into Madison averaging 28.6 points and 459.2 yards per game. The latter stat ranks 16th in the nation and second in the Big Ten. Scott Frost's offense, which has seen four assistants dismissed last week, will face a Wisconsin defense that leads the country in total defense (216.3 yards per game) and sits second in scoring defense (14.6 points per game).

Fifth-year senior safety Scott Nelson believes the Huskers will present similar challenges to what he has previously seen from the program in his time in Madison.

"They do a great job of running two plays at once and eliminating half the defense, or making people wrong no matter what they do, and putting them in tough positions," Nelson told BadgerBlitz.com on Monday. "So we really have to be fundamentally sound and know what we're doing, and still yet be on the attack like we always talk about. Not waiting for a play to come to us, but still being aggressive as a defense overall.

"So it's a balance of understanding your responsibilities, executing your responsibilities, and then making plays -- still going out and still being aggressive. So not letting all the stuff that they do, pushing the ball laterally and then vertically as well, slow us down too much."

The Badgers also place first in least amount of rushing yards allowed (60.6) on 2.1 yards per carry, but the Huskers average 194.4 per contest on the ground on 4.7 yards per attempt. However, Nebraska has not gained more than 140 yards since its 427-yard effort against Northwestern on Oct. 2. Running back Rahmir Johnson has carried the ball 112 times for 495 yards with four touchdowns in 2021.

The player who could gash Wisconsin both on the run and through the air is quarterback Adrian Martinez. The signal caller has completed 61.3% of his throws for 2,512 yards and 13 touchdowns to eight interceptions this season, in addition to leading the Huskers in rushing (502 yards on 4.0 yards per carry with 12 additional rushing touchdowns).

As mentioned earlier this week by BadgerBlitz.com, Martinez has found success against Wisconsin in two previous meetings. The California native completed 24-of-42 passes for 384 yards and two touchdowns while accumulating 57 yards on 13 carries with a rushing score as a true freshman in a loss to UW in 2018. The next season, he threw for 220 yards on 13-of-23 passing with a touchdown pass and interception during a home defeat in Lincoln. He also gained 89 rushing yards on 16 carries and a touchdown on the ground on the day.

This season, Nebraska's passing attack averages 264.8 yards per contest. Martinez boasts potent targets to throw to, which includes wide receiver Samori Toure (33 receptions, 718 yards, four touchdowns). The Montana native leads the Big Ten in yards per catch (21.8). Wisconsin will also need to contain tight end Austin Allen (29 receptions, 404 yards, two touchdowns) and wide receiver Omar Manning (24 receptions, 331 yards, two touchdowns).

That said, Wisconsin ranks second in the nation in both passing yards allowed (155.7) and team passing efficiency defense (100.7). Sixth-year senior cornerback Caesar Williams leads the team in interceptions (three), while fifth-year senior Faion Hicks has recorded nine pass breakups so far in 2021.

UW has recorded 10 interceptions in its last four games -- 16 total takeaways in that span. Nebraska holds a -2 turnover margin heading into this week. Along with Martinez's eight interceptions, the offense has lost six fumbles.

The Badgers average three sacks per contest, and they should receive ample opportunities against the Huskers -- who have allowed 27 through 10 games. Nebraska center Cam Jurgens (70.6 2021 PFF Grade) and the line will need to contain outside linebacker Nick Herbig and inside linebacker Leo Chenal, who have combined for 13.5 sacks and 26 total tackles for loss this season so far.

Jim Leonhard's unit also leads the nation in third-down conversion defense (23.9%), while Nebraska moves the chains on that down 40.9% of the time.

Wisconsin enters the game averaging 26.2 points per contest, but in its last four games -- all wins -- UW has put up 36 per outing. However, Nebraska ranks 27th in the FBS in scoring defense, giving up 20.9 points per game.

The Badgers have found a complementary, balanced approach for their offense in the last two games, but it will be interesting to see if their bread-and-butter can get rolling against the Huskers' front-seven. UW sits 11th in the nation, first in the Big Ten, in rushing yards per game (227.1) on 4.8 yards per carry. Nebraska is no slouch against the run, though, as it has allowed 132.5 yards per contest on 3.7 yards per attempt.

True freshman tailback Braelon Allen claimed more Big Ten honors with being named the conference's co-offensive player of the week after his 25-carry, 173-yard performance against Northwestern that also ended with three rushing touchdowns. The Wisconsin offensive line will need to assert itself against Nebraska's front, along with linebackers Luke Reimer (96 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, five pass breakups, three quarterback hurries) and Nick Heinrich (87 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries).

UW's passing attack ranks 117th in the nation currently with 162.9 yards per contest, but business has picked up through the air in the past two weeks. The offense has thrown for 274 and 229 yards against Rutgers and Northwestern, respectively. Quarterback Graham Mertz has completed 29-of-39 total throws (74.4% completion percentage) for 456 yards with five touchdown passes to two interceptions in those wins. He has distributed the ball efficiently to receiving targets like fifth-year senior wide receiver Danny Davis III (27 receptions, 418 yards, two touchdowns in 2021).

Nebraska allows 230.6 passing yards per outing, good for 64th in the FBS, and the defense has allowed 200 or more yards in seven of its 10 games. It has given up seven touchdown passes in the last three contests as well.

The Huskers have intercepted 10 passes this season, with safety Deontai Williams: (46 tackles, two tackles for loss, three pass breakups) leading the defense with four picks. The Badgers receivers will also need to get open against cornerbacks Quinton Newsome (55 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups) and Cam Taylor-Britt (42 tackles, three tackles for loss, nine pass breakups).

Wisconsin has allowed just four sacks in its last six games. The line will have to protect Mertz from a Nebraska defense that has recorded only 17 in 10 contests. Outside linebackers Garrett Nelson (45 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, four quarterback hurries) and Caleb Tannor: (28 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three quarterback hurries), along with defensive lineman Ben Stille (32 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, five quarterback hurries) will be among those to watch on Saturday.

UW has raised its third-down conversion percentage up to 33.6%, and in the past two weeks, the offense has moved the chains on 12-of-23 opportunities. Nebraska holds opponents to 38.5% in this category.

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