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Mills' Seven Storylines: Florida Atlantic

MADISON - Roughly 80,321 Wisconsin fans can squeeze into Camp Randall during game day. Add the on-field plays, marching band and aroma of grilling hot dogs, a UW football game is a hub of action.

Hence, with all the commotion, there may have been some storylines you missed during the Badgers’ 31-14 victory against the Florida Atlantic Owls. Don’t panic, BadgerBlitz.com has it covered:

Alex Hornibrook
Alex Hornibrook
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1. Storyline #1: Mi Casa es su Casa

In my opinion, the best story from Saturday’s matchup wasn’t a touchdown drive or defensive stop. Rather, it was the open arms of the University of Wisconsin-Madison extending towards Florida Atlantic. As Hurricane Irma advances towards the Florida coast, FAU will reside in Madison until further notice. Additionally, UW promised to cover lodging, meals and usage of the training facility until FAU can return. A tip of the cap to Florida Atlantic players, who insisted on remaining with family members rather than playing football. Yet, they flew to Wisconsin amidst the distractions and looming storm away from home. As of now, the plan is for Florida Atlantic to safely return next Tuesday. No matter if these teams are foes on the field or friends off the field, I have an incredible amount of respect.

2. Storyline: The House is Protected

Under Armour, the official athletic apparel of the Wisconsin Badgers coined the slogan “Protect this House” to promote their sportswear. Evidently, this phrase was exemplified by the UW defense on Saturday afternoon. Florida Atlantic scored just 14 points, totaled only nine first downs and tallied 248 offensive yards. After glancing at Jonathan Taylor’s 226 rush yards, the Wisconsin defense limited the damage. FAU quarterback Daniel Parr did complete a big 63-yard TD pass, one of the few UW mistakes of the afternoon. Plus, the Owls were just 1-2 in the red zone and 0 of 1 on fourth down. When it mattered, however, Wisconsin delivered.

3. Storyline #2: FUUUUUUM

When the offense stuttered, tight end Troy Fumagalli kept composed.

“The jitters are over,” he stated. “Our expectations coming off last week was to eliminate the things we can control.”

In two games, Fumagalli has 21 targets while no other Badger has above eight. Narrow his performance to just Saturday’s game, he finished with eight catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Already, quarterback Alex Hornibrook appears to favor Fumagalli as a receiving option often. If the senior continues to make plays, Wisconsin is in good shape.

"The jitters are over."
— Tight end Troy Fumagalli on the differences between Wisconsin's Week 1 and Week 2 performances.

4. The kick is good! Wait, oh not again.

With 6:15 left in the fourth quarter, the Badgers were gearing to add onto an already-comfortable 31-14 lead. The stage was set for kicker Rafael Gaglianone to nail a 37-yard try through the uprights. Yet, despite the minuscule amount of pressure, his kick missed. Field goals within 30-39 yards have been a nagging issue for the Brazilian player; he is just 9-15 in career field goal attempts between that range.

5. Flashbacks and Following in Footsteps

For any fan that caught part of Wisconsin’s game or highlights, New Jersey native Jonathan Taylor was a big reason why the offense performed well. However, you may have missed the true freshman RB break reach some milestones as he juked past defenders. After his 226-yard day, Taylor is just the 4th UW true freshman to rush for 200 yards. He joins an elite company: Alan Ameche (1951), Ron Dayne (1996, did this five times) and Zach Brown (2007). Taylor's jukes, strength and composure hint something special is brewing in Madison.

6. First of Many

The Wisconsin Badgers coaching staff recognizes the implications of one less year of eligibility when it was true freshman backup quarterback Jack Coan’s turn to play in Week 1. However, if all goes as planned, Coan will start his senior year, just one year after now-sophomore starter Alex Hornibrook leaves. Unfortunately, there is always the chance of injury or poor performance. Thus, near the conclusion of Saturday’s 31-14 Badger win, Coan entered the game once again. Praised for his arm, Coan’s first completion was a six-yard pass for a first down. Any experience is valuable for yet another talented UW freshman.

7. There’s no place like home

For the 13th consecutive season, the Wisconsin Badgers improved to 2-0 at home. Also, UW adds onto its non-conference home win streak, which brings the current streak to 39 wins. Since 2004, the Badgers boast a 0.88 winning percentage, placing them third overall among Power 5 programs that have done better in front of their respective fan bases. Jump Around Wisconsin, and keep jumping.

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Those were seven storylines you may have missed during Friday's action. Now, you have seven more reasons to check back next week.

Jonathan Mills is a staff writer and covers Wisconsin football/basketball for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @realJ_Mills

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