The No. 18 Wisconsin Badgers look to get off to a good start as they host the Illinois State Redbirds for a contest under the lights of Camp Randall Stadium.

BadgerBlitz.com breaks down its three keys to the game before head coach Paul Chryst and his program take the field against Brock Spack and the Redbirds on Saturday (6 p.m. CT, FS1).

Wisconsin is favored by 33.5 points.

Saturday evening will mark the debut for Bobby Engram as offensive coordinator. The question: What can he add and how much can he help improve the passing game? The Badgers, however, likely won't get too cute in the season opener.

Coming off a true freshman season in which he erupted 1,268 yards in six starts, Braelon Allen will be looking to get his sophomore campaign off to a fast start. The Doak Walker Award candidate didn't have 10 or more carries until the fifth contest of the season against Illinois. What did he do with the opportunity? He rattled off 131 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries.

Kicking off last season, Clemson transfer Chez Mellusi got the bulk of the workload. By the time Allen got it going a season ago, Isaac Guerendo suffered an injury that would sideline him the rest of the season. To get 2022 underway, Wisconsin will have its full tailback stable at its disposal for the first time.

Lining up against an FCS squad in Illinois State that finished 4-7 in 2021, the Badgers should get it going on the ground and ride that strength. It will be worth monitoring what the breakdown of touches looks like for running backs, but look for UW to get the season going with a familiar dominance by running the ball.

It will be tough for Jim Leonhard to replicate the success they had in 2021 when they were No. 1 in total defense, but the unit should remain stout this fall. The defense will be paced by Nick Herbig, who will lead a deep and talented outside linebacker room.

With a group that both Herbig and position coach Bobby April called the deepest since they've been in Madison, that potential will get its first opportunity against Illinois State. During a match-up that Wisconsin hopes is in hand by the second half, reserves Darryl Peterson, Kaden Johnson and T.J. Bollers should see plenty of snaps and opportunities to wreak havoc.

Up front, Keeanu Benton garners much of the attention, and rightfully so. But Rodas Johnson has flashed during fall camp and should be able to add juice along the defensive line.

Going against an FCS team in Illinois State that will be overmatched, the Badgers defense should get off a fast start.

A quarterback's best friend is a potent rushing attack. Graham Mertz should have just that when UW faces Illinois State. Getting the kinks worked out for a new offense, along with some young pass catchers at wide receiver, should allow the passing game to find a groove at its own rate.

Mertz is at his best when playing on schedule. Staying on schedule means consistently finding yourself in manageable third downs. He likely can't answer any big-picture questions against an opponent the caliber of Illinois State, but Mertz can use a solid performance as a springboard for the rest of the season.

The improvement for Mertz can be tied to the group in front of him. If the offensive line - which is talented on paper - can bounce back and allow the third-year starter to be comfortable in the pocket, Mertz can let it go with his footwork and timing in tact.

As mentioned in the first key to the game, allow what should be an elite running back room to pace the offense. A group of unproven pass catchers, who provided much reason for optimism during camp, will get their first chance to put it on the field. Allow an up-and-down signal caller, who is accompanied by a promising bunch of receivers, to build a base to work off of.

After opening the season against Penn State a year ago, UW gets its chance to figure things out in with a match-up against Illinois State. Bobby Engram, Graham Mertz and the offense can get on the same page with Engram coaching from the booth and Mertz getting up to speed with a new bunch of receivers. The special teams division among assistants can sort itself out. I’m not sure how many wrinkles of the new offense will be on display, but the Badgers should roll. And with Wisconsin’s diving head first into the Big Ten slate in three weeks against the Buckeyes in Columbus, it will get a chance to build their base in the non-conference schedule.

Wisconsin 42, Illinois State 0

Illinois State should be a much friendlier week one opponent than Penn State was a season ago. There might be a few kinks to work out, especially on offense as Graham Mertz settles into Engram's system. The Redbirds will be overmatched at every position, and the expectation is for Wisconsin to play like it.

Wisconsin 45, Illinois State 6

Getting back to a traditional non-conference schedule to start the year should benefit Wisconsin, which is working to replace key parts on both sides of the ball. Look for a run-heavy game plan for the Badgers and a strong showing on the other side of the ball.

Wisconsin 38, Illinois State 6

A year after going through the gauntlet the first month of the season, the Badgers have a schedule that should allow them to “ease” into things. That’s good news considering the amount of turnover this roster must deal with. On offense, there is a new offensive coordinator, six new starters, a remade offensive line, and multiple skill position players getting their first opportunity at sustained playing time. On defense, defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is breaking in eight new starters and a secondary almost completely remade via the transfer portal.

A lot of eyes this season will also be on Graham Mertz, who plays well against the Rutgers and Northwesterns of the world but subpar against bowl-worthy teams. Can Mertz, who faltered with experienced receivers around him last season, succeed with youth and inexperience as his options this season?

Wisconsin typically struggles to cover the point spread in the season opener but covering the 33.5 points seems feasibly against an Illinois State team that averaged just 18.4 points per game and 124.8 passing yards per game last season. I have a feeling UW will be fairly vanilla tonight, but a heavy dose of Braelon Allen and the running game should lead to a comfortable win, just shy of the cover line.

Wisconsin 41, Illinois State 10

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