Pre-Snap Read: Wisconsin vs. Washington State

MADISON - The Badgers will look for a 2-0 start on the road against Washington State as they aim to avenge last season's loss to the Cougars.

BadgerBlitz.com breaks down its three keys to the game for Wisconsin.

When: Saturday, Sept. 9 @ 6:30 p.m.

Where: Gesa Field at Martin Stadium (capacity 32,952)

All-Time Series: Tied 1-1

TV: ABC (Mark Jones on play-by-play, Louis Reddick as the analyst and Quint Kessenich as the sideline reporter).

Local Radio: Badger Sports Network (Matt Lepay doing play-by-play, Mark Tauscher as the analyst, Patrick Herb as the sideline reporter)

Betting line: Wisconsin -6

The Badgers defense was held without any big plays — turnovers or sacks — in the opener against Buffalo. Going on the road against a highly potent offense, they'll need to be able to pressure quarterback Cameron Ward and it wouldn't hurt to steal a possession or two.

In last year's meeting between these two teams, Wisconsin was largely unable to stop the Cougars' flurry of RPOs and quick-hitting passes. They'll need to be able to defend those types of plays in Pullman as it'll be key for the Badgers to get Washington State into third-and-long situations. Wisconsin had a very good day defensively on third down against Buffalo — the Bulls were just 2-of-15. But further, keeping the Cougars behind the sticks will force Ward to become a drop-back passer on obvious passing downs. If Wisconsin knows what Ward is doing, they can stop him.

Last season, cornerbacks Jay Shaw and Max Lofy each intercepted a pass, while Nick Herbig and Kamo'i Latu registered sacks. Who will be the first to the party on Wisconsin's defense this year?

With Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi, plus a deep and talented offensive line, there's an argument to be made that Wisconsin has the best rushing attack in the country. The Badgers will need to continue to ride their star tailbacks in order to pick up the win in Pullman.

Last year, the Cougars were able to essentially stifle Wisconsin's ground game. Despite a low-scoring affair, the Badgers were unable to consistently threaten Washington State with the run. Allen finished with 21 carries for 98 yards, and Mellusi logged 15 carries for 44 yards. That was a big reason why the Cougars were able to notch the upset, as Wisconsin's offense presented little threat.

Tanner Mordecai may have to throw the ball more than he did in Week 1, as Washington State scores points and lots of them. Still, Wisconsin will need to be able to run the ball in order to control the pace of the game.

That leads us into our final key to the game, which is for the Badgers to play at their own pace on offense.

Washington State goes fast. Yes, Wisconsin's offense also plays with pace under Phil Longo, but Luke Fickell said that the Cougars likely go even faster. Under new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, Washington State wants to get up to the line as quickly as possible so the defense doesn't have time to get the play call and get aligned.

"I think the biggest challenge is can you get lined up, can you get the call, can you beat them to the snap," Hunter Wohler said. "If we can get the call in and get lined up before they get set and they get the play off, it’s a big advantage to us. That’s what they beat teams on, that’s what their OC did last year. If we can take away that, it’s obviously gonna give us a big leg up on them.”

That's why the Badgers need to be able to play at their own pace on offense and control the football. First of all, long drives will go a long way to prevent Wisconsin's defense from getting gassed by the Cougars' breakneck tempo. If the Badgers can keep their defense fresh, Washington State's pace becomes much less problematic. What's more, long drives by Wisconsin's offense could throw off the Cougars' rhythm and prevent them from getting into a groove. If the Badgers can't play methodically and control the ball, they won't have much of a shot come Saturday.

After letting Buffalo hang around for longer than expected in Week 1, Wisconsin is walking into a highly dangerous situation in Pullman. With a road out-of-conference game against a feisty Cougars team, the Badgers have everything to lose with a loss and not much to gain with a win — their conference record won't be affected and they're playing an unranked opponent not considered too dangerous on a national scale. Washington State, meanwhile, is playing with house money as they seek another upset. Wisconsin showed some flaws against Buffalo that I'm not sure they'll be able to correct in time to survive their first true test of the season.

Washington State 30, Wisconsin 27

Everything but the run game looked shaky at times in the Badgers’ season opener. Mordecai made mistakes and the defense, at times, got pushed around by a MAC offense. I don’t expect the Badgers to fix these issues in one week, 1,600 miles away from home on national television. Now they’ll have to face what is likely the most dynamic quarterback on their schedule, leading an offense that couldn’t be more different than their usual Big Ten opponents. This Badgers defense will look to be saved by an offense centered on its running game, which could become irrelevant if the Cougars jump to an early lead.

Washington State 28, Wisconsin 22

I expect Wisconsin to get some revenge on Saturday night, but this is a game that should come right down to the wire. Look for Phil Longo to stay with the run game but also open things up a bit more through the air. If Mordecai shows improvement from Week 1, I think the Badgers improve to 2-0.

Wisconsin 24, Washington State 21

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