A Saturday afternoon cross-divisional clash will take place inside Camp Randall Stadium when the No. 18 Wisconsin Badgers hope to dampen the 2020 campaign of the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers.
Here are significant stats and key Indiana standouts to know, along with in-depth insight from our Q&A with The Hoosier's Paul Gable
2020 TEAM STATS
*Record: 5-1
*Points per game: 32.8
*Opponents points per game: 21.7
*Rushing yards per game: 102.3
*Opponents rushing yards per game: 135.0
*Passing yards per game: 279.3
*Opponents' passing yards per game: 230.0
*Third-down conversions: 37.5%
*Opponents' third-down conversions: 34.1%
*Total turnovers created: 18 (16 interceptions, two fumble recoveries)
*Total turnovers given up: 9 (four interceptions, five fumbles)
*Sacks: 20
*Sacks allowed: 6
INDIANA PLAYERS TO KNOW: OFFENSE
*Quarterback Michael Penix Jr.: 56.4% completion percentage (124 of 220), 1,645 yards, 14 touchdowns, four interceptions
*Quarterback Jack Tuttle: 5-of-5, 31 yards, zero touchdowns, zero interceptions
*Running back Stevie Scott: 119 carries, 405 yards, 3.4 yards per carry, eight touchdowns
*Running back Tim Baldwin: 19 carries. 124 yards (two games), 6.5 yards per carry
*Wide receiver Ty Fryfogle: 33 receptions, 652 yards, seven touchdowns
*Wide receiver Whop Philyor: 32 receptions, 367 yards, two touchdowns
*Tight end Peyton Hendershot: 20 receptions, 143 yards, three touchdowns
*Wide receiver Miles Marshall: 17 receptions, 257 yards, one touchdown
INDIANA PLAYERS TO KNOW: DEFENSE
*Defensive lineman Jerome Johnson: 15 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four sacks
*Defensive end James Head Jr.: 13 tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries
*Linebacker Micah McFadden: 43 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, two interceptions, three quarterback hurries
*Linebacker Cam Jones: 25 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, four quarterback hurries
*Defensive back Tiawan Mullen: 32 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, two pass breakups
*Defensive back Jamar Johnson: 30 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, two pass breakups, one forced fumble
*Defensive back Devon Matthews: 28 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, six pass breakups
*Defensive back Reese Taylor: 24 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, four pass breakups
*Defensive back Jaylin Williams: 19 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, four interceptions, two quarterback hurries
1. Indiana is a top-10 team this season and has won five of six contests heading into Camp Randall Stadium this weekend. What has sparked Tom Allen's program to this mark so far in 2020?
It can be traced back to three little letters: LEO. Tom Allen has done a fantastic job of recruiting playmakers, developing them once they get in and having his team believe they can and will compete with anyone. And he has done it around the LEO ("Love Each Other") mindset. It may sound corny to those outside the program, but it has worked the last year and a half for Indiana, especially. Throw in the factor that this team is a year older and more mature and has learned how to finish and win games, and you get what we are seeing each week out of Indiana.
While many may be surprised, let's not forget this was a program that won eight games last year and should have won at Michigan State, had Penn State on the ropes and had Tennessee all but beat in the Gator Bowl and could've had 11 wins. Allen definitely has Indiana soaring right now and I will be interested to see if they can slay the final beast that has had their number over time, Wisconsin.
2. We know Michael Penix Jr. will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. What will be the impact to the offense, and how much should there be expected of Utah transfer Jack Tuttle? Also, is there anyone else who will be out, who may return from injury, and how could that shape the game?
Anytime you lose your quarterback, regardless if you are 5-1 or 1-5, it hurts. It hurts more when it is a player like Penix, who is so talented and has the ball in his possession every single snap. According to Allen and offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, Jack Tuttle is ready for this moment, has worked for this moment and plays football at Indiana for this moment. Now, I would feel a lot better if he had more than a handful of throws under his belt, but it is what it is. Tuttle is an extremely talented quarterback, as was evident by the number of offers he had coming out of high school. With that said, he needs to trust the process, trust his playmaking abilities and trust the guys on offense with him. That Indiana defense is good enough to keep the Hoosiers in this game. Tuttle just has to maintain it and not do anything that may cost Indiana a chance in the fourth quarter.
To expand a little further, I don't think you will see a drop off from Penix to Tuttle and I honestly don't think you will see the playbook closed completely up. For Indiana to have success, it will have to ride Tuttle's arm and he showed on his first throw last week against Maryland, which was for a two-point conversion, he has a big arm and is more than ready to step in.
As for other players who may be out, we won't know of those until game time, but I will be interested to see if running back Sampson James is back. And if he is, what does that mean for Tim Baldwin Jr., who went over the century mark last week against Maryland?
3. More about the offense. What makes the passing game so potent? Who are the playmakers to know, but where could there also be concerns against Wisconsin's defense?
What makes the passing game so potent is really simple -- great quarterback play, great pass blocking by the offensive line and guys named Ty Fryfogle, Peyton Hendershot and Whop Philyor.
There may be better receivers out there but up to the Maryland game, there weren't better duos than Penix and Fryfogle. You don't have a wide receiver become the first ever in the history of the Big Ten Conference to have back-to-back 200-yard games without some talent.
The major concern for me, not only against Wisconsin but any team Indiana plays, is can this offense get off to a fast start? They cannot afford to be stuck in third and long or have a running game and offensive line that is non-existent, especially against a team like Wisconsin, which is big and nasty up front on the defensive line. This will be a great test for Indiana. If I were Allen and Sheridan, I would look to get Tuttle some confidence with some short to intermediate range throws, get Stevie Scott and the other backs going with passes to the flat like what we saw against Michigan and then open the playbook a little bit. But, it all starts and ends with Indiana's ability to get a push up front and get the running game going. If that doesn't happen, it will be a long day at Camp Randall for the Hoosiers.
4. The turnover-happy Hoosiers defense has posted a plus-9 turnover margin through six games, accumulating 18 takeaways that included three interceptions against the Terrapins last weekend. Who and what has made this defense so tough, and are there any holes that Wisconsin could use to its advantage?
Coordinator Kane Wommack has made this defense so tough. In the offseason he developed a defense that confuses opposing offenses with various coverages and schemes, and it has worked wonders. They love to blitz and come at quarterbacks from all over the field. Player-wise, guys like Tiawan Mullen, Jamar Johnson and Jaylin Williams can, and probably will, have a takeaway. Also, factor in middle linebacker Micah McFadden, who is the heart and soul of the unit and brings a warrior mentality each time out.
Now, as for holes, my only fear and concern with this Indiana defense is blitzing too much and Graham Mertz being able to throw behind it for big, explosive plays. That hasn't happened often against this defense, but when you blitz as often and as aggressively as Indiana does, it's bound to happen at some point in a game.
5. Where do you feel Indiana has an advantage over Wisconsin, and vice versa, where do you believe the Badgers have the upper hand against the Hoosiers? What's your game prediction?
Indiana has the advantage in that it has played three more games than the Badgers and have those live game reps. There is something to be said for playing and playing at game speed. That cannot be replicated in practice, I don't care how good you are. There is a huge difference between practice and game speed and the physicality of the two.
In addition, I believe Indiana thinks it can come in and win at Wisconsin, something that has not always been the case with Hoosiers squads. And, finally, Indiana has an advantage in that nobody has really seen much film of Tuttle and there is a whole week to put in new wrinkles that nobody has seen around him.
As for Wisconsin, you could say its greatest advantage is that the Badgers will come into the game well rested and hungry to get after somebody. We saw that early last week out of Maryland before water found its level and Indiana was able to settle in and grind out an ugly win.
I honestly believe Indiana's ability to get a win has nothing to do with Tuttle and how he plays and everything to do with how the offensive and defensive lines respond. Against a bigger, physical line at Michigan State, Indiana did well. Against a bigger, physical line at Ohio State, Indiana struggled offensively. I firmly believe Indiana's defense will get after Mertz and record some sacks and a takeaway or two, but I am hesitant to believe the rushing attack we saw last week against Maryland will continue this week. No disrespect to Maryland, but Wisconsin is far superior up front and on the defensive side of the football as a whole.
With Allen, Indiana has a chance. With that defense, Indiana has a chance. And, with playmakers on offense, Indiana has a chance. However, this is Wisconsin and Camp Randall has been very unkind to opposing teams.
I see Indiana squeaking out a hard-fought victory on the road and moving closer to Indianapolis should Ohio State have another cancellation due to COVID-19.
Indiana 28, Wisconsin 24
