BadgerBlitz.com's weekly feature, "The 3 Cs," returns for the 2023 season. The staff takes a look at one thing we're curious, confident and concerned about heading into Wisconsin's contest against Purdue.

Staff writers Seamus Rohrer and Donnie Slusher each give their thoughts on the aforementioned topics for this week's contest.

Rohrer: I'm curious as to how the Badgers will look in their second road test of the season. Against Washington State, Wisconsin came out absolutely flat. They found their rhythm in the second half, but it was too little too late and they'd already dug themselves in a hole too deep to overcome.

Ross-Ade stadium on Friday night figures to be another tough environment. Purdue fans don't need to be told how many times in a row their team has lost to Wisconsin, and they'll do everything in their power to make the Badgers uncomfortable.

How will Wisconsin come out of the gate in West Lafayette? We've seen the Badgers' ability to turn it on in the second half — that's not a question. What's up in the air is how Wisconsin looks in the first half on the road in what should be another hostile environment.

Slusher: I’m most curious to see how the Braelon Allen saga continues. After averaging 19.2 carries per game last year as the undisputed focal point of Wisconsin’s offense, Allen has begun this season on a lighter note. In the season opener, he rushed the ball 17 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns, looking like his usual self. A week later, however, Allen finished with just seven carries for 20 rushing yards in a rough loss. Against Georgia Southern, he finished with 94 rushing yards and two touchdowns, but only on 12 carries. He didn’t get a handoff until there was 7:51 left in the second quarter.

Injuries have played some sort of undisclosed role, as Allen spent some time in the medical tent during the first half this past Saturday. But the offense may be changing around him. Chez Mellusi looked like the better running back in the season opener against Buffalo. His style of running is also more common in Phil Longo’s offenses than Allen’s physical, down-hill approach. He’s still probably the best player on the offense, the same way it’s been for the past two years, so I’m not willing to accept that this offense will run without him.

Rohrer: I'm confident that Wisconsin's passing game will look sharp on Friday.

Purdue's defense has struggled through three weeks. They allowed 39 points in the opener against Fresno State and 35 last week against Syracuse. Much like Wisconsin, the Boilermakers run a defensive system that is heavy in man coverage, and they've struggled to hold up at times.

Outside of true freshman safety Dillon Thieneman, who has two picks and 31 tackles, the Boilermakers' secondary has been problematic. The Badgers should have no issues getting receivers open.

What's more, Purdue's pass rush could be depleted as the status of linebacker Kydran Jenkins, who has three sacks, is in doubt for Friday.

The crowd will be loud when the Badgers have the ball, but the defense is rather porous.

Slusher: The big question mark is regarding Allen. I believe he can still make an impact and be productive, even if there’s a slight injury concern. He didn’t play for the first quarter-and-a-half last weekend, but finished with a productive stat line anyways.

Mellusi hasn’t matched the production of his opening weekend explosion, but is a major part of the offense and will continue to get opportunities.

The running game also extends beyond just the running backs. Syracuse may have unlocked a major flaw in the Boilermakers’ defense last week. Orange quarterback Garrett Shrader (yes, quarterback) finished with 195 rushing yards and four touchdowns. I’m not saying Shrader’s performance is anywhere near replicable, but there seems to be at least one glaring issue in their defense. Perhaps Mordecai’s best play from last weekend was his athletic 18-yard rushing touchdown. Longo is a big fan of designed quarterback runs, as this became a popular play last year when he coached Drake Maye.

Rohrer: I'm concerned about the Badgers' pass defense.

Davis Brin threw for nearly 400 yards against Wisconsin. Yes, the Eagles have a decent offense and boast a pair of talented wide outs. But that's something the Badgers should be able to overcome in a buy game at home.

Time and time again, opposing receivers have found themselves wide open against Wisconsin's secondary. Whether it's due to a miscommunication, a busted coverage or a defensive back who simply got beat, the Badgers' secondary has struggled to slow down passing games of varying potency.

Purdue's signal caller is the Texas transfer Hudson Card. He, like Tanner Mordecai, has been good but not great to start the season. If Card manages to dice up Wisconsin's secondary just like Brin was a week ago, alarms need to be sounded in regards to Mike Tressel's defense.

Slusher: I’m concerned that the offense will simply never turn on. This has been Wisconsin’s most persistent issue so far, and most puzzling, given the talent.

The offense only turned on last week after Georgia Southern gained a lead. Then, once the Badgers had some momentum, the Eagles’ defense couldn’t deal with the talent disadvantage. A similar thing happened against Buffalo in the season opener. When they fell down early against Washington State, their only Power Five opponent so far, they couldn’t come back nearly as easily. If the first three games are any sign of what’s to come for Friday’s performance, they will likely fall behind early, then fail to storm back late because Purdue has enough talent to fend off a comeback attempt.

This season, the Boilermakers have started hot, averaging 16 first half points and 26.3 points per game. Conversely, while the Badgers are averaging 31.6 points per game, their first halves are often flat, averaging only 10 points. A primetime game on the road coming after a short week, and continued uncertainty regarding Allen, don’t bode well for Wisconsin’s early woes. We’ll see if a quality opponent can compel a great performance out of them.

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