MADISON, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin is being given at least one more chance to fix its broken offense.
On a three-game losing streak for the first time since the 2008 season, the Badgers found out Sunday they will host Minnesota during the conference’s “champions week” this Saturday. The game will kickoff at 3 p.m. and be televised on the Big Ten Network.
The games this upcoming weekend were initially created by the Big Ten for divisional crossovers, pairing teams together based on where they finished in the Big Ten divisional standings. However, the longest played rivalry in the FBS was canceled prior to the Nov.28 meeting in Madison due to the Gophers’ rise in coronavirus numbers. The two teams have met every season since 1907.
The game could perhaps be the last opportunity for Wisconsin (2-3) to fix its puttering offense.
Following its 28-7 loss at No.19 Iowa Saturday, Wisconsin has scored seven points or fewer over the last three weeks. To put that in perspective, the Badgers haven’t done that since 1990 when Barry Alvarez first took over the program. Even more, the Badgers haven’t scored seven points or less three times in a season since 1995.
With a total of 20 points on its first three game losing streak in 12 years, Wisconsin has scored one fewer point than it did against Illinois in the second quarter of this year’s season opener.
When asked following the Iowa loss whether he wanted to have a game this upcoming weekend, head coach Paul Chryst didn’t hesitate.
"Throughout all of this, we've got guys that want to enjoy and appreciate being able to play football," Chryst said. "Whenever we get an opportunity to play, you're grateful for it, especially the way this season is. Therefore, we're hopeful of it."
With Wisconsin having played three of the top four scoring defenses in the last three games, Minnesota enters this weekend ninth in the conference in scoring defense (31.8 ppg) and 12th in yards allowed (432.5 ypg) but it coming off a 24-17 victory in Nebraska.
Off the last two weeks because of COVID and missing nearly three dozen players, Minnesota held Nebraska to 308 total yards, 4-for-13 on third down and forced two turnovers.
