The Wisconsin Badgers dropped to No. 13 in both the AP and Coaches polls on Sunday after falling in stunning fashion to Illinois in a 24-23 loss in Champaign. Now head coach Paul Chryst, his coaching staff and players need to turn the page to face No. 3 Ohio State at the Horseshoe this upcoming Saturday (11 a.m. CT, FOX).
BadgerBlitz.com returns its "3-2-1" weekly series to declare three more takeaways we learned after the upset, two questions heading into this week, and one prediction before this Saturday's battle.
THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. Jack Coan can lead the offense down the field, especially on third down, when the running game is stuffed up.
Though he threw a critical interception in the fourth quarter in the loss at Illinois, Jack Coan and the passing attack created opportunities and kept the offense rolling with the run game just accumulating 156 yards.
The junior quarterback completed 24-of-32 passes for 264 yards with the 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ferguson, along with the late pick.
Let's key in on third down against Illinois, according to StatBroadcast, the average distance to move the chains was 6.5 yards. UW ended up converting 9-of-17 third downs overall.
Coan completed 10-of-12 passes for 158 yards on that down alone, moving the chains eight times in the process. This week will be a much different test against an Ohio State unit allowing 136.3 yards through the air and a 26 percent third down conversion rate, but there is a multi-dimensional attack within UW's unit with capable receiving targets.
2. Ohio State dominates the second quarter against opponents.
I started research on Sunday in previewing the undefeated Buckeyes, and a staggering statistic popped out immediately. In the second quarter of games this season, head coach Ryan Day has his team rolling in the second 15 minutes of play throughout the season.
How much so? OSU outscores opponents 158-20. Against Northwestern last Friday, Ohio State held a 7-3 lead after the first quarter before throwing 24 points up in the second.
If the Badgers keep the game close after those first 15 minutes, they will need to contain the Buckeyes before halftime. Easier said than done this season.
3. The Big Ten West is still in play for Wisconsin.
I already discussed the ramifications of the loss in BadgerBlitz.com's "Five things we learned" piece within the Big Ten West as the margin for error for Wisconsin shrinks considerably.
Despite the loss, though, the division is definitely still in play for the Badgers. Minnesota has a rough November, and all other teams in the division hold at least two losses still presently. Northwestern, the defending West champ, is 0-4 after a 52-3 thumping put on them by Ohio State last Friday.
Even with two losses in conference play, UW can make it back to Indianapolis -- but it will likely have to be flawless in the record book next month. It will take some help at the moment in at least one or two Gophers' opponents defeating them, but the last month of the season still holds a lot of hope.
TWO QUESTIONS HEADING INTO OHIO STATE WEEK
1. How will this team respond after this seemingly uncharacteristic loss?
After not trailing for the entire game, except with the clock struck zero after James McCourt's field goal, Wisconsin faces a new adversity it has not seen in all of 2019 -- dealing with and turning the page from a loss.
Covering this team since fall camp, and talking with players during game preparation and postgame discussions, however, I do not foresee a drop off in preparation as the Badgers prepare for their greatest challenge of the regular season.
As junior running back Jonathan Taylor said after the game:
"This didn't end our season. We still have games left to play so you have to come back with a focus. If you thought this season ended today, then I don't know what to tell you. You probably won't be playing because we definitely have a lot more opportunity out there."
2. Can Wisconsin stop Justin Fields, J.K. Dobbins and Chase Young?
Ohio State very well may be the best team in the nation. It averages nearly 50 points and 527 yards per game -- while only allowing eight points and 229 per contest to opponents. The Badgers need to turn that page quick to contain some key Buckeyes, starting with who's under center.
Quarterback Justin Fields has completed 70.7 percent of this throws for 1,492 yards with 22 touchdowns and only one interception. He also has rushed for 291 yards and eight touchdowns.
Running back J.K. Dobbins has rushed for 947 yards on seven yards per carry with seven touchdowns and has shown he is one of the conference's -- and nation's -- top backs.
On the defensive side of the ball, defensive end Chase Young has lit up opposing defenses to the tune of 9.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss, along with three forced fumbles. For that matter, he has also been credited with a blocked kick.
ONE PREDICTION: WISCONSIN STILL MAKES IT TO INDIANAPOLIS
Back to previous discussions above regarding the divisional race. Even with a potential loss at Ohio State, a two-loss Wisconsin team can still represent the Big Ten West division in early December for the conference championship game (as stated previously). In fact, I still believe the Badgers will after all is said and done.
This is not necessarily a bold prediction by any means, especially with the rest of the West taking at least a couple of losses early on (with the exception of Minnesota). However, as seen against Illinois, there are no gimmes.
Wisconsin will have an open weekend after Ohio State to regroup after whatever happens in Columbus on Saturday, and then a key four-game stretch begins. It could come down to a final weekend in Minneapolis where Paul Bunyan's Axe and more will be on the line. I think this team responds to some mid-season adversity to rep the West.
