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Published Sep 30, 2019
3-2-1: Wisconsin looks ahead to Kent State after close win vs. Northwestern
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Jake Kocorowski  •  BadgerBlitz
Senior Writer
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@JakeKoco

After a closer-than-comfortable 24-15 victory over the Northwestern Wildcats last weekend, the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers look to stay undefeated when they host the Kent State Golden Flashes on Saturday.

BadgerBlitz.com brings back our 3-2-1 feature to examine what takeaways we have from the week that was, two questions posed, and one more early, bold prediction for Wisconsin's Week 6 matchup against Ken State.

THREE THINGS WE LEARNED 

1. Don't bet the over when facing Northwestern.

Perhaps boldly, I predicted Wisconsin to win 34-6 over Northwestern (actually changing it from 34-10 initially after leading NU receiver Bennett Skowronek was announced as out for the game). After three games of positive offensive play, I thought this would be the season the game would not be tight and I could begin writing at halftime.

I was wrong.

Less learned, and quite bluntly: Never discount the weirdness of the Wisconsin-Northwestern football series and how the Wildcats play against the Badgers -- regardless of where they play.

2. Wisconsin unveiled more personnel, and a lot of snaps not actually under center.

On Tuesday, BadgerBlitz.com will unveil its weekly personnel groupings as seen against the Wildcats, and in a hint of a preview, there were some interesting formations schemed out by head coach Paul Chryst and his staff. That included starting out the game in 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers), and even deployed a 10 personnel (one running back, four wide receiver) look a couple of times.

Even within its standard 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end) at times, Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan did not line up under center but was in shotgun or pistol formation.

By BadgerBlitz.com's unofficial account, 26 of UW's 33 offensive reps in the first half came out of shotgun or pistol formation -- compared to six under center.

We'll see just what Chryst and Wisconsin throw out on the field against Kent State, and if we see either more variations or a return to a stereotypically "normal" Badgers set of looks.

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