There is nothing better in college sports to see a rivalry back running on full force after a couple down years. This holds especially in true in football when the teams only play one game a year versus a basketball rivalry where they usually have two meetings. Minnesota has made a return to prominence with their first eight win season since 2003 when they won 10. Coincidentally enough, this is the last time Minnesota beat Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan's Axe. Golden Gophers might get a New Year's Day bowl game, but this is their Super Bowl meaning Wisconsin needs to be prepared for it.
Minnesota has been on a roll as of late with four straight victories giving them an outside chance at playing for Big Ten glory against Ohio State for the Big Ten Championship game. How the hell did this happen? It really comes from their running attack and their rushing defense. David Cobb is a player to watch for Minnesota. He rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and in their last four games, every game Cobb has over 100 yards including 188 against Indiana although it about as easy to rush for 150 yards on Indiana as it is to recite the ABC. Their quarterback Philip Nelson also runs the ball pretty well rushing for over 300 yards this season meaning Wisconsin needs to contain him and not let him get out the tackle box.
What's weird about their defense is they do not have anything special about them. They do hold the 38th rushing defense, but in their win streak, they have given up 100 yard rushers in those games so it does not equate with this team stopping the run technically. Further, Minnesota does not have a shutdown secondary either thus I have deducted they are an average defense. It has not stopped Minnesota this season except against Michigan when they gave up 49 meaning they scheme in the right ways to keep their opposition out of the endzone.
While everyone will be excited about Minnesota going into this one, Wisconsin is still there. They are like John Cusack holding a boombox in the rain right now hoping no one forgets about them. Everyone wants to talk about Ohio State, and how Urban Meyer is crying worse than a toddler right now. Wisconsin is playing damn good football right now on both sides, offense and defense. Badgers look like a well oiled machine and it seems like there are not many teams who can stop them right now.
On offense, it starts with James White. In the last three games, White rushed for 484 yards with five touchdowns. Additionally, White is averaging at least six yards per carry in those games meaning with two carries, he has a first down. Everyone got excited about Melvin Gordon, and the senior running back took back the throne for now. Gordon did have a big day against Indiana, but the two games prior, Gordon did not reach the same levels as he did in games prior. Is this a sign of Gordon getting worn down a bit? Probably hence the reason why White is still going strong.
When talking defense in the B1G, everyone talks about Michigan State and for good reason too as they are the best in the country yet people forget about Wisconsin. As we noted on Monday, they held Indiana to three points and in their first nine games, they scored at least 28 points. BYU has put up points this year and Wisconsin held them to 10 points for the greater part of the game until they got a garbage touchdown at the end of the game. The Illinois and Ohio State game paint a bad picture about this defense. Do people realize they only allow 14 points per game and that's good for fifth in the country? I do not think many people do. With how Wisconsin looks on both sides of the ball, there are not many teams who are playing better than this team.
As for the game, I do think the spread for the game with Badgers favored by 15 points is too high. These teams when they were both around the same talent levels, they were close. I think this one is a battle for points but in the end, White will wear down the Gophers defense propelling Wisconsin to yet another victory in the rivalry game. Wisconsin 27 Minnesota 20
Charlie.
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