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When I go through the game unit by unit, I get:
QB: Slight Advantage Nebraska. Martinez is obviously an experienced starter who has had his moments of greatness. Stave is a new starter with potential, but has yet to prove anything. The only reason this isn't a heavy edge is that Martinez really struggled against our backers last year.
HB: Slight Advantage Wisconsin. If Montee Ball plays, we have the heavy edge here, but it is still a draw if he doesn't (I averaged the two). Melvin Gordon is, according to many, a top back who is stuck deep in the lineup. Nebraska has their own guy like that in Ameer Abdullah. James White is a proven #1 quality back whose career stats show that he is on the same plain as Burkhead talentwise. Montee gives us the edge for obvious reasons.
Receivers: Slight Advantage Nebraska. I had a tough time picking this one. Jared Abbredaris is the best receiver in the game, but Wisconsin's other receivers are inexperienced and have struggled to get open. Nebraska's WRs have had drop issues whenever I watch their games, but they get a separation that Wisconsin's non-Abbredaris receivers can only dream of. The last one was close and I gave it to us, so i'll give this one to the Huskers.
O-Line: Even. Both teams have seen their offensive lines struggle. Nebraska has dominated the weaker competition, but had major struggles against UCLA. Our line has been worse overall this year, but showed some positive signs last week. With a new coach, i'm banking on some improvement here.
D-Line: Slight Advantage Nebraska. Wisconsin's D-Line has been much improved from a year ago, getting a fair amount of heat and not making any bad mistakes. Nebraska had a rough effort against UCLA, but has gotten enough pressure in the other games to record 55 TFLs and Sacks in four games. Guys like Martin and Ankrah get more pressure than any Wisconsin DEs, so Nebraska gets the edge.
Linebackers: Heavy Edge Wisconsin. Borland and Taylor are an omnipresence, the two best defensive players on either team. They make their presence felt for sixty minutes, wrapping up an absurd amount of tackles and repeatedly limiting plays to less than a few yards. Will Compton is a good linebacker, but not as good as those two, and his sidekicks aren't remotely in the same league.
Secondary: Slight Edge Nebraska. I thought their secondary looked pretty questionable against UCLA, but they did pick up their act late. The rest of the time, their stats make it clear that they have been a more effective pass defense than we are. Wisconsin has one very good secondary player (Shelton Johnson) and a pretty damn good one (Devin Smith), but the other two players are risky but mistake-prone. The results have been more than 900 passing yards allowed, including 1 YPA more than Nebraska.
Special Teams: Heavy Edge Nebraska. Both teams have capable return guys (Kenzel Doe & Jared Abbredaris, Ameer Abdullah & Kenny Bell). However, Nebraska has a great special teams guy (Maher, even if he has struggled a bit) while Wisconsin has Freshmen at kicker and punter. Wisconsin also a long history of special teams fuckups the last few years. Nebraska has given up a kick return TD, but they still have the advantage.
Coaching: Slight Edge Nebraska. Bielema the master motivator is still there, but Paul Chryst, the offensive genius, has moved on and his replacement, Matt Canada is struggling. Combined with a defense that lacks a true lead coach, there have been issues in Madison. Pelini's era has been characterized by solid but unspectacular teams. His teams have struggled in big games, but normally without the mental and minute mistakes that have killed the Badgers.
Prediction: 27-24 Nebraska. Nebraska scores 17 points early before the Wisconsin linebackers exude their will much like last year. Melvin Gordon and James White lead the Badgers back and tie the game with a few minutes left. However, the Huskers have a decent drive down the field and Maher hits a 44 yarder for the win as time expires to satisfy the thoroughly well behaved audience.
QB: Slight Advantage Nebraska. Martinez is obviously an experienced starter who has had his moments of greatness. Stave is a new starter with potential, but has yet to prove anything. The only reason this isn't a heavy edge is that Martinez really struggled against our backers last year.
HB: Slight Advantage Wisconsin. If Montee Ball plays, we have the heavy edge here, but it is still a draw if he doesn't (I averaged the two). Melvin Gordon is, according to many, a top back who is stuck deep in the lineup. Nebraska has their own guy like that in Ameer Abdullah. James White is a proven #1 quality back whose career stats show that he is on the same plain as Burkhead talentwise. Montee gives us the edge for obvious reasons.
Receivers: Slight Advantage Nebraska. I had a tough time picking this one. Jared Abbredaris is the best receiver in the game, but Wisconsin's other receivers are inexperienced and have struggled to get open. Nebraska's WRs have had drop issues whenever I watch their games, but they get a separation that Wisconsin's non-Abbredaris receivers can only dream of. The last one was close and I gave it to us, so i'll give this one to the Huskers.
O-Line: Even. Both teams have seen their offensive lines struggle. Nebraska has dominated the weaker competition, but had major struggles against UCLA. Our line has been worse overall this year, but showed some positive signs last week. With a new coach, i'm banking on some improvement here.
D-Line: Slight Advantage Nebraska. Wisconsin's D-Line has been much improved from a year ago, getting a fair amount of heat and not making any bad mistakes. Nebraska had a rough effort against UCLA, but has gotten enough pressure in the other games to record 55 TFLs and Sacks in four games. Guys like Martin and Ankrah get more pressure than any Wisconsin DEs, so Nebraska gets the edge.
Linebackers: Heavy Edge Wisconsin. Borland and Taylor are an omnipresence, the two best defensive players on either team. They make their presence felt for sixty minutes, wrapping up an absurd amount of tackles and repeatedly limiting plays to less than a few yards. Will Compton is a good linebacker, but not as good as those two, and his sidekicks aren't remotely in the same league.
Secondary: Slight Edge Nebraska. I thought their secondary looked pretty questionable against UCLA, but they did pick up their act late. The rest of the time, their stats make it clear that they have been a more effective pass defense than we are. Wisconsin has one very good secondary player (Shelton Johnson) and a pretty damn good one (Devin Smith), but the other two players are risky but mistake-prone. The results have been more than 900 passing yards allowed, including 1 YPA more than Nebraska.
Special Teams: Heavy Edge Nebraska. Both teams have capable return guys (Kenzel Doe & Jared Abbredaris, Ameer Abdullah & Kenny Bell). However, Nebraska has a great special teams guy (Maher, even if he has struggled a bit) while Wisconsin has Freshmen at kicker and punter. Wisconsin also a long history of special teams fuckups the last few years. Nebraska has given up a kick return TD, but they still have the advantage.
Coaching: Slight Edge Nebraska. Bielema the master motivator is still there, but Paul Chryst, the offensive genius, has moved on and his replacement, Matt Canada is struggling. Combined with a defense that lacks a true lead coach, there have been issues in Madison. Pelini's era has been characterized by solid but unspectacular teams. His teams have struggled in big games, but normally without the mental and minute mistakes that have killed the Badgers.
Prediction: 27-24 Nebraska. Nebraska scores 17 points early before the Wisconsin linebackers exude their will much like last year. Melvin Gordon and James White lead the Badgers back and tie the game with a few minutes left. However, the Huskers have a decent drive down the field and Maher hits a 44 yarder for the win as time expires to satisfy the thoroughly well behaved audience.
