The No. 12 Indiana Hoosiers and No. 16 Wisconsin Badgers are each trying to avoid suffering their second loss of the season, but only one will succeed when they square off on Saturday afternoon. It should be a tightly-matched game between two completely different teams.
The Hoosiers are 5-1 and are already six games into their season, while the Badgers are 2-1 and just three games into their season due to COVID-19 cancelations. Indiana prides itself on its passing attack, while the Badgers pride themselves on their ground and pound game.
Both teams have strong defenses that get the job done, but the Badgers are far more stingy.
The two Big Ten football teams are set to play at 3:30 pm ET on Saturday inside Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisc. It’s the Badgers’ second home game and their first since they opened their season at home on Oct. 23. They haven’t played since Nov. 21, their first loss of the season to Northwestern.
Will the Hoosiers win their second in a row?
The Indiana Hoosiers started their season 4-0, which included wins against then-No. 8 Penn State and then-No. 23 Michigan. They suffered their first loss against No. 3 Ohio State on Nov. 21, but it was a tight game that ended 42-35. They have a chance on Saturday to earn their second win since that loss.
Michael Penix Jr. was having a fine season for the Hoosiers, throwing for 1,645 yards, 14 touchdowns, and four interceptions before he suffered a season-ending knee injury last week against Maryland. That will put more pressure on Stevie Scott III to produce. Scott has 405 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground this season.
Can the Badgers bounce back?
The Badgers opened their season with a monster 45-7 victory against Illinois but had their next two games canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They came back on Nov. 14 and beat Michigan 49-11 before suffering their first loss in a disappointing 17-7 game vs. Northwestern.
The Badgers are led by Graham Mertz, who’s totaling 605 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions this season. It’s their ground game that’s truly spectacular, though.
They have Nakia Watson and Jalen Berger each with over 150 yards through three games. They also have three other players with more than 50 yards rushing.
Betting Odds & Lines
Who do you think suffers their second loss of the season on Saturday? FanDuel Sportsbook has Wisconsin as a 14.5-point favorite over the Hoosiers. It also has the over/under listed at 44.5 total points.
Free Betting Pick
The Badgers suffered a disappointing loss to Northwestern in their last game, but I think they bounce back on Saturday in a big way. They’ll face a lot of resistance from the Hoosiers, but the Badgers’ run game will allow them to control the tempo.
I think the game will come down to a strong defensive play that allows the Badgers to run the clock. Both of these defenses are stingy, but I think the offenses shine through, and we have ourselves a fun game to watch to start the weekend off right.
With that being said, I do see the Hoosiers covering the spread with a tight game.
Final Score Prediction 31-28, Wisconsin Badgers.
Pick: Indiana Hoosiers (+14.5)
For more picks on NFL and college football, check out our football picks page.