Wisconsin vs. Maryland Prediction, Game Preview

Wisconsin (7-2) keeps on rolling, but it needs two losses from Iowa to get back into the Big Ten West title hunt. Is Maryland (2-6) going to be able to come up with anything special? The Terps need to win out to go bowling, but it’s going to be a tough task just to come up with a key win this week. Check out the Wisconsin vs. Maryland game preview and prediction.

Wisconsin vs. Maryland Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
Game Time: 3:30 pm
Venue: Byrd Stadium, College Park, MD

Network: BTN

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Why You Need To Care

Wisconsin got its main man back at running back and everything was different. Corey Clement gives the Badgers a true weapon, and everything flowed from there in an easy win over Rutgers. Now the defense needs the nation in points allowed, the offense is starting to hum, and everything is working with Northwestern and Minnesota to follow. Win all three games, hope Iowa royally screws up, and it’ll be on to the Big Ten title game. For now, the Badgers have to take care of this week against a decent Terp squad.

Maryland gave Penn State a nightmare of a time, and it shoved Iowa around a little bit in a 31-15 loss that was tighter than the final score, but it’s still all part of a five-game losing streak. The team hasn’t been awful under interim head man Mike Locksley, but the wins aren’t coming. Unfortunately, this is the teeth of the schedule with the Badgers this week and a trip to Michigan State to follow. The offense might not be efficient or effective, and there might be a slew of major issues on both sides of the ball, but the season might change around with one big win over the Badgers.

Why Wisconsin Will Win

Wisconsin as the No. 1 scoring defense and is fifth in pass efficiency defense. Maryland is averaging just 24 points per game and has the second-least efficient passing game in college football. The Terps are also dead last in turnover margin, while the Badger defense is excellent at taking the ball away. Maryland’s offense just won’t move against the Bucky D, especially through the air, but the bigger problem continues to be turnovers. Maryland has given it up 28 times on the year and 20 times in the last five games including nine in the last two.

Why Maryland Will Win

Can Maryland QB Perry Hills give the Badgers any issues? The Badgers haven’t faced any mobile quarterbacks outside of Nebraska’s Tommy Armstrong, and he ran for 50 yards and a score. Maryland won’t be able to line up and smashmouth on Wisconsin, and it won’t be able to push the ball down the field with the passing game, so this has to be Hills, who has to keep the mistakes to a bare minimum and find ways to just be a baller. He has to keep the Badger D on its heels.

Player Who Matters

It’s not quite right to get all jazzed up over a performance against Rutgers, but Corey Clement showed what the Badger offense could be with star running the ball again. The injured junior only ran 11 times, but he made the workload count with 115 yards and three scores, showing the silky-smooth moves, speed and quickness that made the Wisconsin offense look like the Wisconsin offense again.

What’s Going To Happen?

Wisconsin will have problems with the Maryland offense for a drive or two, and then that’ll be it. This is an awful matchup for the Terps, and it’s going to look like it in the second half.