Northwestern Wildcats vs Wisconsin Badgers Picks and Predictions October 19th 2024

Heading into this week eight Big Ten matchup, the Wisconsin Badgers are on the road to take on the Northwestern Wildcats. Kick-off is set for 12:00 ET at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston, with BTN handling the broadcast. The over/under line is currently at 41.5 points, and the Badgers are -7 point favorites. Wisconsin has a 4-2 record, while Northwestern sits at 3-3 on the season.

Wisconsin vs. Northwestern Key Information

Wisconsin enters Week 8 with a 4-2 record, ranked 28th in our power rankings. They have an 85% chance of becoming bowl-eligible but just a 0.7% shot at winning the Big Ten. The Badgers are 2-1 at home and 1-1 on the road this season.

Wisconsin’s average scoring margin is +10, and they are 2-3 against the spread. They’ve been favored in two games, going 1-1 ATS as favorites and 1-2 as underdogs.

Their over/under record stands at 4-1, with their games averaging 50 points. The average over/under line has been 48.5 points, and this week’s line is set at 41.5 points.

Wisconsin’s offense is averaging 30 points per game heading into week 8, placing them 42nd in the nation. They are ranked 69th in our offensive power rankings. Their rushing attack is their strength, with 193.5 yards per game on 40 attempts, ranking 20th in rushing attempts.

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Tawee Walker leads the team with 439 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 5 yards per carry. Braedyn Locke has thrown for 904 yards, with six touchdowns and four interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 88. Wisconsin ranks 78th in passing yards per game.

Wisconsin’s defense was strong in their 42-7 win over Rutgers, giving up just 7 points and 271 total yards. They allowed 103 passing yards on 12 completions and forced one interception. Rutgers ran the ball 35 times for 168 yards and scored one rushing touchdown.

On the season, Wisconsin’s defense ranks 28th nationally, allowing 20 points per game. They are 23rd in the country against the pass, giving up 168.2 yards per game. Opponents have completed 57.8% of their passes and averaged 142.8 rushing yards per game against the Badgers.

Northwestern enters Week 8 with a 3-3 record, facing Wisconsin at home. They rank 72nd in our power rankings and have a 25.3% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. So far, they are 1-1 at home and 1-1 on the road this season.

The Wildcats have been favored in just one game this season, and their average scoring margin is +2.7 points per game. Against the spread, they are 2-2, going 1-1 at home and 1-1 on the road.

Northwestern’s over/under record is 2-2, with their games averaging 40.7 points. This week’s line is set at 41.5 points, slightly above their average line of 41.2 points.

Northwestern’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 21.7 points per game, which ranks 76th nationally. They are 112th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 8. Their third-down conversion rate is low, at 28.9%, and they are 107th in rushing, with 120.3 yards per game.

Jack Lausch leads the passing game with 726 yards, and Northwestern ranks 46th in passing attempts. Lausch has four touchdowns and two interceptions, with a passer rating of 77. Cam Porter leads the rushing attack with 272 yards and five touchdowns. Bryce Kirtz has 391 receiving yards on 25 catches.

Northwestern’s defense has been strong this season, ranking 11th in the nation by allowing just 89.5 rushing yards per game. In their recent win over Maryland, they gave up only 59 rushing yards on 33 attempts. The Wildcats also forced an interception and held Maryland to 10 points.

Opponents have averaged 261.2 passing yards per game against Northwestern, completing 63.5% of their passes. Maryland threw for 296 yards on 51 attempts, but Northwestern’s defense kept them out of the end zone through the air.

Our projected score for this week eight matchup between Wisconsin and Northwestern is 30-19 in favor of the Badgers. Even with Wisconsin as -7 point favorites, we see them covering the spread and coming out with a win.

With the over/under line sitting at 41.5 points, our projection of 49 points makes the over the best bet for this matchup.

Wisconsin, Northwestern Look to Build on Big Wins

Wisconsin and Northwestern are set to clash in a Big Ten showdown on Saturday, both coming off impressive road victories that have boosted their momentum. The game will take place in Evanston, Ill., where both teams hope to continue their upward trajectory in a series that has been evenly contested in recent years.

Wisconsin’s Recent Surge

Wisconsin (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) is coming off a dominant 42-7 road victory against Rutgers on Oct. 12, marking their second straight win after two consecutive losses to top-ranked teams: then-No. 4 Alabama and then-No. 13 Southern California. The Badgers have found their groove offensively, racking up 589 and 549 yards in their two most recent victories.

One of the standout performers for Wisconsin has been running back Tawee Walker, who has stepped up as the primary ball carrier after Chez Mellusi left the team for health reasons two weeks ago. Walker ran for a career-high 198 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries against Rutgers, providing the offensive spark Wisconsin needed.

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In addition to Walker’s ground game, the Badgers have seen growth from redshirt sophomore quarterback Braedyn Locke, who has been filling in for the injured Tyler Van Dyke, who sustained a season-ending knee injury against Alabama. Locke completed 20 of 28 passes for 240 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the win over Rutgers. Since taking over, Locke has completed 66 of 111 passes (59.5 percent) for 904 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions.

Head coach Luke Fickell is pleased with the progression he’s seen from his team, especially as they begin to find a balance between offense and defense.

“We’re seeing the growth in a lot of areas,” Fickell said. “I think we’re really starting to envision what this complementary ball looks like that you often hear about, but it really was.”

Northwestern’s Resilience

Northwestern (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) also enters this matchup with momentum following their 37-10 road win over Maryland on Oct. 11. The Wildcats snapped a two-game losing streak with the victory, aided by a defense that forced four turnovers despite being outgained 355-283 in total yards.

Quarterback Jack Lausch delivered an efficient performance, completing 10 of 18 passes for 203 yards. The Wildcats’ running game was less effective, managing just 80 yards on the ground, but their opportunistic defense made up for the lack of offensive firepower.

Northwestern’s defense, which allows an average of 348.7 yards per game, played a key role in stifling Maryland’s offense and creating opportunities for the Wildcats to capitalize on mistakes. However, head coach David Braun is excited about the direction his team is heading, particularly after seeing a complete team performance.

“I’m excited about where this team’s trending right now,” Braun said. “I think we saw Friday night the first time that this team found a way to find spurts of playing at a high level in all three phases all within one game. That’s something that we’re going to have to continue to do to compete in this league.”

Recent History and the Evenly Matched Series

In recent years, the Wisconsin-Northwestern matchup has been a closely contested one, with the two teams splitting their last 10 meetings. Last season, Northwestern claimed a 24-10 victory at Wisconsin, but the Badgers rebounded in 2022 with a 42-7 win in Evanston, which was particularly emotional as it came right after the firing of then-head coach Paul Chryst. Wisconsin was led by interim coach Jim Leonhard at the time, though Luke Fickell ultimately took over as the permanent head coach.

What’s at Stake

Both teams are eager to keep building on their recent success. Wisconsin, with its potent offense led by Walker and Locke, will look to continue piling up yardage and points against a Northwestern team that has shown defensive resilience. Northwestern, on the other hand, will aim to continue its opportunistic defensive play and find more consistency in all phases of the game.

For Wisconsin, a win would keep them in the hunt for a strong finish in the Big Ten, while Northwestern hopes to build a winning streak and climb back into contention after a rocky start to the season. With both teams looking to stay on track, Saturday’s game in Evanston is shaping up to be another chapter in this evenly matched series.