Gophers vs. Badgers- Border Battle Game Preview (the Badger angle)

Badger fans called him 'Nutpunch Decker', but look at Blake Sorensen
molesting Minneosota's favorite receiver - photo by Gophersports.com

Like last week, we've got another opposing fan's perspective on the week's upcoming game. This week its good friend and Wisconsin alum, Roger Murdock.  You may recall last season I lost a bet with Roger, and had to don the cardinal and white for an evening of post-work drinking.  That same bet is on for this year, and I am dreading the possibility of having to wear another article of Badger apparel.  Roger would look much better in my Maroney #22 or Darkins #44 jersey.  Here's what Roger had to say:

As a UW grad and lifelong Badger fan, I was asked by Mr. Bandanna Guy to provide an analysis of the upcoming Badgers-Gophers tussle from a Badgers’ perspective. Now, before I go on, I must admit that my nickname is Goldy. Sucks for a Badger fan. Even worse when Goldy is getting rammed crotch first into the goal post by Bucky and you have the entire student section at Camp Randall chanting, “Crush Goldy’s nuts!” A bit unsettling.

Anyhow, on to the game. This year’s Wisconsin team is disappointing fans for the 11^th straight season. No Big Ten title equals disappointment. Big things were expected out of this year’s team. Most of the offense returned and several defensive starters returned. They were sluggish out of the gate but the hope was they would get it together come Big Ten season. Well, they started on the road with a solid MSU team. Now, Spartan Stadium has not been kind to the Badgers in the past, and 2010 was no different. The Badgers lost by 10 but had a good shot to win this game. Down 3 with about 8 minutes to go they twice had MSU in a 3^rd and long situation and couldn’t stop them. MSU drives the length of the field to seal the game. One 3^rd down stop and the Badgers could have won. Oh Well.

The Badgers offense is not what it was expected to be this year. Some of it has to do with injuries and some has to do with expectations that were a little overboard. In regards to injuries, it has hurt the passing game that Toon and Gilreath have missed 3 games. The only real option with them out is TE Lance Kendricks (who has developed into a great blocker as well). Toon was back against MSU but looked rusty. Hopefully he gets his shit together for this week. With those guys out, the receiving corps is a bunch of JAGs (just a guy) and a white walk-on from Wautoma. John Clay has been a bust this year. He had off-season surgery on both ankles and came into camp looking like the Michelin Man. I believe he spent too much time at Chick-Fil-A back in Racine in the off season. He never had a burst, but he looks slower this season and is not finishing off runs like he did in the past. The O-line was supposed to be the best in the country and looks very pedestrian. Don’t know why, but they look like liquid dog poo.

The D is about what was expected out of them. Not the greatest, but respectable. Chris Borland going out with a season ending injury was a huge blow. As Gopher legend Glenn Mason said about him 68 times in a broadcast last season, “Chris Borland is a FOOTBALL player.” That guy did everything. JJ Watt is very good along the line. He bats down a ton of passes and gets in the backfield a lot. However, he isn’t the best at changing directions and QBs and RBs can put a move on him and get by him. He gets in the backfield like O’Brien Scofield did last year, but he just can't finish the deal. The secondary is crappy but that has been the case since Jamar Fletcher left. Look for a lot of 10 yard cushions, even on 3^rd and 5.

Now, as any good Badger fan would do, I have watched parts of the Minnesota losses. It is just kinda fun. It is obvious that the Gophers can’t stop the run. The killer also seems to be the lack of success on 3^rd and short. You keep giving it to the big white guy and he keeps failing. Now, the 3^rd and short issue shouldn’t be a problem against Wisconsin since they couldn’t stop Case High School (losers of 58 straight games) and 3^rd and short. Now the running thing may be more of an issue. As I mention earlier, Clay has been a disappointment. However, he may have a big day against Minny’s run D. There has been talk this week about Freshman James White taking over the starting role, but I think that was just the coaches going to the media to light a fire under Clay’s ass. White is a quick back that loves to run to the outside but can also pick his gaps in the line, but I see Clay just rumbling up the gut all game long.

So, I see a 31-24 Wisconsin victory. I don’t see Wisconsin punting much, which would be great since the coverage team blows. I see a bunch of 7 minute Wisconsin drives and the game ends with Wisconsin running out the clock with a 6 minute drive to seal the game. Minnesota will move the ball with the passing game but in the end, Tim Brewster coaches the Gophers and Wisconsin will win and retain the Axe for the 43^rd straight year. Honestly, I love watching the Badgers run around with the Axe. It’s my favorite part of the football season. There is nothing more galling than seeing scenes like an English Gophers place kicker running for the Axe. Blah.

I will be at the game with several crappy beers in the system. Should be a good time. On Wisconsin!

There you have it. A bounce-back Wisconsin win, predicted by a Badger fan, but the Gophs easily cover the massive -21.5 points the Badgers are laying.  My prediction coming tomorrow.

Gophers vs. Badgers- Border Battle Game Preview (the Badger angle)

In an effort to give you a game preview from the wrong side of the Border, I've tasked fellow blogger (from his excellent 'Looks Like I Picked the Wrong Week to Quit Blogging' blog) and Badger alum Roger Murdock to write up his take on the game. Deep breath Gopher Nation. Know thine enemy, right?

"Hey, in case you have not heard, there are a couple of big games going on up in Minneapolis this weekend. And I am not talking about that exciting Royals/Twins series closing out the Twins run at the Metrodome. The game I am most interested in is the Badgers/Gophers game in which the Badgers attempt to maintain possession of the Paul Bunyan Axe for what I believe will be the 36th straight year (or something like that divided by 6).

Anyhow, this game kicks off the most critical stretch of games for the Badgers this season and a win would go a long way in keeping up the momentum gathered in the first four games. After this game the Badgers go to Columbus and then face Iowa at home. I don’t expect the Badgers to go undefeated through these three games, but if they come out of it 2-1, I would be thrilled. 1-2 would not be good, but not the end of the world. 0-3 would be vomit inducing.

Wisconsin will look to continue to ride their balanced offensive attack. Tolzein has obviously been a heck of a QB so far this year. He has a great presence in the pocket and is aware of his surroundings. I think I read somewhere that Wisconsin has only given up 2 sacks so far this season. That has helped Tolzein’s confidence in the pocket. Minnesota would be wise to attempt to bring guys up the middle in an attempt to flush Tolzein out of the pocket. He has not had to throw on the run much this year and it would be interesting to see how good that aspect of his game is. He can run if needed, but can he throw on the run? The key to the passing game is how the Gophers attempt to defend Graham and Kendricks. If they try to double up on these guys, the Badgers have the receivers to get open against man coverage and do some damage after the catch. Tolzein hit a ton of passes in the flat early against MSU. When they brought guys up to defend against that, he hit Toon and Anderson deep. Tolzein is the first QB since Stocco who can throw a solid deep ball.

The O-line is still coming together for the Badgers. John Moffit got his first start of the season at guard last week and the rust showed. He picked it up in the second half but was relatively brutal in the first half. 3rd string center Peter Konz has been solid in the middle. Ogelsby appears to be having problems with speed rushers off the end. However, as mentioned above, the line has only given up 2 sacks this season (thanks to Tolzein’s pocket presence) and the pass blocking has been solid. The run blocking is not what it has been in the past for Wisconsin teams. However, sending the same guys out there on back to back weeks for the first time will help. The run blocking is coming together and the RBs need to do a better job of hitting the hole when it is there.

Speaking of running backs, I am still waiting for John Clay to have that truly big breakout game. I’m talking a 200-yard, 2 TD game. Last week against State he ran well but it seems he left some yards out on the field. However, the key was that he didn’t leave the football out on the field. I think the fumbles in the Wofford game were an aberration and this isn’t a guy with a fumbling problem. John needs to do a better job of finding the holes the line creates. I am excited to see him get in the open field and use his 250 pound frame to just blow up a DB. Zach Brown will get his touches as well. He did destroy the Gophers two years ago in the dome, but honestly, he is just a guy in terms of Big Ten running backs. A solid back up for sure, but not the workhorse.

The Badgers’ D has improved as throughout the season. The line is getting better now that guys are coming back from injury and a set rotation is in place. They are making plays in the backfield and getting to the QB off the ends. The problem is that they have no big run stuffer in the middle. Against the run game, they are vulnerable up the middle but do a good job of running to the boundaries. MSUs big runs were all up the middle. The linebackers have been playing great. Schofield has been lights out all 4 games and the Freshmen Taylor and Borland really played well last week. There are a lot of young guys on this D that are getting playing time and will only get better.

The D-backs are still a work in progress but are getting better. They did a good job of containing the Spartan passing attack for 57 minutes last week. The ability to get pressure up front helps out this secondary immensely. There has been a lot of talk about the play of Chris Maragos. He has made some clutch plays and has had a handful of picks so far this season. However, he is no Jim Leonhard. Maragos is a solid player with good hands, but he doesn’t have the greatest speed and gets out of position sometimes.

The special teams have been solid this year. They don’t appear to be the best blockers in the world, but Gilreath came close to busting one last week. The kick coverage has been good so far this year. After a couple early misses, Welch seems to be back on track after bombing that 57-yarder against Fresno State.

After all that rambling about what Wisconsin has, lets actually get to the game. It will be Wisconsin’s first road game of the season and it comes at an unknown venue. How will Tolzein and the rest of the young team react in the first game on the road? Normally this wouldn’t be an issue in Minnesota since the crown is usually 40% Badger fans, but that will not be the case this season. Wisconsin has also done a piss-poor job of closing out opponents at home so far. Will the slip ups they have had cost them on the road?

From all reports, it sounds like Minnesota got their running game going last week. This will be big because if Wisconsin has to respect the run, it will be harder for them to generate a pass rush to help out the secondary. Also watch out the academic wizard MarQuis Gray running some out of the backfield. He has only gotten a handful of touches in the first few games but I am wondering if they were not holding him back a bit to unleash him against the hated Badgers.

It will also be interesting to see how Nutpunch Decker fairs in this game. He suffered an ankle injury in last year’s game. Last week, the Badgers shut down Blair White but MSU was able to work the ball to the other receivers. If the Badgers take away Decker (a humongous if) will Weber be able to find anybody else. Decker leads the team with 35 receptions and the next closest guys have 10. Hopefully Aaron Henry can step up his game and limit Decker.

All in all, this should be a good game. I don’t see it as a blow-out either way. Will Wisconsin block any rugby style punts? Who knows, but it is always fun when these two teams play and your team wins. Wisconsin has won the past 5 meetings, so it has been pretty fun lately. I see that streak continuing this year. Wisconsin’s balanced offense will steal the show and the badgers will put up a 31-24 victory, but not before enduring some tense moments at the end of the game. I give this bad boy a 10 high lifes out of 10 high lifes on the Miller High Life Watchability Scale. Granted, that is for me. If you live outside of Wisconsin or Minnesota, this one would probably rank a 4."

There. That wasn't so bad was it? Okay, so we all hate the predicted score, but that's to be expected. Thanks Murdock, we appreciate you sharing your side of things.