Ohio State vs Wisconsin Prediction Game Preview

Ohio State vs Wisconsin prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines. Saturday, October 28

Author:
Pete Fiutak
Publish date:
Oct 28, 2023

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Ohio State vs Wisconsin How To Watch

Date: Saturday, October 28
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI
How To Watch: NBC
2023 Record: Ohio State (7-0), Wisconsin (5-2)
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Ohio State vs Wisconsin Game Preview

Why Ohio State Will Win

Defense. That, and more defense.

Everyone wanted to rip on the Penn State offense in Ohio State’s 20-12 win last week, but the Buckeye D had a whole lot to do with that. No. 5 in the nation in total defense, third in scoring defense, and second in pass efficiency defense, Ohio State looks like it has 13 guys on the field, especially in the secondary.

Wisconsin’s offense isn’t exactly rolling.

The new style under head coach Luke Fickell can’t find anything that consistently works. This isn’t the Badger running team we all knew and loved, and the parts for the painfully inefficient passing attack aren’t there.

On the other side, Ohio State QB Kyle McCord has been good enough, partly because Marvin Harrison Jr. - with all due respect to Florida State’s Keon Coleman - has been the best wide receiver in the country, and Wisconsin hasn’t been anything special against the offenses on the slate that aren’t totally inept.

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Why Wisconsin Will Win

Ohio State has a weird problem running the ball.

Injuries are a bit of an issue, and teams are daring McCord and the passing game to move the chains. It’s Ohio State, the O line is amazing, and it should be able to blast away and it just can’t do it.

Again, this isn’t anywhere near the Badger defense of the past several seasons - it’s coming off two rough days against the run. Iowa came up with one big dash, Illinois produced a steady drip, but the D should be able to hold up on the line.

Yes, the Ohio State run defense is incredible, but Wisconsin has to hammer away to control the clock and try wearing down the front four. It’s not a coincidence - the Badgers ran 35 times or more in the five wins, and couldn’t get to 30 carries in the two losses.

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Ohio State vs Wisconsin Who Will Win

Wisconsin is potentially just fine even if it loses.

It would need an Iowa loss over the last four games against at Northwestern (no), Rutgers (maybe), Illinois (possibly), and at Nebraska (look out), but the Badger win over Illinois last week means the Big Ten West is still on the table.

But the run will take a wee bit of a hit this week.

It’ll be all about Luke Fickell, the former Buckeye and one-year transition coach from Tressel to Urban now going against his beloved program.

And then the Ohio State defense will steal the show, again.

The Badgers will keep Harrison Jr. under wraps for a little while, it’ll be a fight for about 20 minutes, and then things will McCord will hit three throws for a halftime lead. Wisconsin’s O won’t be able to do much of anything in the second half.

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