🏈 Wisconsin players confident entering Alabama game, say Buckeyes provided Tide 'wake-up call'

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Wisconsin ranked 18th in preseason coaches poll, but still double-figure underdog against Alabama.

Regardless of which odds maker you ask, Alabama's at least a double-figure favorite in Week 1.

The consensus spread is about 10 ½ points when the Crimson Tide faces Wisconsin on Sept. 5 in Arlington, Texas. The game didn't come up much at SEC Media Days earlier this month, but two Badgers were asked about the matchup Thursday in the Big Ten version.

And they're confident.

Seeing conference-mate Ohio State take down Alabama 42-35 in the Sugar Bowl helped.

"Who's to say we can't beat Alabama?" Wisconsin running back Corey Clement said, according to ESPN. "They proved they can be beat. This conference can play with the best of them. I think (Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl) kind of gave Alabama a wake-up call."

The Badgers had their own postseason success against the SEC, beating Auburn 34-31 in the Outback Bowl. A month before that, Ohio State beat the Badgers 59-0 in the Big Ten championship game.

Under first-year head coach Paul Chryst, Wisconsin was ranked 18th in thepreseason coaches poll. Alabama was No. 3.

"There's no better way to start a season than to beat a team like Alabama, though it won't be easy," Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave said, according to ESPN. "We have a lot of confidence in ourselves, based on what we did the past calendar year."

See ESPN's full story on Alabama-Wisconsin from Chicago

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[Bammerboy321]

No penalty in believing. If UW can keep it a close game under new HC, they should be proud.

 

[TerryP]

No penalty in believing

I wouldn't expect anything else, ya know?

Their reasoning lacks a little, in my opinion. If OSU was supposed to be a "wake-up call" for Bama, what does the 59-0 beat down mean for Wisky?

 

[bamaledge]

It's good to have confidence in your team but looking at last year's record it's not all that impressive. I hope we come out and crush their little dreams .

 

[TerryP]

I have to wonder how much "control" Barry Alvarez is going to exercise over Paul Chryst. It's no secret there was some tension between what Alvarez wanted done (when Bielema was there) versus what CBB felt was best for the program. Now, Chryst as their OC did produce better results for Wisky.

BUT, as a head coach? 6-7, 7-6, and 6-6 isn't close to proven and it shows zero improvement even though it's at Pitt. Then I think about what he did at Oregon State...

We all suspect Wisky to come out and run, run, and then run again. It was pretty evident Chryst focused more on the passing game (first two years at Pitt) than the run.

 

[TheChief]

Bama by 24. This one will be over at halftime.

 

[2Stater]

I wouldn't expect anything else, ya know?

Their reasoning lacks a little, in my opinion. If OSU was supposed to be a "wake-up call" for Bama, what does the 59-0 beat down mean for Wisky?

^^^This.

 

[TerryP]

Bama by 24. This one will be over at halftime.

Where does this confidence come from? Wisky was beating LSU in the opener until they folded last year. Wisky turned around and beat Auburn to end the season (though it took overtime to do so.)

That's really all we have to work with when it comes to how one team is going to match up against the other. That's one of the reasons I asked about Chryst and what kind of offense he's going to put on the field. Outside of those in Madison, I strongly suspect everyone is guessing about the Badgers this season.

Bama giving 10.5 to UW seems reasonable. The 52 number for a total seems low.

38-24 type of game is what I'm expecting right now IF the QB position is somewhat solidified.

 

[BamaFan334]

They didn't win a game worth a shit last year during the season. The Big Ten is weak, so they have accomplished nothing. Wow, a down Michigan program, a rebuilding Penn Dtate program, down programs like Iowa, Rutgers, Maryland, Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue, and whoever else they have is nothing to praise.

But like being said, nothing wrong with being confident in the pre-season.

 

[Flash420]

Stave should just be happy if he makes it to week 2.

 

[Bammerboy321]

Where does this confidence come from? Wisky was beating LSU in the opener until they folded last year. Wisky turned around and beat Auburn to end the season (though it took overtime to do so.)

That's really all we have to work with when it comes to how one team is going to match up against the other. That's one of the reasons I asked about Chryst and what kind of offense he's going to put on the field. Outside of those in Madison, I strongly suspect everyone is guessing about the Badgers this season.

Bama giving 10.5 to UW seems reasonable. The 52 number for a total seems low.

38-24 type of game is what I'm expecting right now IF the QB position is somewhat solidified.

I will be extremely disappointed if this Bama defense gives up 24 points to a Wisconsin team who's offense revolves around the run game- Bama's strength on defense.

 

[TerryP]

to a Wisconsin team who's offense revolves around the run game-

It has in the past, but will it this fall?

Under Chryst this past season was the only one where Pitt focused more on the running game than passing (roughly about an 800 yard difference in season totals.) In 2013 their passing yardage was right at double the amount they had on the ground and it wasn't a lot different than that his first season as HC of the Panthers.

If you look over Chryst's staff it's mostly his guys...an offensive staff he's worked with the past several years.

You very well may be right that Wisky comes in and attempts to run the ball over and over again. However, that's not been Chryst's modus operandi.

Which brings me back to this question: Is this an Alvarez football team or is he going to keep his hands off and let Chryst run the program the way he sees fit? As I see it there's as strong of an argument on one side as there is the other.

 

[Bammerboy321]

It has in the past, but will it this fall?

Under Chryst this past season was the only one where Pitt focused more on the running game than passing (roughly about an 800 yard difference in season totals.) In 2013 their passing yardage was right at double the amount they had on the ground and it wasn't a lot different than that his first season as HC of the Panthers.

If you look over Chryst's staff it's mostly his guys...an offensive staff he's worked with the past several years.

You very well may be right that Wisky comes in and attempts to run the ball over and over again. However, that's not been Chryst's modus operandi.

Which brings me back to this question: Is this an Alvarez football team or is he going to keep his hands off and let Chryst run the program the way he sees fit? As I see it there's as strong of an argument on one side as there is the other.

I would just think he would try to establish the run more so this year due to the fact that Wisconsin's roster is full of guys who was recruited to play in a run heavy system.

 

[Bammerboy321]

Of course, they could try and pull some surprise gameplan, and come out passing, then try to establish the run. Don't play to Alabama's strength.

 

[Flash420]

Of course, they could try and pull some surprise gameplan, and come out passing, then try to establish the run. Don't play to Alabama's strength.

I imagine they'll try to get Corey some looks in the passing game. LBs will surely be prepared for the screens though. Wouldn't be surprised to see DEs dropping back on 3rd downs either.

 

[CrimsonBoz]

Wait so if we got a wake up call, that would imply we are improving right?

 

[UAgrad93]

Unless Wisky got A LOT of good WRs in the last class and a QB that can throw the ball, Cryst is going to have to rely on the run game. Stave ad Co. fell apart against LSU and allowed the Barn to hang around and force OT because they got away from the run game and tried to throw it.
I remember a wake up call coming for the 2010 version when we played in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan State. We all know how that one ended up!!

 

[TerryP]

I would just think he would try to establish the run more so this year due to the fact that Wisconsin's roster is full of guys who was recruited to play in a run heavy system.

I imagine they'll try to get Corey some looks in the passing game. LBs will surely be prepared for the screens though. Wouldn't be surprised to see DEs dropping back on 3rd downs either.

Just as Flash points out Corey Clement is going to be their work horse. Is he another Melvin Gordon? I doubt it ... players like him come in once in a blue moon, ya know?

Off the top of my head it seems like I recall seeing three of their offensive linemen (including the TE position) were Bret Beilema's guys. The rest of them have been recruited to Anderson's system (which he took and ran with ... largely rumored to more crap in their Athletic Department.)

You may recall a kid out of Hoover, Bradrick Shaw, that signed with Wisky this spring. He was the only true running back in this last class (one that had five or six ATH's.)

I can't escape this feeling that they're going to be searching for an identity even when we consider their record the last few years. The third head coach in this upcoming fourth year (since BB left) and nothing consistent to point to with Chryst as a HC...

'nuff to make me wonder.

 

[BlackPawnMartyr]

So Ohio State gave them a lot of hope because OSU beat Bama and a fairly close game. Just a month after skull raping Wisky like 59-0 or something. Yeaaaaa......

 

[NickelDoubleDog]

Wisconsin isn't going to come out and pass successfully since Stave is pretty awful and they have zero playmakers on the outside.