Written By: Evan Perkins
An excellent college football showdown is coming up on Friday, August 30, at 9:00 PM ET at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, between the Western Michigan Broncos and Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers are heavily favored and have a point spread of -24.5 (-105).
The Broncos had less than a subpar season last year, going 4-8 overall through 12 games. In the MAC West, they managed to go 3-5 but were horrendous on the road (1-6).
This marks the second season under head coach Lance Taylor, so there is a lot of pressure to perform. Nonetheless, he still has a quality roster, and many hope he can move the players in place to succeed.
Their defense is their strong suit, as they have enough talent to make it annoying for the Badgers to get going. However, if they continue to get pounded in the running game, this will get ugly by halftime.
As for the offense, they have a veteran quarterback in Hayden Wolff, who can sustain confidence throughout the game with midrange throws. If he can move along the offense and keep possession of the ball for long periods, this could be closer than people would expect.
The Badgers were third in the Big 10 West (5-4 conference) and were 7-6 overall last year. They went 4-3 in their home games, so at least they were above .500. Can they set the tone early with this opener?
They do not have much time to work on their game before their season takes a tough road. In a few weeks, they will be playing the Alabama Crimson Tide and one against the USC Trojans. So, finding a groove here and in their next game is going to be crucial before getting tested.
The good news for the Badgers is that the Broncos are still trying to work things out collectively with their roster and coaching structure. The Badgers can use this to their advantage if they can find ways to exploit the defense.
Consistency on the offensive end will be important because they do not have the firepower to launch deep bombs, and this will not work against better defenses anyway. Look for them to incorporate an aggressive run game and midrange throws strategically.
The college football odds for the Western Michigan Broncos vs. Wisconsin Badgers showdown have been brought to you by MyBookie, who currently has the Badgers ahead. They are 24.5-point favorites in this matchup.
Market insights suggest the Badgers have an 87.3 percent chance of victory. As for the point spread, count on the Badgers to look good at home for their opener.
