Many onlookers had Wisconsin out of the Big Ten West picture after it opened conference play with a loss at Northwestern, but the Badgers have since won three straight and returned to the top 25. A win at Purdue on Saturday would continue their resurgence and allow them to keep pace with Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota in the division.
How to watch Wisconsin vs. Purdue: Game guide, TV schedule, streaming, odds
The Badgers head to West Lafayette seeking their fourth straight win and, more importantly, continued momentum in the Big Ten West.
Wisconsin hit the road for Rutgers last weekend and came away with a 37-0 rout. Fully healthy and with the nation’s best total defense (253.8 yards allowed per game) -- plus a fairly favorable schedule down the stretch -- the Badgers seem primed to play for a Big Ten title berth into the regular season’s final weekends.
Purdue, meanwhile, has lost three straight. The most recent was a 35-14 trouncing at the hands of Nebraska in which the Boilermakers managed to outgain the Huskers 340-297, but went just 2-of-16 on third downs, averaged just 3.9 yards per rush and turned the ball over twice.
How to watch, listen and stream
Game time: Noon ET
TV: ESPNU
Online streaming: WatchESPN
Our blogs on these schools
The numbers
Rankings and records: Wisconsin is 6-2 (3-1 Big Ten), and ranked No. 25 in the AP Top 25 and No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Purdue is 3-6 (1-4) and unranked.
Vegas: Wisconsin opened as 15.5-point favorite. The line is now 17.
Weather forecast: Mostly cloudy with a high of 46, a low of 30 and a chance of rain.
Two things at stake
For Wisconsin, as mentioned above, its standing in the Big Ten West. Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota also all have only one loss.
For Purdue, an upset win would surely temper the misery in West Lafayette. Aside from that, not much else.
One big matchup
Wisconsin's rushing attack vs. Purdue's defense. Melvin Gordon gets the pub, and rightfully so. But his backup, Corey Clement, is reminding outsiders that Wisconsin's ground game will keep on churning once Gordon heads to the NFL (likely after this season). Against Rutgers, Gordon received 19 carries to Clement's 14, but Clement out-rushed him 131-128. On the season, both are averaging at least 6.6 yards per carry. In total, Wisconsin's 333.4 rushing yards per game rank third in the nation. Purdue ranks 86th in rushing defense by allowing 177 yards on the ground per game.
Further reading
For more on Purdue, head to Hammer and Rails. For more on Wisconsin, check Bucky’s 5th Quarter.
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