Five Things to Know: Wisconsin vs. Northwestern
November 19, 2015 | Football, Andy Baggot
Series between Badgers and Wildcats has seen its share of quirks
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BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
OTHERWORLDLY SERIES
Over the last 25 years you'd be hard pressed to find a stranger, more entertaining, more evenly matched series in college football than Wisconsin vs. Northwestern. They've split 18 meetings. The higher ranked team has lost six of the last eight games. The Badgers have won scoring 70 (2010) and lost scoring 48 (2005). The Wildcats have won a game by 35 (1995) and lost one by 47 (2010). The teams have had five games in which both scored 30 or more points (1990, '96, 2000, '05 and '09). They've had three games where they combined for 90 points or more (2000, '05 and '10). They've had two encounters where they combined for 1,000 yards of total offense (2000, '05).
STRANGE, BUT TRUE
Oh, there's more. Since 1990, the Badgers have had 41 outings in which a back topped 200 yards rushing. Four took place in losses, and two of those came vs. Northwestern (Michael Bennett had 293 yards in 2000 and Melvin Gordon 259 in '14). In that span, Wisconsin quarterbacks have had 18 games in which they threw for 300-plus yards. Two of the eight losses in those games have come against the Wildcats (Tony Lowery threw for 355 in 1990 and John Stocco 326 in 2005).
YOU DON'T SEE THIS EVERYDAY
Wisconsin has played 558 games at Camp Randall Stadium since 1917. Only 12 featured a matchup of top 25 teams in November. The 21st-ranked Badgers are 9-3 in those instances heading into their duel with 20th-rated Northwestern. Two of those victories came vs. the Wildcats (1958, '62).
DISCUSS AMONGST YOURSELVES
The Badgers rank an uncharacteristic 89th among 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing offense, at 154.6 yards per game, but somehow sit seventh in time of possession (33 minutes, 26 seconds per outing). The best explanation might be found on the other side of the ball. Wisconsin ranks first in scoring defense, third in total defense, fifth in rushing defense, ninth in passing defense and 11th in opponent third-down conversion rate. Also, opponents have scored on 16 percent of their possessions, which is the best ratio in the land. In other words, the Badgers have the ball a lot because the defense is so stingy.
GO-TO GUY
Senior wide receiver Alex Erickson has 63 catches through the first 10 games, which matches the pace set by Lee Evans when he set the Wisconsin single-season record with 75 in 2001. Erickson likely won't crack the top five in career receptions for the Badgers – he has 127 and needs 160 to reach that plateau – but he already has more career games with double-digit receptions than Evans (2-1) and needs one more outing of 10 or more catches to set the school record. Erickson also needs one more 100-yard outing to have as many as Brandon Williams, who set the school record with 202 career receptions from 2002 to '05.
