BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin, ranked 15th in the latest Associated Press poll, is hamstrung by inexperience, injury and sanctions on defense heading into its primetime matchup with the 12th-rated Wolverines on Saturday at Michigan Stadium. Good thing the Badgers (4-1 overall, 2-0 in the Big Ten) can counter with junior quarterback Alex Hornibrook, who has done some of his best work on the road and should be primed to face Michigan (5-1, 3-0). Hornibrook is 11-1 on the road as a starter, his only blemish occurring Oct. 1, 2016, when he struggled in a 14-7 loss to the Wolverines. He was 9-for-25 for 88 yards and threw a career-worst three interceptions. Since then, Hornibrook has guided Wisconsin to 10 consecutive wins in true road games, completing 68 percent of his passes (134-for-197) for 1,654 yards, 18 touchdowns and only three picks.
Here are five more things to know about this matchup:
The Road Less Traveled
It might be the most compelling statistic from Paul Chryst's head coaching tenure at Wisconsin. Since his arrival in 2015, the Badgers are 15-1 in true road games, including a 13-1 mark in Big Ten matchups. For some perspective, only three other coaches in Wisconsin history — minimum of 10 road games — have a winning record on the road in their careers. Barry Alvarez was 42-37-1 from 1990 to 2005; Ivy Williamson was 16-11-2 from 1949 to '55; and Bret Bielema was 18-15 from 2006 to '12. Dave McClain, who produced the first bowl victory in program history, was 16-19-2 on the road from 1978 to '85. Milt Bruhn, whose teams won Big Ten titles in 1959 and '62, was 19-23-2 from 1956 to '66.
A Hill to Climb
The only road loss of the Chryst era was a 14-7 setback to the Wolverines at Michigan Stadium in 2016. Then as now, both teams are ranked in the top 15 of the Associated Press poll. Then, as now, Michigan had the top-rated defense in the league. Then, as now, the Badgers ranked in the top two in scoring defense in the Big Ten. Then, as now, Chryst and counterpart Jim Harbaugh — their paths as friends have been crossing for decades — matched strategies. Regardless of identity, Wisconsin coaches have not had a great deal of fun in the 107,601-seat Big House. Alvarez, a College Football Hall of Famer, won once in four tries (1994). Bielema, whose teams won three straight Big Ten championships from 2010 to '12, won once there in three tries (2010). Bruhn won there in 1959 and '62 to finish 2-1. The only other Wisconsin coaches to prevail at Michigan Stadium were pre-modern era (before 1946): Glenn Thistlethwaite in 1928 and Clarence Spears in '34. Overall, the Badgers are 6-23 at Michigan Stadium since it debuted in 1927.
Making Their Own Breaks
There are a host of reasons why the Badgers have won 15 of 16 true road games under Chryst, but one statistical category screams aloud. Not only does Wisconsin have a plus-19 turnover ratio in those outings, it has converted those 36 takeaways into 146 points while allowing only 27.
You May Be Wondering
How does Hornibrook's 11-1 road record compare to his Wisconsin contemporaries? Measured against the top 10 passers in program history, he's tied for the second-most victories with Joel Stave (11-3). They are one behind Brooks Bollinger (12-6). Others from the top-10 list, according to win totals, are Mike Samuel 10-6, John Stocco 9-5, Darrell Bevell 8-9-1, Scott Tolzien 7-3, Randy Wright 5-3, Jim Sorgi 3-3 and Tony Lowery 1-11.
History Lesson
Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne, the two Heisman Trophy winners from Wisconsin, had strange histories against the Wolverines. Ameche, the Heisman winner in 1954, never played against Michigan. Dayne, the Heisman winner in 1999, faced the Wolverines twice and was unable to top 100 rushing yards either time. They are the only Big Ten opponent from that 11-team alignment to make that claim. Speaking of odd history vs. Michigan, only one Badgers tailback has topped 100 yards rushing in victories at Camp Randall Stadium and Michigan Stadium. Brent Moss had 128 yards in a 13-10 win in Madison in 1993 and 106 in a 31-19 victory in Ann Arbor in 1994. Current Wisconsin tailback Jonathan Taylor had 132 rushing yards in a 24-10 decision over the Wolverines at Camp Randall last season.
