*** 2018 Game 5 "Expert" Picks: Nebraska At Wisconsin ***

[Saunders]

2018 Game 5 “Expert” Picks: Nebraska @ Wisconsin

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CollegeFootballNews.com

https://collegefootballnews.com/2018/10/nebraska-vs-wisconsin-fearless-prediction-game-preview

One Reason Why Nebraska Will Win

It’s a mobile quarterback against the Wisconsin defense. New Mexico was never going to beat the Badgers, but Tevaka Tuioti moved the Lobo down the field completing 5-of-8 passes for 55 yards and a score on the way to a 7-3 first quarter lead. And then he got knocked out of the game. The Huskers need Adrian Martinez to use his mobility, his playmaking upside, and his skill set to try giving the Badger D fits. There were plenty of issues in Nebraska’s loss to Purdue, but Martinez threw for 323 yards and ran for 91 more. For all of the good things the Badgers do, they don’t generate a whole lot of pressure or make a slew of big things happen in the backfield. As good as the Badger D is, it’ll give up third downs. If Martinez gets the time and space to move, he might just be able to keep up the pace and get the passing game going. However …

One Reason Why Wisconsin Will Win

If Martinez isn’t moving the chains, this could get ugly fast. Wisconsin leads the Big Ten with time of possession, keeping the ball for over 35 minutes per game. And now the Badgers have had two weeks off to rest up that dinged up O line. Nebraska is dead last in the Big Ten in time of possession, keeping it for under 28 minutes a game mostly because Martinez and company can’t convert on third down chances. You know what the Badgers are going to do, and the Nebraska defensive front can’t stop it. The Huskers have allowed four rushing touchdowns in each of the last two games, and now they’re going to get steamrolled over by the rested Wisconsin offensive front.

What’s Going To Happen

Wisconsin will start slow, and will even get down early, and then the running game will kick in. Jonathan Taylor and the offensive line will take over in the second quarter as the Badgers go on three straight touchdown drives. Martinez will have his moments, but three turnovers from the Husker O will kill promising drives.

Wisconsin 41 - Nebraska 17

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ESPN FPI

http://www.espn.com/college-football/game?gameId=401013339

Wisconsin - 94.8% Win

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Bill Connelly S&P+

https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/10/4/17933342/college-football-picks-week-6-2018-predictions-odds-spreads

S&P+: Wisconsin 41 - Nebraska 22 (86.5% UW Win)

F+ Projection: Wisconsin by 24 (92.0% UW Win)

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DRatings

http://www.dratings.com/predictor/ncaa-football-predictions/

Wisconsin 41 - Nebraska 16 (97.4% Wisconsin Win)

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Ed Feng, The Power Rank

https://thepowerrank.com/predictions/

Wisconsin (11) will beat Nebraska (76) by 20.8 at home. Nebraska has a 8% chance of beating Wisconsin.

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Athlon Sports

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/college-football-picks-expert-predictions-every-game-week-6-2018

Steven Lassan: W

Mitch Light : W

Braden Gall:  W

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Big Red Wrap-Up

http://netnebraska.org/interactive-multimedia/sports/big-red-wrap-wisconsin-prediction-5

Kevin Kugler: Wisconsin 31 - Nebraska 21

Jay More: Wisconsin 35 - Nebraska 10

Sean Callahan: Wisconsin 31 - Nebraska 13

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CBS Sports

https://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/features/writers/expert/picks/against-the-spread/6

Dennis Dodd: W

Jerry Palm: W

Tom Fornelli: W*

Chip Patterson: W

Barton Simmons: W*

Barrett Sallee: W*

Ben Kercheval: W*

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[irafreak]

Damn he expects 3 turnovers from the offense.  I expect turnovers and at least 10 penalties.  Hopefully it's not 3.  I'd like to see some progress.

[JJ Husker]

Well, this team will either pull it’s head out of it’s collective ass or these predictions will be pretty darned accurate. I’m hoping the former occurs.

[4skers89]

10 minutes ago, JJ Husker said:

Well, this team will either pull it’s head out of it’s collective ass or these predictions will be pretty darned accurate. I’m hoping the former occurs.

I think if they were going to do the former it would have been last week. We might see some flashes of improvement the rest of the season but nothing dramatic or consistent. The players have already marked this one up as an “L”.  I don’t expect much effort, again.

[JJ Husker]

3 minutes ago, 4skers89 said:

I think if they were going to do the former it would have been last week. We might see some flashes of improvement the rest of the season but nothing dramatic or consistent. The players have already marked this one up as an “L”.  I don’t expect much effort, again.

 

I would agree insofar as I’m not sure why turnovers and stupid penalties (and those are effort/focus things) even became a thing, let alone why they haven’t been corrected yet. But the optimist in me sees these two simple things (win or don’t lose on turnovers and eliminate crucial stupid penalties) and we should be in  any contest. I guess that is what has been so frustrating. It’s not like anybody is expecting them to play like Bama, just quit shooting themselves in the foot.

[ZRod]

7 hours ago, JJ Husker said:

 

I would agree insofar as I’m not sure why turnovers and stupid penalties (and those are effort/focus things) even became a thing, let alone why they haven’t been corrected yet. But the optimist in me sees these two simple things (win or don’t lose on turnovers and eliminate crucial stupid penalties) and we should be in  any contest. I guess that is what has been so frustrating. It’s not like anybody is expecting them to play like Bama, just quit shooting themselves in the foot.

That's the thing, we haven't been out matched in any game except Michigan. Even then we we're fully capable of keeping it a game, we killed ourselves in every way possible. Penalties, turnovers, stupid mistakes in blocking, receiving, and special teams. The potential is there to be a good team, but the execution is sorely lacking.

[Dogs In A Pile]

I really don't expect much improvement in either penalties or turnover margin until next year at the earliest although I hope I'm wrong. Expecting this game to get out of hand at some point and after it does we will be taken to the woodshed one more time. Could be along the lines of the Michigan game IMHO. But Wis. likes to play a very ball control offense so maybe they will eat up the clock and we can keep it under 50 points (unless the D gives up a bunch of big plays).

[Undone]

I feel like I've noticed that Frost likes to start off the first couple of series on offense very conservatively. Inside zone hand offs until it's 3rd &4 and then we throw, etc., etc. And that makes sense; not knocking that at all - that's what most teams do. You try to establish the run early.

 

But that isn't going to work in this one. Seriously. So why not go to the edges early. Run Spielman on the jet sweep. Play action on a 2nd & 4 and try to find Morgan deep down field, etc. We're not going to win this one any other way as far as I can tell.

 

Come at them with some crazy s*** right out of the gate. There is quite literally nothing to lose here. You lose by playing aggressively, you're 0-5. You lose by playing conservatively...you're still 0-5. 

 

 

[Hunter94]

Taylor will have 200 yards at least.

[onlyHskrfaninIL]

a soft defensive game plan like last week and this is a blowout.  they have to put together an aggressive game plan to stop the run.  if they get beat deep on some play action, so what.

if the o line blocks like the michigan game....blowout

100+ yards of penalties....blowout

stupid turnovers....blowout

 

and by blowout i mean by like 50 points

[Jeepy]

Predictions with this foundation for those experts:

 

https://apnews.com/ff76b2c707804495819d0ce013e94e4f

 

ap article reprinted in the Journal Star today. 

 

Very, very sad.  Probably the saddest article I've read about this losing problem here. 

[Mavric]

[billdozer15]

We need a lot of things to go right for us and a lot of things to go bad for them. By that I mean we are going to need back-to-back pick 6's on Wisconsin's opening drives to even have a chance in this one. Even then I don't know if this team has the testicular fortitude to keep that momentum through a game.

[LumberJackSker]

3 hours ago, Mavric said:

Zach potter is on drugs

[WyoHusker56]

On 10/4/2018 at 8:57 PM, Undone said:

I feel like I've noticed that Frost likes to start off the first couple of series on offense very conservatively. Inside zone hand offs until it's 3rd &4 and then we throw, etc., etc. And that makes sense; not knocking that at all - that's what most teams do. You try to establish the run early.

 

But that isn't going to work in this one. Seriously. So why not go to the edges early. Run Spielman on the jet sweep. Play action on a 2nd & 4 and try to find Morgan deep down field, etc. We're not going to win this one any other way as far as I can tell.

 

Come at them with some crazy s*** right out of the gate. There is quite literally nothing to lose here. You lose by playing aggressively, you're 0-5. You lose by playing conservatively...you're still 0-5. 

 

 

 

I like this. Time to say the heck with it and throw caution to the win. Let's go out there with crazy playcalls, trick plays, onside kicks and just throw Wisconsin totally off their game. Plus, as a player those games are really fun and maybe these guys would show some life.