Michigan - Wisconsin Preview

Time: 12:00 EST
TV: Big Ten Network
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Line: Wisconsin -8.5
Weather: 52 degrees and cloudy

I really want to be positive in this preview and give you ten reasons to watch this game if your are a Michigan fan. If you are a Wisconsin fan you have plenty of reason to watch.

So 10 positive reasons to watch this game if your a Michigan Fan:

1. Michigan's Offense game alive last week and put up over 400 yards of offense.


2. Michigan won 3 games last year and 1 of them was against Wisconsin.


3. Michigan played well in a similar trip to Minnesota last year.


4. The Michigan Offensive Line played better last week with the addition of red shirt Freshman Patrick Omameh.


5. There is a rumor that Freshman Vlad Emilien might start at safety replacing Mike Williams.


6. Brandon Graham is still the best player on defense and should be an All American.


7. If your going to the game, the local start time is 11:00AM and you will have plenty of time for drinking and eating cheese after the game.


8. If Michigan wins this game they will play in the Pizza Pizza Bowl.


9. The defense can't play any worse. Right?


10. You can "jump around" with the Wisconsin students from your couch.

That list was tougher then I thought. I would like to write how this is going to be a close battle of physical teams and it could come down to a field goal or whoever makes the last mistake, the reality is: Michigan just doesn't play well on the road and has major issues on defense. Remember when we were watching all the big plays in Fall Practice and we wondered out loud if that was an explosive offense or a bad defense? I guess we have our answer.

Wisconsin beat Purdue at home 37-0 two weeks ago. Last week that same Purdue team came into Ann Arbor and beat Michigan. I think Michigan can move the ball on Wisconsin if they can pass protect and Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown are both healthy. The only chance they have in winning this game is out scoring Wisconsin, since we can't expect too many stops from the Michigan defense. If there is one thing we know about Wisconsin they are going to line up and try to run the ball down your throat. Michigan shouldn't need to worry about "hooks and ladders" or 3rd quarter onside kicks in this one. If Michigan doesn't protect the ball this game could get very ugly before noon Madison time. Expect to see more Denard this week as the Michigan coaches are hoping his running ability gives them an edge.

As much as I want the Wolverines to pull the upset, I just don't think the defense is going to get enough stops and Wisconsin as a whole are just too physical for these young agile Wolverines. Wisconsin 38 Michigan 20

One last bright spot: #15 Michigan opens it's basketball season on Saturday night against Northern Michigan! 7:00 BTN: Michigan 96 Northern Michigan 67