BADGERS SET TO CRANK THINGS UP AT CAMP RANDALL
Coming off its most lopsided win in a road game in 23 years, the No. 19-ranked
Wisconsin (1-0) football team returns home Saturday to face Central Michigan
(1-0) in its home opener at Camp Randall Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m.
(CT), with the game airing live on BTN.
Saturday’s matchup marks the first-ever meeting between Wisconsin and
Central Michigan on the gridiron. The Badgers are 32-2 all-time vs. the current
membership of the Mid-American Conference.
The Badgers were dominant in a 49-0 shutout win over South Florida last
Friday in Tampa. UW’s defense limited the Bulls to just 157 total yards while
the offense torched USF behind 183 total yards and 4 touchdowns from
Heisman Trophy contender Jonathan Taylor.
Central Michigan opened with a 38-21 win over Albany of the FCS.
Wisconsin has won 23 straight home openers, a run that dates to 1996 and
trails only Florida (29 entering Saturday) among active streaks in the FBS.
The Badgers are in their fifth season under the leadership
of head coach Paul Chryst, who is 43-12 (.782)
as head coach at his alma mater. The two-time Big
Ten Coach of the Year has led the Badgers to a 27-8
(.771) conference record.
RB Jonathan Taylor was electric on opening night
in Tampa, accounting for 4 touchdowns and 183
total yards (135 rushing, 48 receiving) in last Friday’s
season opener at South Florida. Taylor recorded the
first 2 touchdown catches of his career and topped
the 100-yard rushing mark for the 23rd time in his
28-game career.
Taylor needs 694 yards to join Georgia’s Herschel
Walker (5,596), Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne (5,091) and
Oregon’s LaMichael James (5,082) as the only players
to rush for more than 5,000 yards through their
junior season.
Junior QB Jack Coan has won his last 3 starts under
center, dating back to last season, and is scheduled
make his first-ever start at Camp Randall Stadium on
Saturday. Each of Coan’s 5 career starts have come
away from Madison. Coan opened the season at USF
by throwing for a career-high 201 yards on 19-for-
26 passing, with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Epitomized by Taylor’s 2 rushing and 2 receiving
scores, Wisconsin featured a balanced offensive
attack in the opener at USF, with its 435 total yards
split between 234 rushing and 201 passing. The
Badgers averaged 431.1 yards per game in 2018,
with 273.4 on the ground and 157.7 via the pass.
Wisconsin’s defense issued a strong opening statement
with its shutout of South Florida, allowing the
Bulls just 157 total yards — including just 27 rushing.
The Badgers forced 4 fumbles, recorded 2 interceptions
and held USF to a 3-for-14 mark on 3rd down.
Going 102-33 (.756), Wisconsin joined Alabama
(127), Ohio State (115), Clemson (112), Boise State
(109), Oklahoma (105) and Stanford (102) as the only
FBS programs to average 10 wins per year over the
previous 10 seasons (2009-18).
UW looks to improve to 2-0 for the 4th straight year.