The Wisconsin Badgers fell 24-10 to the Michigan Wolverines this past Saturday. The Badgers covered the spread, which they had only managed to do one other time this season (Week 2 vs. Middle Tennessee).
The biggest storyline of this game was Wisconsin’s lack of offense. Starting quarterback Hunter Simmons impressed fans early in the game, leading the Badgers down the field during an impressive opening touchdown drive. Simmons’ one big mistake was an interception in the third quarter, but that likely should’ve been taken off the board due to a missed pass interference call. Besides quarterback play, Wisconsin’s offensive line struggled once again to create holes for its running backs. Dilin Jones managed to break away on a couple runs, but that still wasn’t enough to help the offense score more.
Michigan’s two stars, quarterback Bryce Underwood and running back Justice Haynes, did relatively well, though the Wisconsin defense held them to fairly modest stat lines. The Badgers’ run defense continues to be one of the team’s few bright spots.
Before people turn their attention to Saturday’s homecoming game against Iowa, here are five stats that defined Wisconsin’s loss to Michigan:
1. 2.7 rushing yards per carry
As mentioned earlier, Wisconsin’s offensive line has been the team’s most disappointing position group. An offseason injury to Kevin Heywood began those problems, but the backups who have been thrust into action have mostly struggled. Offensive line coach A.J. Blazek hasn’t lived up to expectations in his second year with the program. His position unit will need to fix some fundamental issues if the Badgers want any chance at having a solid rushing attack.
2. Donaven McCulley’s six receptions for 112 yards and one touchdown
Wisconsin’s biggest defensive issue right now is its secondary, and that became clear early against Michigan. Starters Ricardo Hallman and Austin Brown have not lived up to expectations, and they are clearly struggling without veteran safety Preston Zachman on the field. Those issues will be especially evident against the pass-heavy offensive attacks of Ohio State and Oregon. Both will torch this secondary if it doesn’t fix some of its glaring issues.
3. 252 total yards of offense
Wisconsin’s offense had its bright spots, including the entire opening drive and some of the third-down throws from Hunter Simmons. Still, the unit only gained 252 yards of total offense. That number is 193 yards less than what Michigan gained, showing where the Badgers had issues. Even on drives where the unit got multiple first downs, there were very few plays longer than five to six yards. Michigan limited the team’s chances at explosive plays, which proved to be one of the differences in the game.
4. 270 passing yards for Bryce Underwood
True freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood threw for 270 passing yards against Wisconsin, which is the most he’s thrown in a single game all season. Wisconsin’s defensive backs struggled to contain Underwood, but the Badgers’ edge rushers also didn’t generate nearly enough pressure on him. It felt like Underwood had all day in the pocket on some throws, which gave Michigan’s receivers time to find open space. These are the defensive mistakes that can crush your changes against ranked teams.
5. 4-of-14 on third downs
The FBS average for third-down conversion is approximately 38.5%. The Badgers rank 81st in the nation for conversion rate at 37.31%, but struggled even more in this game on third downs, converting only 28% of the time. When facing ranked teams, especially on the road, converting on third down is crucial. Wisconsin’s offense didn’t do that enough to hang around in this game.
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This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Five stats that defined Wisconsin football’s loss to Michigan
Reporting by Connor Whelan, Badgers Wire / Badgers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
