Not Getting Lost This Year

This year's Northwestern game takes on a special meaning for me. Last season my girlfriend and I decided to make the trip to Evanston to see Bucky knock off the cats. Then we got lost.

After hours of driving around Chicago, and after a lot of bad directions fron gas stations, we arrived at Ryan Stadium only to see Wisconsin go down to the Wildcats. That will not happen this year.

Northwestern has a major hole to fill, and it is the same hole that a lot of our opponents this year seem to be filling: the quarterback. Mike Kafka has now departed from Northwestern meaning their once potent passing attack will now need to be more balanced. Rather than sling the ball all over the field the Wildcats will need to do more damage on the ground.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats that is one position they have not been solid at since Darnell Autry left Evanston. Last season Northwestern's top rusher only racked up a little over 300 yards, and the second leading rusher was actually Mike Kafka. So if Northwestern wants to be more balanced this season they will need to step it up on the ground, and find a quarterback that can fill the shoes of Kafka and his 3,400 yards from last season.

On the other hand the Northwestern defense should be stron again this season. Pat Fitzgerald is an excellent defensive coach, and the Wildcats return plenty of starters on the defensive side of the football. But this is still a defense that gave up 31 points to Wisconsin last year in Evanston.

The formula for success for the Wildcats in the past has been purely out-scoring their opponents. That cannot be the case this season. Northwestern's offense should be significantly worse, and it will be the defense that needs to be the dominant force on the field for the Wildcats.

That will not be the case for the Wildcats when they travel to Camp Randall for the final regular season game of the year. The Wisconsin defense is perhaps at the same quality as Northwestern's, but the major difference is on the offensive side of the football. The Northwestern defense will need to hold down the Badger offense to have a chance against Wisconsin, but that will not happen.

While this will not be a route, and should be a relatively close game, the inabilities of the Northwestern defense will seal the deal. Expect to see the Badgers run the whole offense on the Wildcats, and the Wisconsin defense to stymie the Northwestern offense. Giving me the revenge for last season's loss in Evanston, and a lot of wasted gas in Chicago. (P.S. I now own a GPS.)

Boynton's Badgers Prediction: Badgers 20 Wildcats 10