Biggest Pregame Storylines for No. 19 Wisconsin vs. Washington State
Here's a look at the biggest pregame storylines vs. Wazzu.
Week one didn't go beautifully, but Luke Fickell won his debut with the Wisconsin football program in front of a sold-out crowd at Camp Randall.
But we're onto week two, where the Badgers will hit the road for a revenge game against Jake Dickert and the Washington State Cougars, who are coming off a 50-24 beatdown of Colorado State.
Here's a look at a few of the biggest pregame storylines for the Wisconsin Badgers week two matchup against Washington State.
Can Wisconsin Slow Down Wazzu QB Cam Ward?
Washington State defeated the Wisconsin Badgers at home last season despite a ho-hum performance from Incarnate Word transfer QB Cam Ward. However, Ward hit his stride later in the year and took a huge step forward in his development.
Now, Ward is a legitimate weapon, and coming off a game where he posted a gaudy stat line of 451 passing yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, along with a team-high 40 rushing yards and another score on the ground in a blowout win over Colorado State.
Despite Pro Football Focus crediting Wisconsin football with 19 total pressures, I wasn't enamored with the Badgers pass rush in week one. Players like Darryl Peterson and C.J. Goetz need to get home quicker this week because Ward has enough juice to make you pay with his feet if you don't -- and missed tackles were a big issue for UW against Buffalo.
Either way, this game will be a dogfight, but Wisconsin's ability to neutralize Cam Ward will be critical.