Wisconsin Badgers vs. Northwestern Wildcats

After two straight losses in mid-October, it seemed as if the Wisconsin Badgers’ season was sputtering to a finish, yet they have weathered the storm and are on the verge of a nine-win regular season and a chance at a share of the Big Ten title when they face Northwestern in the regular season finale on Saturday.

Wisconsin (8-2, 5-2) will not get a BCS bowl bid as probably only one Big Ten team, Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, will get a bid to the series, but they can stake their claim to part of the conference title for the first time since 1999 and have possibly have a New Years Day engagement in Florida in either the Outback or Capital One Bowl.

Ohio State can clinch the title outright with a win over Michigan, but the Badgers, Penn State and Iowa can all claim a part of the title with victories and a Buckeyes loss.

The Wisconsin Badgers throttled the Wolverines 45-24 last Saturday, winning their third straight game behind Scott Tolzien’s 240 yards, four touchdowns and one interception with two of those touchdowns going to Nick Toon on 98 yards and five catches.

Tolzien is the Big Ten’s third best quarterback by passer rating and Wisconsin boasts the top rushing offense at 208.0 rushing yards.

This could spell trouble for the Wildcats (7-4, 4-3) who allowed Illinois to run up 212 yards but were able to still top the Illini 21-16.

Mike Kaftka quietly has put together a solid season, throwing for 205 yards with a touchdown last week to push Northwestern Wildcats past the six-win bowl eligible threshold to clinching a bowl appearance. It marks the first time since the mid-1990’s that the Wildcats are heading to bowl games in two consecutive seasons.

The teams have not met since 2006, a Wisconsin 41-9 win in Madison. They play rather sparsely as this will be just the third game in Northwestern since 2001 with the Wildcats winning both of those games.

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