Wisconsin Football vs. Indiana: Top Pregame Storylines

Luke Fickell’s Wisconsin Badgers football team (5-3, 3-2 B1G) are headed to Memorial Stadium to face Tom Allen and the Indiana Hoosiers (2-6, 0-5 B1G) amid a tight race to win the Big Ten West.

The Badgers are coming off an exhausting 24-10 loss to Ohio State, the No. 1 ranked team in the first College Football Playoff poll.

The Badgers do not control their destiny in their quest to win the West, but a win on Saturday morning would bolster Wisconsin’s chances of playing in the Big Ten championship game if Iowa were to lose one of their remaining four games against Northwestern, Rutgers, Illinois, or Nebraska.

Before we jump too far into the Badgers’ potential pathways to Indianapolis in December, let’s dive into some of the top storylines ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the struggling Hoosiers.

How Healthy is the Wisconsin Football Offense?

It isn’t easy to stay healthy through four demanding quarters against the physical Ohio State Buckeyes — and the Wisconsin Badgers were no exception.

Junior running back Braelon Allen and senior wide receiver Chimere Dike both left the first half of last weekend’s game with lower body injuries and were sidelined for the remainder of the contest. Head coach Luke Fickell is yet to provide the media with any substantial updates on Allen and Dike, but both were listed as starters in the Badgers’ official depth chart vs. Indiana.

The Badgers would likely be fine without Dike against Indiana, given their competent depth in the wide receiver position. One would think losing Allen would be manageable as well against the 2-6 Hoosiers, but with Chez Mellusi out for the season due to a broken fibula, Fickell would have to rely on the inexperienced Jackson Acker and Cade Yacamelli to carry the entire load in the backfield. Let’s face it — Wisconsin would have likely fallen short to Illinois (3-5, 1-4 B1G) if it wasn’t for Allen’s dominant 145-yard performance. Are the Badgers capable of pulling off another road victory without their big No. 0?

If the two veterans are good to go this weekend, fantastic. However, if they aren’t ready, the absence of Allen and Dike will be the biggest headline ahead of Saturday’s clash.

Braedyn Locke and the “Air Raid” – Time to Shine

Braedyn Locke has cemented himself as Wisconsin’s quarterback of the future through only 2.5 games.

The redshirt freshman has already been tasked with facing Phil Parker’s outstanding Iowa defense, commanding a two-score, fourth-quarter comeback on the road against Illinois, and battling No. 3 ranked Ohio State on primetime television in front of a packed Camp Randall crowd.

Locke has taken full advantage of the howling situation he’s been thrown into, even gaining national recognition for his game-winning drive against the Fighting Illini and no-look touchdown pass to Will Pauling against the Buckeyes.

No-look Locke 😲@Braedyn_Locke3 x @BadgerFootball

📺: NBC pic.twitter.com/lZ6mYLWPuC

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 29, 2023

Finally, the 19-year-old out of Rockwall, Texas might catch a breather against a weak Indiana defense. In Big Ten play alone, the Hoosiers have allowed 36.6 points per game, including blowout losses against Michigan (52-7), Maryland (44-17), and Rutgers (31-14). The potential absence of Braelon Allen on Saturday could force Locke to throw the ball more than he has all season, and what better defense in the conference to toss the rock against? Even against a poor Indiana team, another explosive, breakout game from Locke would earn him even more respect from Badger fans, opponents, and most importantly the locker room ahead of his illustrious career at Wisconsin.

To make the best out of losing senior QB Tanner Mordecai to a hand injury earlier this season, Braedyn Locke has earned invaluable experience that he will utilize for the next few years in Madison. Saturday might just be a turning point in Phil Longo’s “Air Raid” offensive scheme that he plans to implement into the Wisconsin football program. It will take a few terrific showings to shift that identity, but a huge statement game vs. a Big Ten opponent would help.

Wisconsin Football Must Take Care of the Rock

Indiana is a team that the Wisconsin Badgers should most definitely beat. That being said, a few inconvenient turnovers could make this game a whole lot harder than it needs to be.

Wisconsin football has already fumbled 12 times this season, losing possession on eight of those occasions. Not only do fumbles kill drives, but they also demolish momentum, as shown in instances against Rutgers, Washington State, Illinois, and Ohio State. Already unhealthy, the Badgers will have to limit their mistakes regardless of the level of their opponent and make the most out of each opportunity with the ball in their hands.

Fortunately, Locke has limited his interception tally to only one garbage-time giveaway against Iowa. The Badgers’ offense should be just fine on Saturday as long as their offensive weapons take good care of the rock at Memorial Stadium.

Wisconsin Football vs. Indiana: Key Players, Notes, & Betting Lines

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