Wisconsin Football vs. Georgia Southern: Three Things to Watch For

Following a tough loss to Washington State, the Wisconsin football program will look to get back on track against the Georgia Southern Eagles this weekend. 

Here are three things to watch for in Saturday afternoon’s matchup.

Will Wisconsin Football Get Their Running Back Tandem Back on Track?

The loss against Washington State could be pinned on several things, but the lack of production from Braelon Allen and Chez Mellusi stood out to me the most. The Cougars did very well against the run, limiting the dynamic duo to 69 yards on 19 attempts. If Wisconsin is going to get back on track, getting back to running the football at a high level will be paramount.

Georgia Southern has struggled in some moments against the run. In the Eagles’ opening matchup versus Citadel, they allowed 198 rushing yards. Granted, Citadel does not pride itself on its passing game, so they were going to run the ball down the Eagles’ throats. That performance did show that Georgia Southern has some weaknesses in its defensive front. 

Of course, Allen and Mellusi are much more dynamic tailbacks than the guys Georgia Southern has faced thus far, so that should bode well for Wisconsin to get its rushing attack back to what is expected.

Seeing Allen and Mellusi get back on track would be a breath of fresh air after their puzzling performance in week two. 

How Will Wisconsin’s Secondary Fare Against Georgia Southern’s Passing Attack?

While the Eagles don’t exactly have the air raid scheme that Phil Longo brought to Wisconsin, they still heavily rely on their passing attack. 

Georgia Southern quarterback Davis Brin has registered 562 yards and four touchdowns thus far. He has the benefit of throwing to talented receivers, such as Derwin Burgess Jr. and Khaleb Hood, who have logged over 100 receiving yards and at least one touchdown on the season.

Wisconsin’s secondary was a weak point against Washington State, specifically in the first half. UW allowed 212 yards and two touchdowns on the day, with 171 of those yards coming in the first 30 minutes of play. Of course, Brin isn’t Cam Ward, but Wisconsin can’t make the same mistakes they made in the first half of the Washington State matchup when taking on Georgia Southern.

Will the Wisconsin Football Offensive Line Step Up?

As I mentioned, there are a variety of things you could pin the loss to Wazzu on, and the offensive line play is undoubtedly one of those reasons. 

Tanner Mordecai was consistently under pressure and had two strip sacks due to the poor protection, one of which went for a touchdown. Now, Washington State’s pass rush is nothing to scoff at. That said, last weekend’s offensive line play was inexcusable for a program that prides itself on good play in the trenches. 

Georgia Southern’s pass rush isn’t spectacular, and Wisconsin will need to take advantage of the opportunity to get back on track after a lackluster performance in week two.