Cotton Bowl 2017: Full Preview, Predictions for Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin

Western Michigan will look to be the next David to slay Goliath when it takes on Wisconsin in the 2017 Cotton Bowl as part of the New Year's Six games.

Houston ran over Florida State 38-24 in last season's Peach Bowl after winning the AAC. The Broncos could follow that trend, but they have a difficult task with the physical Badgers standing in their way.

Here is a look at the schedule for the game, as well as a breakdown and prediction for who will prevail. The spread is courtesy of OddsShark.com.

Date	Location	Matchup	Time (ET)	Network	Spread
Monday, Jan. 2	AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas	Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin	1 p.m.	ESPN	WIsconsin -7

Game Preview

Western Michigan enters this game at 13-0, but the team played a tighter game than it may have expected on Friday, edging out Ohio 29-23 to win the MAC title. It was the closest margin of victory for the Broncos over a conference opponent this season and the slimmest deficit since their 22-21 win at Northwestern in Week 1. 

Led by quarterback Zach Terrell, Western Michigan ranks eighth nationally in scoring offense with 43.5 points per game. Terrell has been extremely efficient on the year, throwing for 3,376 yards, 32 touchdowns and just three picks. However, he recorded his first multi-interception game of the season last week against Ohio.

Having the NCAA's all-time leading receiver in Corey Davis also helps. He has 91 catches for 1,427 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. He can absolutely take over a game in numerous fashions, as ESPN CollegeFootball noted:

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller is also high on Davis' talents:

Topped off with a quality rusher in Jarvion Franklin—1,300 yards and 12 scores this season—Western Michigan certainly has a potent offense. Yet, can the Broncos move the ball against a vaunted Wisconsin defense?

The Badgers have been among the top defensive units all season long, as they physically impose their will on opponents at all levels of the defense. Here is how the group ranks nationally in major categories:

Scoring Defense	Total Defense	Rushing Defense	Passing Defense	Third-Down Defense	Turnovers Forced
15.5 (Fourth)	303 (Seventh)	96.9 (Second)	206.1 (36th)	26.8 percent (Third)	27 (Fifth)

A major deciding factor could be the battle on third down. Western Michigan ranks second in the country in this situation, converting on 54.2 percent of its attempts. The Broncos could have a tough time against a Wisconsin defense that thrives on forcing its opponents off the field on third down, but the Badgers could struggle with Western Michigan's style of play.

Wisconsin was shredded for 38 points and 435 yards of offense against Penn State in the Big Ten title game, which was a season high on both counts. The Nittany Lions mostly did it through the air, as quarterback Trace McSorley went for 384 yards, four touchdowns and no picks against a secondary that was among the best in the Big Ten in passing yards allowed.

Western Michigan brings a similar spread approach, and it has the passing game to have some success against Wisconsin, as Davis is individually superior to any cornerback the Badgers have. However, with Wisconsin sure to focus its coverage on Davis, do the Broncos have another passing option to take some attention away from their star receiver?

Here are the team's next three leading receivers:

Player	Catches	Yards	Yards Per Catch	Touchdowns
Michael Henry	61	760	12.5	4
Carrington Thompson	38	605	15.9	6
Jarvion Franklin	21	255	12.1	2

Michael Henry could help out, but he only has two games with over 100 yards this season. Western Michigan also needs more consistency out of Carrington Thompson, who had nearly a third of his season yards in a 177-yard outing against Eastern Michigan. This was Thompson's only outing exceeding 100 yards.

Do not expect Franklin to make a significant impact on the ground to help Terrell and the passing game. Wisconsin is sensational against the run, as only the great Leonard Fournette surpassed the 100-yard mark against this unit.

On the other side of the ball, Corey Clement looks like the X-factor for Wisconsin.

The star rusher has 1,304 yards and 14 scores on the year, and he has run for at least 100 yards in seven of his last eight games. He will go up against a decent Western Michigan rush defense that ranks 45th nationally with 151.2 yards conceded per outing.

Wisconsin leads the country in time of possession, so expect the Badgers to ride Clement to some long scoring drives. This would keep the defense fresh and Western Michigan off the field, but the Broncos are third in this category, so they can control the ball as well.

Western Michigan has the pieces in place to battle Wisconsin and keep this game close for most of the game. However, it has yet to face a team with this type of size and physicality up front, which will take its toll on the Broncos as the contest moves along.

With that in mind, look for Wisconsin to pull away late with a Clement touchdown to down Western Michigan. The Broncos will be worthy challengers, but the Badgers' grueling style will win out in the end.

Prediction: Wisconsin 28, Western Michigan 20

Statistics are courtesy of NCAA.com unless otherwise noted.