Wisconsin vs. Michigan Football: Can Wolverines Maintain Home Mojo Over Badgers?

Time: 12:00 EST
Location: Big House
TV: ESPN
Line: Wisconsin -4
Weather: 43/34 Partly Cloudy

Wisconsin again enters the Big House as a Top 10 team in the nation. They have already beaten the "Eyes" (Buckeyes and Hawkeyes) of the Big Ten with their only loss (in the state of Michigan) to the Spartans.

Everyone and their brother knows what to expect from the Badgers on Saturday. They will run the ball but are a pretty balanced offense, averaging 200 yards in the air and 228 on the ground.

Like most years, they have strong offensive and defensive lines and want to play power football and solid defense. That formula has led them to a five-game win streak with visions of a BCS Rose Bowl berth dancing in their heads.

Michigan is almost the exact opposite of Wisconsin. They have a high-powered, fast offense that prefers to spread you out and run and throw in space. Michigan's defense won't win any awards this year but is clearly playing better in the last two weeks (yes, even after giving up 65 points).

Michigan prefers quick scores, and Wisconsin prefers long drives. This could be an interesting game.

Big House of Horrors: Last week in my Big Ten preview, we discussed the strange mojo that Northwestern has over Iowa. Wisconsin seems to have a similar Michigan complex. The Badgers haven't won in the state of Michigan since 2004 and haven't won a game at the Big House since 1994.

Two years ago, Wisconsin was up 19-0 in RR's first year, and the Michigan defense and Steven Threet brought the Wolverines back to win the game in the second half. Spooky stuff.

Tale of the Tape

Michigan Offense vs. Wisconsin D = DAD Denard All Day

Wisconsin Offense vs. Michigan D = Way too Ezeh

Special Teams = Stop kicking field goals!

Intangibles = Michigan "Spooky" Mojo

I would be remiss if I didn't take a few minutes to thank all the seniors for sticking and staying with this program when the program was clearly rebuilding.

Thank you to Martell Webb, Perry Dorrestein, Steve Schilling, John Ferrara, Greg Banks, Adam Patterson, Renaldo Sagesse, Obi Ezeh, Jonas Mouton, Mark Moundrous and James Rogers. You all have contributed to this year's squad, and I hope you enjoy your final home game, last game against Ohio State and your well-deserved bowl game. You are true Michigan Men! Congratulations.I

Michigan has won two games in a row, and Wisconsin has won five. A streak will come to end on Saturday. Which one will it be?  Let me give you a hint: The key is turnovers.

Sing Hail to the Victors if...

• Michigan protects the damn ball.
• Denard is effective in both running and passing (no picks!).
• Michigan's defense forces some stops and field goals.
• Mike Martin and Mouton are healthy and effective.
• Michigan gets production out of its running backs.
• Michigan's offensive line plays very well.

Ask what happened to our Wisconsin Mojo if...

• Wisconsin wins the turnover battle.
• John Clay's backups are better than John Clay.
• Michigan's young defense gets confused by Wisconsin's balance.
• Wisconsin's defense has Denard figured out.
• The cold weather favors Wisconsin.

The boys from Florida and California had some issues with the cold rain last weekend. Will they have the same issues in 40-degree weather? It's probably already snowed in Wisconsin, so they are used to it. 

This is one of those matchups you could call either way. Wisconsin doesn't play well in Ann Arbor but is clearly the better team. They will try to pound the Wolverines into submission with the run game, and just when Michigan plays the run, they will hit Nick Toon at WR for a long gain.

Michigan has seemed to play confident football since the Bowl Game Monkey is now off their back. Are they good enough to beat the seventh-ranked team in the country? That is the big question. Will Senior Day give the Wolverines the emotion they need to beat a better team?

If Michigan protects the ball, they should be in the game. If they don't, they won't. Wisconsin 32, Michigan 21.
     
GO BLUE!