Another New Year's Day Bowl Game, Another Test for the Wisconsin Badgers

January bowls have become somewhat of a custom for Wisconsin. Tuesday will mark the fourth consecutive year that the Badgers have played in a New Year’s Day bowl game.

For Tennessee, the scene isn’t altogether unfamiliar either. The Volunteers fell to the Nittany Lions of Penn State 20-10 in the Outback Bowl last season.

While Wisconsin (9-3) was supposed to contend for a Big Ten title this fall, Tennessee (9-4) was somewhat of a surprise, winning the SEC East only to lose to LSU 21-14 in the conference Championship Game.

Just like their styles of play, the roads the teams traveled to get to Tampa were different. Wisconsin won its first five games of the season to move to No. 5 in the AP Top 25 Poll, hit a midseason slump and finished strong. Tennessee, meanwhile, started off 1-2,  then hit its stride with an 8-1 stretch before its disappointing loss to LSU.

Coming from the run-heavy Big Ten, Wisconsin will try to set the tempo early with its ground attack. They will do so with a healthy backfield. P.J. Hill, who played sparingly at the end of the season after enduring a lower-leg injury against Indiana near the spot he broke two years ago, is 100 percent and will play, according to UW head coach Bret Bielema. 

Hill just won’t start. That honor is reserved for Zach Brown.

The freshman tailback rushed for 250 yards and two touchdowns the last time out against the Minnesota Gophers. Although he isn’t the shiftiest of runners, Brown plays smart and hard. Combine the powerful rumbling nature of Hill with the electrifying abilities of sophomore Lance Smith, and the Volunteers defense could be in for a long, tiring day.

If Wisconsin starts to throw the ball in heavy doses, however—especially in the second half—it’s more often than not because the Badgers are in trouble. Not that quarterback Tyler Donovan isn’t capable, but it most likely means the Badgers are playing from behind.

Still, should the situation present itself, look for Donovan to look in the direction of tight end Travis Beckum, who leads the team with 960 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

When Erik Ainge throws the ball for the Volunteers, on the other hand, it’s a different story. The senior has accumulated 3,157 yards and 29 touchdowns this season and is perhaps the most prolific passer Wisconsin has seen this season. This very well could pose problems for the Wisconsin secondary—one that will be without two of its top three cornerbacks.

Already minus starter Allen Langford for the final two games of the regular season, the Badgers suffered another blow when freshman Aaron Henry landed awkwardly in practice a few weeks ago and tore his ACL. That leaves the Badgers with just two viable options opposite All-Big Ten CB Jack Ikegwuonu. Senior Ben Strickland will likely get the start, while junior Josh Nettles will play in nickel situations.

More importantly than losing Henry’s cover ability, his injury means the Badgers won’t have the personnel to blitz as often as they’d like. Without the additional pressure coming from the outside, it’ll be up to the Badgers’ front four and linebacker DeAndre Levy to get to Ainge and force him into making poor decisions with the football.

For how good the big Tennessee signal caller is, he’s not particularly mobile—which could determine whether Wisconsin is able to stop Tennessee’s offense. When the Badger defense has struggled, it was because the opposition’s quarterback could run. If the defense knows where the quarterback will be—not the case against effective spread option offenses—it can close in and make the play.

What may also have some bearing on the outcome of the game are the suspensions of three starting Volunteers and three reserves. Middle linebacker Rico McCoy, tackle Demonte Bolden and leading wide receiver Lucas Taylor were all ruled academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl due to poor grades.

No matter what happens on Tuesday, one team will finish the year with 10 wins—a mark that has become somewhat of a measuring stick separating good seasons from decent ones.

Obviously, a win would benefit both teams in helping to maintain a strong reputation in the college football world. But with Michigan's acquisition of Rich Rodriguez and Illinois’ success this season, a Wisconsin victory would mean that much more in a conference which should be pretty cutthroat in the future.