Week 5 College Football Picks: No. 8 Nebraska Huskers at No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers

Arguably the game of the weekend will be a test of wills and many people are falling in love with the Badgers as Russell Wilson and the team are looking like a new sexy supermodel.

They have played nobody as of yet and some are still wary of this Badgers team since they made it to their first BCS Bowl in over a decade. Are the Badgers a legit National Title contender?

The Cornhuskers are welcomed to the Big Ten by the "House of Pain" crowd that will be looking to "Jump Around" all night.

Facts

Wisconsin is just 2-3 against Nebraska though the last time they played was in 1974 where the Badgers won 21-20 at Camp Randall.

Under Bret Bielema the Badgers are just 4-8 vs ranked opponents in the regular season with the average score being 27-20 in defeat. Nebraska has gone 13-2 in conference openers as a Big 12 member.

The Badgers may have not played any good teams yet but their defense is 22nd against the run allowing only 89 yards per game. Against the pass they are just 10th allowing 157.25 yards a game.

Nebraska though is 8th in run offense averaging a remarkable 272 yards a game though they average an abysmal 166 yards per game through the air (106th).

These facts and stats will be thrown out the door when they tee off on in what will be an epic night that could end up being a preview of the Big Ten Championship.

Matchup

Clearly, the key primetime matchup will be the battle in the trenches and while most will point to how the Badgers run the ball I am going the other direction. 

Nebraska has thrived in their running game averaging 272 yards a game which is good enough for eighth best in America. The duo of Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead has kept the chains moving and is there honestly a better duo in production out there at the moment? No!

The two have both ran for over 400 yards and seven TDs a piece with an average of exactly 6.7 yards per carry. They are essentially identical twins in stats and they are obviously the two engines that keep this Huskers train rolling.

Wisconsin has a pair of linebackers in Mike Taylor and Chris Borland who help the Badgers 22nd rated run defense, which is only allowing 89 yards a game. Something has to give here as the unmovable object meets the great wall of cheese. Whoever wins this battle in my eyes will be the clear cut winner in this nationally televised game.

X-Factor

Nick Toon is averaging five receptions for 88 yards a game and as long the Huskers can limit his numbers they should be just fine.

Alfonzo Dennard (quad) should be right at 100 percent as should Jared Crick (knee). Dennard comes into this game a quite x-factor since he makes the Huskers pass defense one of the better ones in the Big Ten.

Dennard played a ton against Wyoming last weekend and being matched up against Toon should be the x-factor in this game since he controls the bulk of the Badgers passing game.

Toon is one of the elite receivers in the game and he may be the biggest x-factor in college football this Saturday. 

Both players are however All-Big Ten performers and some event think both could earn some All-American consideration so it is vital that Dennard and the rest of the secondary do not give up any big plays over 20 yards or else the running game will start to gash the defense. 

Plus, throw in the fact that Russell Wilson throws so well on the run that it will be critical the Huskers force a few three-and-outs/punts from their end zone or else it might be a long night.

Why Wisconsin Can Win

The Badgers come into this game as arguably the most balanced team in America averaging over 240 yards both rushing and passing. Only the Baylor Bears can match those numbers through the first month of the season.

Can Nebraska stop the Badgers running game despite struggling against Washington and Wyoming? Lavonte David made my preseason All-American team early on in the season and he will need to play like one against the massive line of the Badgers. The biggest issue has been the play of the other linebackers which has not been as sensational as I originally expected. 

James White and Montee Ball are almost as dynamic as T-Magic and Rex and they have been gashing opponents for a year-and-a-quarter of a season as well. Nebraska has had issue wrapping up on tackles and that would spell disaster for them.

This Wisconsin team is clearly better offensively thanks to the added dimension of quarterback Russell Wilson. He can throw or run and he has been hard to contain.

The Badgers pass defense is good enough to shut down the Huskers receivers and there offense can easily outscore Nebraska's at home in a place they have only lost once the last two-and-a-half seasons.

Why Nebraska Can Win

Nebraska is getting smoked in the media because of how bad their defense has played. They are a great defense on paper but without their team leaders they have taken a few steps back.

Dennard and Crick are back and you can bank that Bo and Carl Pelini will get their team fired up for their Big Ten opener on the road in a hostile environment.

Taylor Martinez gets no credit because of his struggles in the passing game yet Michigan's Denard Robinson gets praised for doing worse? I don't get it. T-Magic has proven to the nation he can do big things on the road (five TDs vs OKST LY) and this game will not be mission impossible like everybody says it will be.

Rex Burkhead can keep the chains moving by himself and I look for a few young receivers to take charge. Jamal Turner could be a candidate for some razzle-dazzle since he was a former signal caller of his own. However, Kenny Bell, Kyler Reed and Brandon Kinnie can both step up.

Tyler Legate and freshman Aaron Green could play vital roles but the Huskers have had T-Magic and Rex combine for over 150 yards every game this season. They need to prove they are the best rushing duo in the nation.

The special teams has a stud in Brett Maher and he could play a huge role in a game that will be extremely tight down the stretch.

Can Wisconsin tackle in open space and can Taylor Martiniez make the big throws? These are some critical parts of the game that will factor into who wins. 

Drama's Forecast

This will be a true test for both teams with the winner getting a huge leg up in their divisions. There is no guarantee both teams will meet up again in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship, but there is a great chance with their favorable schedules. 

Can Taylor Martinez become a legit Heisman contender? Is Russell Wilson the real deal or will he revert to his struggling ways like he did back with North Carolina State?

The Badgers may have the more explosive offense but I am not sold on their defense. Nebraska will get huge games from All-Americans Jared Crick and Lavonte David. Taylor Martinez will show America why he is the real deal.

Plus, for those that just think the Badgers can line up and run the ball down the throats of Nebraska, boy, do you have another thing coming. The Huskers may struggle against spread offenses, but the Badgers simple ground-and-pound gameplan will play into the hands of Nebraska's physical defense. 

Wilson will make some big plays with both his feet and arm, but so will T-Magic. Ball and White against Burkhead/Martinez will be interesting and the special teams could play a huge role in the favor of Nebraska with Brett Maher kicking 50 yarders in his sleep. 

Nebraska has struggled to win the spotlight games after losing to both Texas and Oklahoma the past two seasons. In their first game as a member of the Big Ten I look for the Cornhuskers to finally come through by putting together one of their best games in the past few seasons.    

Experts Pick: Wisconsin By nine

Drama's Pick: NEBRASKA 30, WISCONSIN 27