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Saturday night’s showdown between No. 15 Wisconsin and No. 12 Michigan may be one of the most influential college football games of the season. Both teams need a win to keep their College Football Playoff chances alive.
The two teams will clash in prime time on Saturday night, and ESPN’s College GameDay will set up shop in Ann Arbor ahead of the B1G heavyweight bout. There will be plenty of analysis pouring in over the next several days.
Big Ten Network analyst Corey Wootton already has his prediction, though. He believes the Badgers escape the Big House with a resume-boosting victory.
We have an early Week 7 prediction:@CoreyWootton is taking Wisconsin to win under the lights at Michigan.
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/pRpdb4hJKr
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 8, 2018
Wootton pointed to Wisconsin’s rushing game and Jonathan Taylor as the difference in the matchup.
The running game will certainly be a major factor on Saturday. The Badgers own the top rushing attack in the conference, averaging nearly 300 yards per game on the ground. Michigan’s defense is surrendering just 96 rushing yards per game.
It’s cliché, but the battle in the trenches could be the difference between a win and a loss.
Wootton believes Wisconsin has the better offensive line and running back. We only have a few more days to wait to find out if Michigan’s defense is up to the task.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB