With its slow start receding in the wake of 4 straight wins, Wisconsin finds itself in familiar territory entering November.

Coming off consecutive convincing wins over fellow B1G West contenders Purdue and Iowa, the Badgers control their destiny for every goal short of a Playoff berth. At 5-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play, Paul Chryst’s bunch — if they win out — will reach the program’s 7th B1G title game since the league starting having one in 2011. The path to the Rose Bowl or another NY6 game remains very much intact.

Up next on the schedule, in succession, are Rutgers, Northwestern, Nebraska and Minnesota. Who might give the Badgers the most trouble in the final third of the regular season? Let’s rank them from easiest to hardest:

Northwestern

Date: Nov. 13

A loss to the Wildcats at home would be the most shocking result of the remaining games on Wisconsin’s schedule. Northwestern played in 2 of the last 2 B1G championship games, but the Wildcats are rebuilding after losing way more starters than most FBS programs this year.

In its 4 B1G losses, Northwestern (3-5, 1-4) has been outscored by 29.8 points per game. The Wildcats offense ranks 98th nationally in yards per play; its defense is 101st in that same category.

Northwestern’s best team stat is opponent yards per pass attempt, which ranks No. 32, but it’s not like Wisconsin will be throwing a ton in this one. Wisconsin can never find a way to beat the Wildcats on the road, but this one is at Camp Randall, so the Badgers are safe.

Rutgers

Date: Nov. 6

Wisconsin’s next game is on the road against Rutgers on Saturday, and the Badgers enter as double-digit favorites. The Badgers better not overlook the Scarlet Knights, who are headed in the right direction in Year 2 of Greg Schiano’s second stint in Piscataway.

Offensively, Rutgers really struggles to move the ball, so if Wisconsin does not turn the ball over and allow short fields, it’s tough to envision the Scarlet Knights sustaining drives against the best defense in the country. Rutgers has the worst offense of Wisconsin’s remaining foes, ranking 119th of 130 FBS teams in yards per play and 104th in yards per game.

A player to keep an eye on is the speedy Aron Cruickshank, who transferred from Wisconsin following the 2019 season. He is a dangerous return man and is fast enough to get behind the defense for game-changing plays as a receiver. Cruickshank has been out the last 2 games with an injury, but he will likely do everything he can to get on the field to face his former team.

Rutgers’ biggest strength comes in stopping the run, ranking 48th in yards allowed per rush attempt. This was especially the case when Rutgers clamped down on Michigan’s rushing attack, allowing the Wolverines to run for just 2.9 yards per attempt. Wisconsin’s running game has gotten a whole lot better from earlier this season thanks to improved offensive line play and the emergence of Braelon Allen, so the Badgers should still have plenty of success on the ground.

Minnesota

Date: Nov. 27

The B1G West race sure seems to be headed toward a winner-take-all matchup on the final weekend of the regular season when the Badgers head on the road to play Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are a difficult team to figure out because they haven’t been challenged all that much this season.

Minnesota opened the season with a close loss to Ohio State, but then beat Miami (OH) by just 5 points and lost to Bowling Green, which is one of the worst FBS teams in the country. Since then, the Gophers have taken advantage of a weak conference schedule that does not feature Michigan, Michigan State or Penn State.

Wisconsin is the only team in the West with a truly elite defense. Can Minnesota’s run-heavy offense maintain its traction against the Badgers’ dominant front seven? The Gophers have played well offensively against inferior competition, but they still rank just No. 62 nationally in yards per play and haven’t faced a defense remotely close to Wisconsin’s.

The last time the Axe Game decided who would represent the West in the conference title game came in 2019, when Wisconsin won 38-17. The Badgers probably don’t have the offense to repeat that type of performance, but they should expect to come away with a victory for the 17th time in the last 18 games anyway.

Nebraska

Date: Nov. 20

Nebraska has a 3-6 overall record and is dead last in the B1G West at 1-5, but Wisconsin’s home matchup against the Cornhuskers is the toughest game remaining on the schedule. Whether it’s bad luck or just being unable to find ways to finish, Nebraska’s ability to lose games despite competing well is replicated by nobody in college football.

All 6 of the Cornhuskers’ losses have come by a single score, including games against Oklahoma, Michigan and Michigan State. Nebraska could easily finish this season 3-9, which would likely end the Scott Frost era, but the Cornhuskers are significantly better than what their record shows on both sides of the ball.

Nebraska ranks inside the top 25 in yards per play offensively and defensively, and the Cornhuskers are explosive in the passing game. Nebraska ranks No. 8 in yards per pass attempt, and it is tied for third nationally in plays that have gone for more than 20 yards and plays of 30-plus yards. If 1 or 2 such plays hit, things could get interesting.

This game could also be in a look-ahead spot for Wisconsin, so the Badgers need to focus on this one and not look toward the next week’s matchup against Minnesota.