Wisconsin-Indiana at a glance
A preview of the Badgers' Saturday showdown in Bloomington against Indiana.
#24 Wisconsin (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) at Indiana (4-5, 1-4) 12:00 noon (Big Ten Network)
Opening Line: Wisconsin by 11.
Series record: Wisconsin leads 35-18-2.
Last meeting: 2008, Wisconsin, 55-20.
What's At Stake:
Indiana needs two wins in the last three games to become bowl-eligible. With a trip to #11 Penn State next week, this is as close to a must-win as the Hoosiers have. Wisconsin ended a two-game skid and a win Saturday would allow the Badgers to improve its bowl seeding.
Key Matchup:
Wisconsin RB John Clay against Indiana's run defense. The Hoosiers have been outscored 47-3 in the second half the last two weeks. Now the Hoosiers must contend with the 248-pound Clay. If
the Badgers spend the first two quarters delivering body blows to the Indiana defense, Clay could take advantage later.
Players to watch:
Wisconsin: Clay. He's tied for 13th in the nation in touchdowns rushing (10), has four 100-yard games this season and is 20th in the nation with 104.9 yards per game. This week, he faces a defense that allows more than 145 yards rushing per game and has given up 15 TDs on the ground, tied for second-most in the Big Ten.
Indiana: CB Adrian Burks. With Burks replacing Indiana's top cornerback, Ray Fisher, who is out with a knee injury, Wisconsin may be tempted to try play-action to open the passing game.
Facts & Figures:
Badgers have won four straight in the series. Indiana LB Chad Sherer and Wisconsin QB Dustin Sherer are brothers who grew up in Cicero, Ind. Badgers are 6-0 against unranked teams, 0-2 vs.
ranked teams this season. Clay, the Big Ten's leading rusher, needs 161 yards to reach 1,000 this season. Wisconsin has the second-longest active streak of consecutive bowl games in the Big Ten with seven.