Badgers Limited on Offense at Halftime Despite Being Huge 29 Point Favorites

Middle Tennessee is fresh off of a loss to FCS Austin Peay, who played a competitive half of football against Georgia, yet that could not be seen through the play of the team. The Blue Raiders have kept a close game with Wisconsin, holding the team to just 14 points at the break while scoring 10 points themselves. Middle Tennessee entered the tunnel cheering and jumping up and down after keeping the contest close.

The Blue Raiders have been energetic, physical, and confident against Wisconsin and that edge the team is carrying has been what has kept the contest so close. The Badgers entered the contest with plenty of confidence themselves, and perhaps that would prove to be too much as the Blue Raiders have looked like the more consistent team.

Wisconsin Badgers Must Play More Physical, Precise Football Moving Forward

While Wisconsin might be winning and Austin Peay might be playing solid football against Georgia, the Badgers were fully expected to be blowing the Blue Raiders out by halftime after last week. Middle Tennessee looked lost and woefully inefficient, but the Blue Raiders look completely different against Wisconsin despite the Badgers supposedly having a much improved defense both along the line and in the linebacker room.

The Blue Raiders are able to consistently move the football down the field on offense and even forced mistakes to be made by Wisconsin on defense like the Damonte Smith interception. Wisconsin needs to do the small things right and start by winning pushes along the offensive and defensive lines, continue to piece together solid scoring drives, and limit the amount of mistakes made.

If Wisconsin plays controlled yet intense football for the remainder of the game, the Badgers should see a far better result at the end of the game.