Big 10 Preview: Indiana versus Wisconsin
With the two of the teams with the best records in the Big Ten, Ohio State and Penn State, banned from the post season due to NCAA sanctions, more attention has fell upon teams like Indiana and Wisconsin who do not have the best win/loss records in college but their games have been wildly entertaining. That is why the Idea of Indiana taking on Wisconsin today has me pretty pumped to watch and bet on some entertaining football.
Hearing Wisconsin Badgers being discussed as a team likely to go to the Big Ten championship is nothing new, but to Indiana this is all new. With the previously mentioned post season ineligibility of Ohio State and Penn State,the Indiana Hoosiers finds themselves with a good enough record to go to the Big Ten Championship. They are only one win away from having as good a record as Wisconsin. This is why this game is incredible important. If they can put away the best eligible Big Ten team in the Badgers, they can solidify themselves are real contenders. Unfortunately, the Badgers are the favorites to take this game.
The Badgers have a pretty consistent record of dominating Indiana. In their last meeting, for example, Wisconsin won the game 59-7. Wisconsin should be able to easily run the ball against Indiana’s poor run defense. The Badgers should also have no problem limiting the Hoosiers run game. This should lead to another dominate victory for Wisconsin. But do not lay your money on Wisconsin to cover the spread just yet. This is a new Indiana team than what Wisconsin has played in the past and it is a new atmosphere.
Indiana has some factor going their way that could make this game a lot closer than what their +7.5 point spread suggests. This is the first time since 2009 that Wisconsin has come to Indiana’s stomping grounds. The last time Wisconsin barely mustered the win in a nail biter, and that was against a Indiana team that is a lot worse than the Indiana team that exists today.   Also, Cameron Coffman is proving to be a solid quarterback.Coffman came in as a backup but led Indiana to victory last week and one would assume after that outing he will start against Wisconsin. He is coming off a game where he threw 315 yards and three touchdowns. If Wisconsin cannot shut down Coffman, Indiana has a real chance at winning this game.
It is also important to note that Indiana came very close to upsetting the undefeated, yet ineligible, Ohio State. The point is that Indiana has a real shot to beat Wisconsin this year.
As previously mentioned the point spread for this game is 7.5 points favoring Wisconsin. The money line for Indiana is at +235 and -280 for Wisconsin. The over/under is at 57.5 points. The game starts at noon todays.
