Badgers still have plenty to play for
Wisconsin stopped short of calling Saturday’s road game against Penn State a must-win situation. But, for a Badgers’ team with hopes of landing a quality bowl game, it at least borders on it.
“I think every game is a must-win at this point,” inside linebacker T.J. Edwards said.
“We’re at the point of the year where, it’s November football. You have to play your best at this time to make things happen down the road. We’re definitely going to need to be at our best.”
The Badgers (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten West) need a victory to increase their chances to win the West, especially if Iowa (6-3, 3-3) defeats Northwestern (5-4, 5-1) on Saturday. A loss to the Nittany Lions would be Wisconsin’s third in five games and most likely take them out of the West race and put them headed toward a nondescript late December bowl game most likely in an undesired location.
The Badgers need Northwestern to lose two of their last three games to have a shot at the West crown.
“Obviously, we still have hopes and aspirations from the long-term perspective, but I think it’s important that we just get back on track as far as winning and being consistent, learning how to play good football,” safety D’Cota Dixon said.
“I think that’s been the biggest focus for our team moving forward, and we’re looking forward to establishing that against Penn State.”
The Badgers have their backs against the wall, a rare sight for a program that’s been consistently good for decades in the conference. But quarterback issues have flared up in recent weeks, along with running back Jonathan Taylor’s fumbling issues to chip away at the Badgers.
“Obviously because of what’s happened to this point, there’s some other things that need to happen,” Wisconsin left guard Michael Deiter said.
“But the confidence to win our remaining football games is huge. That’s what we always plan to do, and that’s what we plan to do this week. That’ll never change. It’s a big opportunity, huge opportunity that we’ve got to be prepared for … It’s a lot of fun to have a game mean so much.”
The immediate concern for the Badger, though, is the health and availability of junior quarterback Alex Hornibrook, who has a 26-5 career record as Wisconsin’s starter. A week after missing the Northwestern game with a concussion, Hornibrook took a big hit on the final play of the first half against Rutgers. Hornibrook did not return and listed as questionable on the injury report due to being in concussion protocol.
Sophomore Jack Coan, who started in the Northwestern loss, would be the starter if Hornibrook can’t play. This season Coan has completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
“I thought he handled himself well and knew certainly what we were doing,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said of Coan’s second-half outing against Rutgers. “When you get a chance to watch it, he certainly had a good feel for the game. … I’ve liked the way that Jack has prepared all year long, really. If Alex can’t go, he’ll certainly be ready.”
