PLAYERS TO WATCH
–RB Jonathan Taylor was one of the lone bright spots in the loss at Penn State. Despite the Nittany Lions gearing their defense to stop the run, the sophomore rushed for 185 yards and a touchdown. Averaging 154.8 yards per game, Taylor leads the nation in rushing and has topped the 100-yard mark in nine of Wisconsin’s 10 games. Taylor has rushed for 1,013 yards on first down alone this season, an area to watch against the Boilermakers.
–QB Jack Coan had another tough outing in a start against Penn State. With starter Alex Hornibrook’s status up in the air, Coan might get his third career start, or at the very least get some snaps in relief of Hornibrook. Either way, his development is key considering Hornibrook’s fragile nature after suffering a concussion.
–LB T.J. Edwards is slated to make his 50th start this Saturday. Edwards is having a very productive season and is the Big Ten’s active leader in tackles with 330.
–LB Ryan Connelly is coming on strong late in the season to form a strong duo with Edwards. The senior had a team-high 88 tackles last season, but through 10 games, Connelly has 75 stops.
SERIES HISTORY: Wisconsin leads Purdue 48-29-8. Wisconsin has won 12 straight games, including a 17-9 win in Madison last season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “There’s nothing more important than the ball. You have to control it. Field position is big, especially when games are contested. When you turn the ball over, that is the quickest way to lose field position.” — UW coach Paul Chryst on his team committing a total of nine turnovers in losses to Michigan, Northwestern and Penn State.
