WSU vs. Wisconsin: Rapid-Fire Preview and Odds

Washington State Cougars are going to Madison to play Wisconsin Badgers in a non-conference game on Saturday. Both teams are coming off wins over regional FCS opponents. Wisconsin beat Illinois State 38-0. It's the first non conference game for WSU since a visit to Rutgers in 2015. The game starts at 12:30 pm PT. The team is ranked No. 19 in the AP poll.

Braelon Allen is a sophomore running back for Wisconsin. He ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns against Illinois State. Wisconsin ran the ball on 34 of 53 offensive plays in the opener.

Illinois State recorded three sacks on 19 Wisconsin dropbacks. Wisconsin's pass protection is a weakness. WSU's edge rushers and timely blitzing scheme could be a threat for Wisconsin.

WSU's offense struggled against Idaho. The offense needs to improve to compete with Wisconsin's defense. Running back and offensive line looked better than expected. Eric Morris showed some creativity. Cam Ward needs more than 5.6 yards per passing attempt to be able to move the ball.

The Cougs lost their opener to Wisconsin. They need to win the turnover battle and take Wisconsin's offense out of its comfort zone. The Cougar defense needs to use its speed to capitalize on tighter windows and shut down drives. On the other hand, the WSU offense needs the trips into Badger territory to score touchdowns.

Wisconsin is favored by 17.5 on DraftKings with an over/under of 49. WSU's path to covering lies with its defense.

WSU and its alums are proud of their cheese, particularly Cougar Gold. Wisconsin is famous for its dairy production. There will be cheese from both schools offered for sampling.

WSU and Wisconsin are playing each other this weekend. I started my flight to the Midwest with the album Wisconsin Death Trip from Static-X and listened to Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon.