Badgers, Wildcats meet with B1G ramification

No. 10 Wisconsin understands just how important each game is in this pandemic-shortened season, particularly when two were canceled.

In part because of those missed opportunities, Saturday’s matchup with No. 19 Northwestern has major ramifications.

The Badgers visit the Wildcats in a game between undefeated teams that could go a long way toward determining the winner of the Big Ten West.

“What’s most important and all that matters is being in the moment,” Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst said. “You sure as heck shouldn’t need that reminder in a year like we’ve had this year.”

The Badgers (2-0, 2-0 Big Ten) are trying to win the division for the fifth time in seven years, but in some ways their quest for a spot in the conference title game is beyond their control. They opened with a 45-7 romp over Illinois at Camp Randall Stadium, and last week they pounded Michigan 48-11 in Ann Arbor. But in between, they had backto-back games against Nebraska and Purdue canceled because of a COVID-19 outbreak within the program.

That put Wisconsin in a tight spot.

One more cancellation — whether they have another outbreak or an opponent does — and the Badgers won’t hit the Big Ten’s six-game threshold to be eligible to play for the title in Indianapolis on Dec. 19.

“We’ve had games taken away,” Chryst said. “I think that’s one of the reasons why this group has had good energy each week, because they know and appreciate this isn’t a guarantee. It’s not a given. I love being around this group. I like and appreciate the way they’ve worked this week, but I’ve liked it really from the get-go.”

They’re facing a difficult challenge against a resurgent opponent.

Northwestern (4-0, 4-0) is off to its best start since the 2015 squad won its first five games. The Wildcats hadn’t won their first four in the Big Ten since the 1996 team was 5-0 in conference play.

A win would be their first over a top 10 team since they beat No. 9 Nebraska on Nov. 5, 2011. It would also show just how much Northwestern has bounced back from last year’s collapse. The Wildcats went from winning the Big Ten West in 2018 and playing in their first conference championship game to finishing at the bottom of the division.

They’ve already exceeded their win total from last season when they went 3-9 overall and 1-8 in the conference, though that wasn’t exactly a high bar. And they’ve done it by pulling out tight games since a season-opening 43-3 blowout of Maryland. Their wins over Iowa, Nebraska and Purdue the past three weeks were all by eight points or fewer.