1. Eye of the badger
The good news for the Badgers coming into their game against Illinois is senior running back Anthony Davis is back after sitting out three games. The bad news could be that there is no one to back him up if he goes down again. Sophomore Booker Stanley had limited playing time last week from his turf toe injury and freshman Jamil Walker sat out the second half nursing a shoulder injury. This forced junior fullback Matt Bernstein to fill in as the first-string running back. Davis should be able to hold his own but Bernstein may have to step in again at running back. After rushing for a career-high 123 yards last week, he showed he has running back potential but he stressed he is a true fullback and is happy to have Davis back into the rotation. If Stanley and Walker do return, Stanley will most likely be the primary backup to Davis, and Bernstein can return to his fullback duties.
2. Downfall of defense?
The Badger defense has exceeded many people's expectations this year. Within the first four games they have only allowed 19 points (including one touchdown), but this week's game against Illinois will be a true test and may expose some of the unit's weaknesses with the help of the Illini offensive line. UW Head Coach Barry Alvarez claimed that this offensive line will be the best the team faces this year. Illinois' line has helped create situations in which it can put up some big offensive numbers. They are averaging 32.2 points a game, and their 213.8 rushing yards per game ranks second in the Big Ten. Wisconsin's defense will have to depend on senior Erasmus James, who is coming off his second consecutive Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honor, and the rest of the defensive line to control the Illini offensive line.
3. Sophomore standouts
Illinois has two sophomores who control the running game. The Badgers saw E.B. Halsey last year when he scored two touchdowns in the 38-20 Wisconsin win. He also racked up 211 all-purpose yards in the game last year. This year he has already rushed for 350 yards in four games and needs only 125 more to reach the 1,000-yard milestone. Pierre Thomas also contributed 79.5 yards a game to the ground attack and a league-leading 175.8 all-purpose yards, but it is his kickoff return capabilities that are even more lethal. His 31.2 yards a game is currently 10th in the nation, and so far this season he has made a 99-yard return for a touchdown and added a 72-yard return. If UW freshman kicker Taylor Mehlhaff fails to kick touchbacks on a majority of his kicks, the Wisconsin special teams could have problems containing Thomas.
4. Beutjer's experience
Though Illinois is very reliant on its running game, it is quarterback Jon Beutjer that drives the offense. As a sixth-year senior and transfer from Iowa, he will be the most experienced quarterback the Badgers have seen yet. A rib injury sidelined him earlier this season, and he has only played in two-and-a-half games within that time. However, he connected on five touchdowns, has not thrown a single interception and has 65 percent pass accuracy. Beutjer's experience is another factor that contributes to exposing the possible Badger defensive weaknesses.
5. Switch up
Last time senior Kelvin Hayden played Wisconsin, he was the team's leading wide receiver. During the winter, things changed for Hayden. Illinois defensive coordinator Mike Mallory got the chance to convert some offensive players to defense during the off season and this Saturday, Hayden will come into Camp Randall as the team's top cornerback. The UW receiving corps has struggled to produce this year and Hayden will not make things any easier. He already leads the team with his 38 tackles, and in his first game at defense he forced a fumble and intercepted two passes, one of which resulted in a 23-yard touchdown return. The Badgers have been starting to see promising play out of junior wide receiver Brandon Williams, but sophomore quarterback John Stocco will have to make sure he throws safe passes to Williams, something he struggled with last week. If Stocco shows inconsistencies, Hayden will do what he can to take advantage of any mistakes made.
