Football is an 11-on-11 game, but you have to win at the individual level to win at the team level. Here are three individual matchups that will be key in Saturday’s game between Northwestern and Wisconsin.
Justin Jackson vs. Wisconsin’s front seven
Jackson is obviously a key for Northwestern every week, but he’ll be especially important Saturday. Northwestern is going up against one of the best defenses in the country, and the hosts can’t afford to get behind the chains. By nearly every rushing metric, Wisconsin’s defense is elite: It’s ranked eighth in country in overall rushing S&P+ and second in IsoPPP, meaning they don’t give up very many explosive plays, or yards at all.