Blue and Gold Illustrated

Sept. 25, 2021

Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football

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38 SEPT. 25, 2021 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED GAME PREVIEW: WISCONSIN BY TODD D. BURLAGE WISCONSIN RUNNING GAME VS. NOTRE DAME RUN DEFENSE Under seventh-year head coach Paul Chryst, Wiscon- sin expectedly builds its winning formula on a beefy offensive line, a deep stable of talented tailbacks and one of the best rushing offenses in the country. In their two games before a bye week Sept. 18, the Badgers averaged 4.7 yards per carry and 266.0 rushing yards per game — the 13th best mark in the country — with five rushing touchdowns. With 51 carries for 265 yards and two touch- downs, junior Chez Mellusi has emerged as a fea- ture back, though three Badger tailbacks have at least 15 carries, and four already have at least one rushing touchdown. Mellusi is complemented by Isaac Guerendo. The redshirt junior has 17 carries for 149 yards and an 8.7- yard average, a mark boosted from his 82-yard touch- down run against Eastern Michigan last time out. Former top recruit Jalen Berger provides Wiscon- sin with another dangerous rushing option. As a true freshman last season, Berger led the Badgers with 301 rushing yards in four games. After an unexpected down year in 2020 from a traditionally reliable offensive line — Wisconsin's rushing offense finished only 62nd nationally — the Badgers return three starters up front, includ- ing versatile fifth-year senior Logan Bruss, who can play either guard or tackle. For Notre Dame, after allowing just 113.0 rushing yards per game last season to finish 16th nationally in rush defense, this unit has collectively underper- formed in 2021. Heading into Purdue, the Irish ranked only 104th with 194.0 rushing yards allowed per game after yielding 264 to FSU and another 124 to Toledo. Advantage: Wisconsin WISCONSIN PASSING GAME VS. NOTRE DAME PASS DEFENSE After redshirting as a freshman in 2019, Wiscon- sin quarterback Graham Mertz enjoyed a stellar debut as a starter in 2020 by tying a single-game school record with five touchdown passes before struggling in his final six outings. Mertz — whose production was stunted in 2020 after a bout with COVID, a nagging shoulder injury and a bevy of injuries to his receiving corps — completed just 56.9 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and five interceptions while Wis- consin (4-3 overall) went 3-3 in its last six games. Mertz — the No. 2 rated pro-style QB in the 2019 recruiting class per Rivals — welcomed back all of his top targets from 2020 with senior receivers Danny Davis III and Kendric Pryor, alongside sophomore wideout Chimere Dike and senior tight end Jake Fer- guson, a first-team All-Big Ten selection last year. Ferguson leads Wisconsin this season with 12 catches for 69 yards and Davis paces the team with 129 receiving yards on 11 catches, though Mertz has yet to throw a touchdown pass. The Irish defense hasn't found its footing under first-year coordinator Marcus Freeman and re- mains vulnerable to big plays this season. Before Purdue, the Irish defense had already allowed four plays of 60 yards or more. Wisconsin, meanwhile, averaged only 25.1 On PaPer Senior tackle/guard Logan Bruss anchors an offensive line that has helped the Badgers average 4.7 yards per carry and 266.0 rushing yards per game, which ranked 13th in the nation heading into the third weekend of September. PHOTO BY DAVID ST. LUKA/COURTESY WISCONSIN ATHLETICS

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