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USA Today Sports Media Group

Sport

Pete Fiutak

Wisconsin vs Wake Forest: Duke’s Mayo Bowl Prediction, Game Preview

Wisconsin vs Wake Forest: Duke’s Mayo Bowl prediction and game preview.

Wisconsin vs Wake Forest: Duke’s Mayo Bowl Broadcast

Date: Wednesday, December 30
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Network: ESPN

– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions

Wisconsin (3-3) vs Wake Forest (4-4) Game Preview

For latest lines and to bet on the NFL, go to BetMGM

Three Reasons Why You Should Watch The Duke’s Mayo Bowl

– It’ll be pure power vs. crafty quickness. Wisconsin’s offense has been injured, inept, and inconsistent after an amazing start, but the defense is No. 1 in the nation overall, No. 1 on third downs, and the team is No. 1 in time of possession.

Wake Forest has a fun, creative attack that doesn’t care a lick about controlling the clock, moves quickly, and doesn’t get a whole lot out of the lines.

– The two teams know how to do bowl games right. Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson is 3-1 in bowls with the program, only losing last year in a good fight against Michigan State in the Pinstripe.

Wisconsin lost to Justin Herbert and Oregon in a thriller of a Rose Bowl last season, but head coach Paul Chryst is 4-1 with the Badgers in bowls.

– The quarterbacks are going to be the story. Wisconsin doesn’t have an elite running back, but Graham Mertz is the highest-ranked quarterback recruit in the program’s history. He’s working through the rough patches of a tough season – the receiving corps has been leveled by injuries – but he’s a talent. Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman is a fun veteran who threw ten touchdown passes and just one interception.

Why Wisconsin, Wake Forest Will Win
What’s Going to Happen, Prediction, History

NEXT: Why Wisconsin Will Win, Why Wake Forest Will Win, Wisconsin vs Wake Forest Prediction

Why Wisconsin Will Win

– No, the offense hasn’t been anything special, and it certainly isn’t the dominant force it’s been over the last two-plus decades when it comes to running the ball, but there are still parts that work like they’re supposed to. Converting on third downs has been like pulling teeth, but the pace and tempo are still at Wisconsin’s level – the team dominates the time of possession battle, keeping the ball for a nation’s high 36:45 per game. Wake Forest will never seem like it has the offense on the field – it averages just over 28 minutes in the time of possession battle.

– No, the Wisconsin offense really hasn’t been anything special, but the Wake Forest defense could be the cure for that. The Demon Deacon secondary has been toasted for most of the year, and the D as a whole can’t come up with stops. It’s bad on third downs, awful against the run, and it’s too easy to power on the front line. The Badger passing game – even without a slew of top receives – should be able to move the chains.

– The Badger D really is that good. It hasn’t seen any help from the offensive side for stretches, but it has yet to allow more than 340 yards, hasn’t given up 150 yards on the ground, and it’s a brick wall on third downs, allowing a nation-fewest 25% conversion rate. The Wake Forest offense can move, but the O line gives up way too many plays behind the line. The Badgers don’t have a high-end pass rush, but they’ll have their moments.

– Bowl Game Schedule

Why Wake Forest Will Win

– Wake Forest takes the ball away, and Wisconsin gives the ball away. The Demon Deacons might not do much defensively, but they’re great at forcing mistakes with 16 takeaways on the year, a +13 turnover margin, and three or more takeaways in four games. It’s this simple – Wake Forest is 4-0 when it comes up multiple takeaways, and 0-4 when it doesn’t. Wisconsin is 0-3 when turning the ball over multiple times, and 3-0 when it doesn’t.

– No, really. The Wisconsin offense doesn’t work. Graham Mertz will hit a few third down throws, but with a banged up receiving corps, there aren’t enough big things happening down the field for a passing game averaging fewer than 200 yards per game. On the flip side, Wake Forest QB Sam Hartman- who has thrown ten touchdown passes and just one pick – has to get and stay hot.

– The Demon Deacons have a way of out-Wisconsining, Wisconsin … sort of. They can’t power the ball, and they don’t own the ball and the time of possession, but they don’t get hit with a lot of penalties – that’s a Badger thing. They always score in the red zone, the special teams are fine, and again, they own the turnover battle. Wisconsin isn’t good enough to not win all the relatively unnoticed stats.

NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Wisconsin vs Wake Forest Prediction, Duke’s Mayo Bowl History

What’s Going To Happen

Wisconsin won’t look quite like the team you’re used to, but the defense will be a rock. The Badgers have time, the team is rested – it has never looked anything but sluggish since the Michigan game – and there will be just enough ways to bother Demon Deacon QB Sam Hartman to slow down the O.

The Badger running game, though, will power up enough to be okay. It’s not going to be the most aesthetically pleasing game, but it’ll be relatively close throughout, and it’s football around lunchtime on a Wednesday.

After this rough year, Wisconsin won’t argue with a win to close things out.