Every team in college football has that dreaded trap game on their schedule. The Badgers are no exception to this. Whether it is at home or on the road, this is the type of game that can either make or break seasons. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, they are going to a place that has been their Achilles heel. On October 8th, Wisconsin will head to Evanston, Illinois to take on the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field. Ryan Field has been a house of horror for the Badgers as they haven’t won there since 2016. On paper, Pat Fitzgerald’s bunch probably won’t be a Big Ten title contender, but Wisconsin shouldn’t let its guard down. I believe this is the Badgers trap game and will very much determine how the season is going to go.
For some reason no matter how good the Badgers season is going; they always struggle at Ryan Field. While Wisconsin holds a 60-38 edge all-time against the Wildcats, 22 of those losses have come at Ryan Field. Great Badgers players have done uncharacteristic things like turn the ball over. Great players like Ron Dayne, John Clay, and Jonathan Taylor all have had bad moments at Ryan Field. It seems like great players turn into shells of themselves whenever they go to Evanston. Northwestern has spoiled great Badger seasons in the past in Evanston. Had the Badgers taken care of business in Evanston, they might have won more Big Ten titles or gone to bigger bowl games.
This season, Northwestern has many questions to answer on both sides of the ball. This is especially the case at quarterback and in the secondary. The Badgers feast on those types of teams. Due to history, Wisconsin must still take the Wildcats seriously. Pat Fitzgerald’s Wildcats have been known to bounce back from losing season. It’s a big reason why they’ve made Big Ten Championship appearances and finished past seasons ranked in the polls. Whenever Northwestern beats Wisconsin, it ultimately has given their season great momentum in the past.
A big reason for Wisconsin’s struggles against Northwestern is their turnover problems. There seems to be no other place where Wisconsin turns the ball over more than Ryan Field. The last time the Badgers visited Ryan Field in 2020 they turned it over five times and lost 17-7. Graham Mertz threw three interceptions and the Badgers lost two fumbles in that game. No wonder Wisconsin hasn’t won a game in Evanston in five years.
Last season especially early on, the Badgers had a lot of trouble keeping the ball safe. In 2021, the Badgers turned the ball over 22 times. It was a big reason why they had a disappointing season despite high expectations. This is something the Badgers can’t do if they want to overcome the “Ryan Field Curse.” When the Badgers last beat the Wildcats in Evanston, they didn’t turn the ball over once. Coincidence, I think not.
Another reason for the Badgers to be concerned about this matchup is it’s Northwestern’s homecoming weekend. It’ll be the first time since 2003 that Wildcats will be taking on the Badgers on homecoming day. This means that Ryan Field is going to be more hostile and louder than normal. Northwestern has a 6-6 record against Wisconsin on homecoming. Adding to the challenge is the Wildcats could easily come into the game with their season hanging in the balance. With the home crowd on their side, Northwestern will be very interested in turning their season around.
Fortunately for the Badgers, the Wildcats aren’t as talented, unlike past years. Despite the Wildcats issues, Wisconsin still needs to pay extra attention to this game. The Badgers haven’t won in Evanston since 2016, and Northwestern has a history of spoiling great seasons at Ryan Field. Considering the ugly history Wisconsin has at Ryan Field; this is entrenched as the trap game and could make or break the season.
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