Aggies heading to Camp Randall
When Utah State takes the field against Wisconsin, coming away with a win won’t be an easy task for the Aggies.
Both teams are coming off of upset games, albeit on opposite sides. The Aggies knocked off Utah for the first time in 15 years while Wisconsin dropped out of the AP Top 25 rankings with a 7-10 loss at Oregon State.
Utah State head coach Gary Andersen said he expects the Badgers to be “a little bit ornery.”
“They are going to be excited to get back home,” Andersen said. “They’ll expect them to play well for sure and get back on the winning track. Wisconsin is a team with a tremendous tradition, a team that expects to win. It will be a hostile environment, I’m sure.”
Wisconsin was ranked as high as No. 4 last season and finished 11-3, losing by a seven to No. 5 Oregon in the Rose Bowl.
Running back Montee Ball had a touchdown in the bowl loss, but led the Badgers with 39 scores last season.
Now a senior, Ball is expected to be the backbone of Wisconsin’s offense.
Aggie linebacker Bojay Filimoeatu said Ball is a similar running back to Utah’s John White, who was limited to 96 rushing yards last week.
“They are both slashers and both very good backs,” Filimoeatu said. “I can’t say who is better, but once we play against Montee Ball we will find out.”
Few in Madison, Wis., are pleased with the Badgers 1-1 start. Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema fired offensive line coach Mike Markuson earlier this week after the Wisconsin running game averaged a mere 101.5 rushing yards in their first two games, less than half of last season’s average.
Filimoeatu said he is impressed with the Badger offensive line.
“They are good,” Filimoeatu said. “They have a good group of five guys. I don’t really see much weakness, but I think that our defensive line can play to their ability.”
When Utah State has the bal
l, wide receiver Matt Austin said the Aggies will have their hands full with the Badger defense.
“Wisconsin is a great team,” the senior said. “Defensively we have to worry about their corners, they are pretty good and play a lot of man. They have two veteran safeties that I think have been starting their whole career.”
Despite the loss last week, Wisconsin’s defense was potent, limiting Oregon State to 354 yards and 10 points.
“Our plan is to win,” Andersen said. “When we prepare it doesn’t change and we will move forward in that direction.”
Wisconsin and the Aggies have only faced each other once before in 1968, when Utah State shut out the Badgers 20-0. The Aggies finished 7-3 that season, while Wisconsin lost all 10 games on their schedule.
Even so, Utah State has not won any of the high-profile games it has played in recent history, though the Aggies kept the score close against Auburn last season, Oklahoma the season before and Texas A&M in 2009.
“I don’t think that it is a hump,” Austin said. “It is just another game for us. We have got to go out there and be physical and come out strong. If we come out and play just like we did we will come out on top I think.”
– tavin.stucki@aggiemail.usu.edu
Twitter: @stuckiaggies