Badgers Aim to Tame the Coyotes in Madison Showdown

Wisconsin safety Hunter Wohler (24) stops Western Michigan quarterback Hayden Wolff (11) short of a touchdown during the second quarter of their game at Camp Randall Stadium. — © Mark Hoffman -Imagn Images

The Wisconsin Badgers (1-0) face the South Dakota Coyotes (1-0) at 3:30 p.m. EST on Sept. 7 in Madison, Wis. Coach Luke Fickell and the Badgers are looking to improve after a subpar performance in their 28-16 season-opening win over Western Michigan (0-1) on Aug. 30.

Wisconsin has to have more consistent play in all three phases of the game, as the Coyotes, ranked No. 6 in both the STATS Perform and AFCA Coaches’ FCS polls, are not to be underestimated.

Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell looks on during the second quarter against the Western Michigan Broncos at Camp Randall Stadium. — © Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

What's at Stake?

The 2023 Badgers team struggled with a lack of explosive plays, an undependable pass rush and inconsistent offensive line play. Despite an entire offseason to improve, Badgers fans were disappointed to see these issues resurface against the Broncos. Wisconsin will be heavy favorites against the Coyotes but must significantly improve their overall play. With Alabama visiting next weekend, the Badgers are running out of time to raise their play to a high level.

South Dakota cruised to a 45-3 victory over Northern State (0-1) in their opener, led by running back Charles Pierre Jr., who rushed 13 times for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Coyotes have little to lose and plenty to gain as they look to pull off an upset on the road in Madison.

Key Players: Wisconsin Badgers

Will Pauling, WR

Pauling led the Badgers in receptions (6) and receiving yards (60) in the opener, but only 28 of those yards came after the catch. If quarterback Tyler Van Dyke gets the ball to Pauling quickly in space, he should be able to make the first defender miss and boost his YAC numbers. Since Pauling was in the slot on 32 of 33 passing downs in Week 1, offensive coordinator Phil Longo needs to scheme more opportunities for him to be isolated against safeties or linebackers for advantageous matchups.

Hunter Wohler, Safety

Wohler entered the season with high expectations, as sites like 247Sports listed him as a second-team All-Big Ten safety in their preseason predictions. He is disruptive when playing close to the line of scrimmage, and he lined up in the box 42.6 percent of the time last season. Against Western Michigan, he was in the box 42.3 percent of the time, but the Badgers need to push that number closer to 50 percent by adjusting formations, disguising coverages and sending him on blitzes more often.

Key Players: South Dakota Coyotes

JJ Galbreath, TE

Galbreath was named honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Football Conference last season, catching 36 passes for 579 yards and 5 touchdowns. Expectations are higher this year, as Sports Illustrated named him a preseason first-team FCS All-American. Although Galbreath had a quiet opener with 2 receptions for 7 yards, expect him to make more of an impact and find the end zone at least once at Camp Randall.

Nick Gaes, DL

Gaes was honorable mention All-MVFC in 2023, recording 42 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6 sacks. Wisconsin’s offensive line will aim to dominate the Coyotes’ defensive front and rush for over 250 yards in this matchup. If Gaes and the rest of South Dakota’s front seven can hold up against the run, they may create opportunities to capitalize on Van Dyke’s inevitable mistakes in the passing game.

Trends to Watch

South Dakota is 1-11 against Power Five teams, with its only win coming against Minnesota in 2010. The Coyotes are 0-5 against Power Five teams under coach Bob Nielson but have played some close games recently, including a 17-14 loss to Kansas in 2021 and a 27-24 loss to Kansas State in 2018.

Wisconsin is 2-0 against South Dakota, with the last win a 59-10 victory in 2011, led by quarterback Russell Wilson, who threw for 345 yards and 3 touchdowns. This will be Wisconsin’s first time hosting a Missouri Valley Football Conference opponent since defeating Illinois State 38-0 in September 2022. The Badgers are 19-1 all-time against MVFC teams, with their only loss to South Dakota State in 1935.

Game Prediction

As teams like No. 24 North Carolina State (1-0) and Colorado (1-0) can attest, FCS schools now enter these games believing they can win. As one of the top FCS teams, South Dakota will be confident in their chances to leave Madison with a victory. However, last week’s shaky performance against Western Michigan served as a wake-up call for the Badgers, who are poised to win this game by pulling away in the second half for a 35-20 victory.