The visiting Maryland Terps should provide the most accurate assessment yet for the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday in the Big Ten Conference opener for each team.
In its first real test, Wisconsin (2-1) was hammered 38-14 in a mistake-plagued loss Saturday at No. 14 Alabama after opening with home victories over Miami (Ohio) and Middle Tennessee State.
It’s fair to suggest Maryland (3-0) gets its first real test this week. The Terps, playing on the road for the first time, are coming off wins over Towson, Florida Atlantic and Northern Illinois by a combined 103-33 score.
“This will be a great barometer for what kind of team we have and what type of team we can be,” Maryland coach Mike Locksley said Tuesday.
Wisconsin held Alabama to just 72 yards rushing on 22 attempts, but Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson shredded the secondary for 382 yards and four touchdowns.
The main question for the Badgers is the status of starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., out since suffering a sprained knee in the season opener. Edwards passed for 2,281 yards with 15 touchdowns last season at Maryland before transferring.
“Billy is just going to be day-to-day,” Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said. “At some point we’re going to have to save Billy from Billy, but we’ve also got to make some decisions and move along during the week. Right now, we wouldn’t know.”
Reserve quarterback Danny O’Neil completed 11 of 17 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions versus Alabama. Wisconsin ran for just 92 yards on 34 attempts, an anemic 2.7 per carry.
The Badgers rank fifth in the nation in rushing defense at 46.3 yards per game, but they give up 224.3 yards per game through the air. The Badgers average 332.7 yards of total offense. Winless UCLA, which fired its coach this week, is the only Big Ten team that averages fewer.
When Edwards transferred to Wisconsin, that cleared the way for freshman Malik Washington to earn Maryland’s job. Washington completed 16 of 22 passes for 261 yards with one touchdown and one interception against Towson. He has completed 62 percent of his throws through three games for 773 yards, six scores and one pick.
La’khi Roland had a 100-yard interception return that put the Terps up 41-0 early in the third quarter against the overmatched Tigers.
The Terps average 382.7 yards per game while allowing 302. Maryland is 11-of-14 in red zone conversions, which includes five touchdowns.
Wisconsin has won all four meetings with Maryland, including a 23-10 win three years ago in Madison.
