The Wisconsin Badgers are just days away from arguably the toughest game on the schedule this season against the #2 Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington.
Indiana is a perfect 10-0 this season despite a few close games against teams like Iowa, Oregon, and Penn State. The Hoosiers have not had the most difficult schedule the past two seasons but have steamrolled opponents with ease. The score can get out of hand quick when the Hoosiers’ offense is fully rolling, but a few key injuries appear to be taking some of the bite out of the team.
Indiana Hoosiers Could Play Without Top Receiver Elijah Sarratt Against Wisconsin Badgers
The Indiana Hoosiers are set to host Wisconsin this weekend on the heels of an upset ranked victory for the Badgers. The Washington Huskies are no joke and have proven themselves to be a talented football team this season, adding to the value of the win.
Indiana, on the other hand, played a very close game last week against Penn State that came down to a ten play, 80-yard touchdown drive by the Hoosiers late in the fourth-quarter. Despite a perfect 10-0 record, the Hoosiers have allowed a few teams to come within striking distance of a win. A growing list of injuries could now be what potentially derails a perfect season for the powerhouse that is Indiana.
Top Receiver Elijah Sarratt is still not confirmed to be eligible to play against the Wisconsin Badgers this weekend after missing the Penn State contest. The receiver missed most of the game against UCLA due to an injury and then the entirety of the games against Maryland and Penn State. Sarratt, former James Madison standout, has 609 yards and ten touchdowns for the Hoosiers this season.
Despite the fact that Sarratt may miss another game, the Hoosiers have another talented receiver in Omar Cooper Jr. who is more than capable of carrying the weight. Cooper has 15 receptions, 120 yards, and two touchdowns in the last three games for Indiana since Sarratt went down. The Badgers will need to pay close attention to Cooper who averages 13.5 yards per reception this season.
Hoosiers’ Offensive Line Concerns Continue Heading Into Wisconsin Badgers’ Contest
The Hoosiers currently have multiple injuries along the offensive line that includes starting left guard Drew Evans.
Evans, a former Wisconsin Badgers’ offensive lineman, spent the 2022 with the program before transferring to Indiana prior to the 2023 season. The left guard started nine games for the Hoosiers last season before suffering a season-ending injury. When the guard was healthy, the Hoosiers scored multiple rushing touchdowns during each game.
The Hoosiers were forced to start redshirt freshman Adedamola Ajani after the replacement for Evans, Zen Michalski, went down with an injury in practice. Starting right tackle Kahlil Benson had to be helped off of the field against Penn State and his status is unknown for the game against Wisconsin.
Ajani recorded a pass blocking grade of 23.4 against the Nittany Lions along with five pressures. Michalski is still banged up and did not practice at all last week while Evans is confirmed to be out at least “a few weeks” according to Coach Curt Cignetti.
For the Badgers, a weakened Hoosiers’ offensive line will certainly take the field this weekend which should help the defense pressure the offense even more. Wisconsin has taken a major step forward in the last two weeks on defense against impressive offensive teams in Oregon and Washington.
The Badgers’ defense held the Huskies to just ten points which is the third-lowest score Washington has recorded this season. The worst offensive game Indiana had this season came against Iowa and the offense still managed to score 20 points.
With holes along the line and the Badgers’ defense playing great football, Indiana could have some trouble moving the ball as efficiently as normal.
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