Wisconsin football opens their 2024 season tomorrow night against Western Michigan. It’s been an offseason full of transfer portal additions. As a result, this should be a a different team in some capacity than it was in 2023. 12 games is a long season on college football, but it also means there is isn’t much margin for error if you want to make the College Football Playoff. Here is what Wisconsin football needs to do in order to start the year 1-0 tomorrow night.
Wisconsin Football Needs to Establish the Running Game and Line of Scrimmage
I expect a similar offensive game tomorrow like what Phil Longo and Luke Fickell did in the season opener against Buffalo last year. With new starting quarterback Tanner Mordecai, they let the offensive line and running game take the game over and slowly added in parts of the passing game. It wasn’t too much for the first game.
Tyler Van Dyke is an established college football quarterback. I don’t expect much rust from him. However, I think the Wisconsin football offensive will let their experienced offensive line win the line of scrimmage and let their experienced running back duo in Chez Mellusi and Tawee Walker control the game. If they are able to do this, it will open up the passing game, allow for easier completions, and a better flow.
Keep it Simple
There is two non-conference games until Alabama comes to Madison on September 14. By that time, Wisconsin football needs to be sharp in all three parts of the game. Until then, they have games against Western Michigan and South Dakota to tune up their game.
I don’t expect this to be all that close of a game tomorrow night. Wisconsin doesn’t need to flash their entire playbook or gain any sport of style points. As long as they do the little things on both sides of the ball, they will have no issue with the Broncos.
Lean on the Players From Last Year’s Roster
There is a lot of new players on this Wisconsin football roster who were not on the team last year. In particular, the front seven is going to have a lot of new faces. It could take a little bit of time for them to get settled in a new crowd and new stadium.
Tomorrow is a game you expect players who have been in this system last year and in this program for multiple years to set the tempo. I think of players like Chez Mellusi, Hunter Wohler, Jake Chaney, and the staring offensive line as ones to set that early temp. If there is a play to made early in the game, these are they players I expect to make it happen and slowly get the new faces more comfortable as the game goes on.
Follow me on Twitter @DylanBuboltz and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here! Also, check out our merch store for some amazing WSH merchandise!
