No. 6 Oregon hosts 2-5 Wisconsin Saturday in Autzen Stadium, 4 p.m. PT on Fox Sports 1. The Badgers and beleaguered coach Luke Fickell open as 34.5-point underdogs in what promises to be a raucous night game, the Ducks' Grateful Dead tribute game with special uniforms and fans in tie dye.
Wisconsin is winless in the Big Ten, 0-4. In their last two games they've been shut out by Ohio State 34-0 and Iowa 37-0. Starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., a transfer from Maryland, has been out with a knee injury since the season opener.
He suited up for a game against his old team on September 20 but reaggravated the knee. In his absence Danny O'Neil has taken over at quarterback (no relation to the Webfoot Rose Bowl record holder). A 6-0. 196-pound sophomore from Indianapolis, he's thrown for five touchdowns and five interceptions, 635 yards.
He's split time with senior Hunter Simmons but neither has been effective. UW ranks 17th in the Big Ten in passing at 162 yards per game going against the Big Ten's best passing defense: the Ducks have held opponents to a passer rating of 90.63, allowing only three touchdowns all season against eight interceptions and 13 sacks.
In the words of the immortal Woody Hayes, three things can happen when you pass, and only one is good. Trouble is, Wisconsin doesn't run the football any better, averaging a league-worst 3.1 yards per carry on the ground, 110 yards per game with just five rushing touchdowns all year, none since a 24-10 loss at Michigan three Saturdays ago.
It adds up to a game so one-sided and punchless on the UW side that the Moneyline is off, the over/under is 46.5. The Badgers have lost five straight games since a 42-10 home win over Middle Tennessee on September 6.
It's been unrelieved misery. Even though the offense hasn't scored in 11 quarters, athletic director Chris McIntosh met with players last week and assured them he's not planning to fire the 52-year-old head coach, who had a 57-18 record at Cincinnati before two full seasons with the Badgers, where he's gone 15-18.
"We're all in with this staff, and we're all in with Wisconsin," freshman linebacker Mason Posa said. "Our time is here. It came pretty fast, but we're destined to great, and our job is to win."
Oregon's job is to build on the momentum of their 56-10 win over Rutgers while preparing for a tough November. The Badgers gave the Ducks trouble last November at Camp Randall, leading 13-6 at the start of the fourth quarter before "Jump Around." The Ducks rallied for 10 points in the fourth quarter to reach 11-0 on their way to the Big Ten Championship.