Outside of the BCS National Championship Game, the Capital One Bowl is the most
intriguing bowl with an SEC participant. The South Carolina Gamecocks and Wisconsin
Badgers will square off in what should be an old-school type of football game.
Both teams love to win games with their strong rushing attacks and physical defenses.
The Gamecocks are looking to win their 11th game of the season for the third
consecutive year, while the Badgers are looking to notch their third double-digit win total
in four seasons.
Will the Old Ball Coach add another impressive line to his Hall of Fame resume, or will
Badgers head coach Gary Andersen prove he can win on the big stage?
Why Wisconsin can win this game
Despite having a new coach, the game plan is the same for the Badgers, and that is to
dominate their opponents on the ground. Few teams can run the ball like the Badgers.
The 1-2 punch of Melvin Gordon and James White is among the best in the nation. The
two stud running backs have combined for 2,803 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns.
The Badgers are No. 2 in the Big Ten in total defense
(294.0 yards per game) and have the No. 2 scoring
defense (14.8 points per game) as well. Had the Badgers
played in the SEC this season, they would have had a
top-five defense inside the conference.
To beat the Gamecocks, you have to stop the run, and
the Badgers rank No. 2 against the run (101.3 ypg). They
are not too shabby against the pass either, as they rank
No. 3 in the Big Ten (192.7 ypg).
Any team that can run the football successfully and play good defense has a good shot
to win any game.
Why South Carolina can win this game
The Badgers have an excellent running game, but the Gamecocks have an equally
impressive defense. The Gamecocks are No. 2 in the SEC against the run, only giving
up 142.2 yards per game. The only time teams ran the ball against South Carolina was
when the Gamecocks were loosened up by the passing game.
Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave is a decent quarterback and has thrown for 2,414
and 20 touchdowns. However, when called upon to throw the ball, he is turnover-prone.
In 12 games this season, he threw at least one pick in all but three games. Moreover, in