No. 19 Wisconsin aiming to avoid letdown versus Texas Rio Grande Valley
Badgers seek redemption after scratching past UW-Green Bay
No. 19 Wisconsin (1-0) narrowly escaped a season-opening scare against an unranked Football Championship Series (FCS) opponent on Saturday, edging out UW-Green Bay 31-28. The Badgers' struggles prompted head coach Paul Chryst to call his team's performance "ugly." Wisconsin now faces a Texas Rio Grande Valley (TRGV) squad that fell short against FCS opponent Prairie View A&M (28-21) in week one.
Avoiding a letdown
Wisconsin is wary of underestimating the Vaqueros, who held a lead over Prairie View A&M for much of their season opener. The Badgers are eager to avoid a repeat of last season's letdown, where they were upset by FCS opponent Central Michigan at home. Chryst has emphasized the importance of starting strong in week two, stating, "We have to get better. We can't afford another slow start."
Balancing play calling
Wisconsin's offensive struggles in week one were largely attributed to a conservative play-calling approach. The Badgers ran the ball on over 70% of their plays, a strategy that allowed Green Bay to stack the box and contain running back Braelon Allen. Chryst has indicated that he may consider a more balanced approach against TRGV to keep their defense honest.
Injury concerns
Wisconsin will be monitoring the health of several key players heading into week two. Quarterback Graham Mertz suffered a minor knee injury against Green Bay, but is expected to start against TRGV. Wide receiver Chimere Dike exited the season opener with an undisclosed injury and his status for this week's game is uncertain.
Scouting Texas Rio Grande Valley
TRGV will pose a different challenge for Wisconsin compared to Green Bay. The Vaqueros operate a pass-heavy spread offense that could test the Badgers' pass defense. TRGV relies on quarterback Sergio Salinas III, who threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns against Prairie View A&M. The Vaqueros also boast a solid receiving corps led by wide receiver Joshua Cephus and tight end Nick Quintanilla.
Prediction
Wisconsin is heavily favored to defeat TRGV, but the Badgers need to show improvement from their week one performance to avoid an upset. TRGV's pass-heavy offense has the potential to challenge Wisconsin's defense, but the Badgers' experience and depth should ultimately prevail. Wisconsin should win comfortably if they can establish a more balanced offensive attack and avoid turnovers.
