Game Week: at Wisconsin

NEBRASKA at WISCONSIN
Nov. 18, 2023 | CAMP RANDALL STADIUM
MADISON, WIS. | 6:30 PM CT

 

HUSKERS
Record: 5-5, 3-4 Big Ten
Last Game: vs. Maryland, L, 13-10
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: Matt Rhule
Career/NU Record: 52-48 (8th Year)/5-5 (1st Year)
vs. Wisconsin: 0-0

 

BADGERS
Record: 5-5, 3-4 Big Ten
Last Game: vs. Northwestern, L, 24-10
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: Luke Fickell
Career/WIS Record: 69-30 (8th Year)/6-5 (1st Year)
vs. Nebraska: 0-1

 

SERIES HISTORY
All-Time Series: Wisconsin leads, 12-4
At Madison: Wisconsin leads, 6-1
Last Game: Wisconsin 15-14 (2022)
Win Streak: Wisconsin, 9 games

 

BROADCAST INFO
TV – NBC (Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, Kathryn Tappen)
RADIO NETWORK - Huskers Radio Network
INTERNET RADIO - Huskers.com
APP AUDIO - Official Huskers App

 

The Matchup
Nebraska completes its 2023 road schedule on Saturday night when the Huskers travel to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers. The matchup between Big Ten West foes is set for 6:30 p.m. at UW's Camp Randall Stadium. NBC will provide the television coverage and the game can be heard on the Huskers Radio Network, the official Huskers App and Huskers.com.

 

Both teams are looking to clinch a postseason berth as Nebraska and Wisconsin battle for the Freedom Trophy that was established in 2014. The teams enter the contest with matching 5-5 overall records, including 3-4 marks in Big Ten Conference play, and are in search of a sixth win to clinch bowl eligibility.

 

Nebraska is coming off a heart-breaking 13-10 loss to Maryland on Saturday at Memorial Stadium, as the Terrapins kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired. The game was a defensive and field position struggle, with the two defenses combining for eight takeaways in the contest.

 

The Husker defense was strong once again, holding the high-powered Maryland offense scoreless in

the first quarter and limiting the Terrapins to just one touchdown. Offensively, Nebraska played three quarterbacks in the game and produced 183 rushing yards, but could not overcome five turnovers.

 

Wisconsin heads into the matchup coming off a 24-10 loss to Northwestern on Saturday in Madison. The setback was the third straight for the Badgers after opening the season with a 5-2 record under first-year Head Coach Luke Fickell. Wisconsin has a balanced offensive attack, gaining 154.3 yards per game on the ground while throwing for 217.8 yards per contest. The Badgers' defense is once again strong, allowing just 333.1 yards and 19.6 points per contest.

 

Series History: Nebraska vs. Wisconsin
Nebraska and Wisconsin will meet for the 17th time on Saturday and the eighth time at Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin holds a 12-4 edge in the series and has won nine straight games.

 

• Nebraska and Wisconsin have played 11 games since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011, including the Huskers' first-ever Big Ten game at Wisconsin on Oct. 1, 2011.

 

• The schools met twice in 2012, including the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis. Nebraska and Wisconsin did not play in 2013 when they were in opposite divisions, and the 2020 game was canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

• Saturday's game will mark the fourth time in 17 meetings that neither team has been ranked. NU has been ranked in nine of 16 games and the Badgers have been ranked in seven of the contests.

 

• NU played Wisconsin five times prior to joining the Big Ten, including four times between 1965 and 1974.

 

Gifford Leading Nebraska Secondary

Safety Isaac Gifford has established himself as a difference maker in the Nebraska secondary in 2023, leading the team with 67 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss. The Lincoln native is among the Big Ten leaders in pass breakups (7th) and passes defended per game (10th).

 

• Gifford has been at his best in recent weeks. He had a five-game stretch with at least seven tackles, including a season-high 10 tackles against Purdue. It marked the second double-figure tackle effort of his career. Gifford has seven games this season with at least seven tackles, most recently a seven-tackle effort against Maryland.

 

• Gifford has a team-high seven pass breakups and 0.8 passes defended per game. He had a career-high three PBU in a 20-7 win at Illinois.

 

• Gifford's 6.5 tackles for loss rank first among Big Ten defensive backs.

 

• Gifford was among the top Blackshirts in 2022, recording 70 tackles, including 43 solo stops a year ago.

 

Hutmacher a Bear for Husker Opponents

Junior nose tackle Nash Hutmacher has emerged as one of the Big Ten's most dominant defensive linemen during the 2023 season. The "Polar Bear" has recorded 33 tackles, including four sacks and a team-high 7.5 tackles for loss. Hutmacher's 7.5 tackles for loss are second among Big Ten interior defensive linemen.

 

• Hutmacher produced perhaps the most dominant game of his career against Northwestern. The South Dakota native had a career-high seven tackles, including 2.5 sacks.

 

• Hutmacher's sacks against Northwestern made a huge impact for a defense that recorded eight sacks, 13 TFL and limited the Wildcats to 81 rushing yards.

 

• Overall, Hutmacher had a hand in four sacks in the Northwestern game. The first came on the Wildcats' opening drive, forcing Northwestern out of field goal range. The second came after the Wildcats took possession on the Nebraska 13 and forced Northwestern to settle for a field goal. His final sack of the game came after the Wildcats reached the Nebraska 5 in the fourth quarter and once again forced a field goal to keep Nebraska's lead at eight points.

 

• Hutmacher had four tackles against Maryland, and was part of two TFL, including a fourth-down stop to end a second-half Maryland scoring threat.

 

T-Rob a Monster for Husker Defense
Defensive lineman Ty Robinson has been a leader of the Nebraska defense for the past three seasons and has shown his dominance in 2023.

 

• The Arizona native has 25 tackles this season, including three tackles for loss and a sack, helping Nebraska rank in the top five nationally in rushing defense.

 

• Robinson was dominant against Maryland, registering a career-high seven tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. He also had two pass breakups and a fumble recovery against the Terrapins.

 

• Robinson had a pair of quarterback hurries against Maryland and has a team-high nine pressures on the season.

 

• Robinson has played in 45 career games as a Husker, including 32 career starts for the Blackshirts.

 

This Week's Numbers
5 - Nebraska has held the opposition without a rushing touchdown for five straight games, its longest stretch of not allowing a rushing touchdown since 1996.

20 - Nebraska has limited five consecutive opponents to 20 or fewer points in Big Ten play. The last time Nebraska held five straight opponents to 20 points or less was the final eight games of the 2009 season.

40 - Nebraska right tackle Bryce Benhart is expected to make his 40th career start on Saturday night, all at right tackle. Benhart would be just the third Nebraska offensive lineman to start 40 games in a career, joining Jeremiah Sirles (41) and Brenden Jaimes (40).