Outback Bowl
Auburn (8-4) vs. Wisconsin (10-3)
Tampa, Fla.
Jan. 1, 2015
Forget the pass-happy football that has become so common these days, this contest between Auburn and Wisconsin will be a throwback to smashmouth football.
Both of these teams have some of the best running games in the country. Wisconsin, led by Doak Walker Award winner Melvin Gordon, finished the season with more than 2,000 yards and leads a Wisconsin offense that averaged 314 yards on the ground per game.
Similarly, Auburn averaged 258.5 yards per game behind quarterback Nick Marshall and running back Cameron Artis-Payne.
The other thing these two teams have in common? They both lost their final games heading into this contest, making this game an important jumping-off point for both teams, which both will be going through an offseason rebuilding of sorts.
Athletic director Barry Alvarez will coach the Badgers as they wait to bring newly-named coach Paul Chryst into the fold. Chryst was hired away from Pittsburgh after Gary Anderson unexpected quit his position and took the head coaching job at Oregon State.
Also Gordon, a Heisman finalist, will be playing in his final game with the Badgers and against an Auburn rushing defense that has struggled against the best backs it’s faced.
Gordon did not have a strong showing in the Big Ten title game against Ohio State and will be eager to finish his collegiate career on a high note.
Auburn’s motivation in this game is to simply right the ship. The Tigers were one of the nation’s top four teams during the first two weeks of the College Football Playoff rankings, but lost three of their final four games to limp to the finish line.
Auburn struggled on defense down the stretch and forced its offense to get into track meets with their opponents, which isn’t easy as a run-first program. But the defense, which allowed at least 34 points to each of its final five SEC opponents, couldn’t get crucial stops at the end of games to secure victories.
Both of these teams will be starting anew in some ways when this game ends. Wisconsin will have to find another star running back (likely Corey Clement) and figure out its quarterbacking situation, which has been atrocious all season. Auburn will need to retool its defense behind new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.
This game might not be pretty, but there will probably be a healthy dose of running and a healthy dose of scoring.
ODDS: Auburn (-7)
FUN FACT Wisconsin has had a running back with at least 1,000 yards every year since 2008, but Melvin Gordon, who has 2,336 yards, is the only 2,000-yard rusher during that span and only the 18th running back to ever surpass 2,000 yards.
PREDICTIONS
Graham: I have no reason to think this will be one of the better games of the bowl season, but it will be nice to watch Gordon run one final time before he heads to the NFL. However, I don't like the Badgers in this game. Even with the struggles on defense, I like the Tigers offensive diversity. Auburn 31, Wisconsin 28.
Nick: Can Auburn stop Melvin Gordon? No. Can Wisconsin stop Auburn's rushing attack? No. This is going to be a fun matchup of contrasting running attacks. The Tigers take it. Auburn 30, Wisconsin 24.
Sam: Wisconsin really needs to own the time of possession with a heavy dose of Melvin Gordon to limit Auburn's possessions in this one. Even if that happens, the Tigers won't have a lot of trouble moving the ball on the Badgers' D. I like Auburn in a tight one. Auburn 27, Wisconsin 24.
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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at dr.saturday@ymail.com or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday
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