Who has the edge when the Badgers play Wake Forest in the Duke's Mayo Bowl?

The UW offense found a few answers against Minnesota after struggling to move the ball and score for about a month. However, the 20-point effort against the Gophers may not be enough against Wake Forest, whose offense scores 37 points per game.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Graham Mertz (above) took a hit to the head late in the third quarter against Minnesota, putting his status for the bowl game in question, but he’s listed as the team’s starter on the depth chart. If Mertz can’t play, redshirt sophomore Chase Wolf would start; senior Jack Coan announced he was transferring from UW and won’t be available. Mertz struggled with accuracy and timing on routes down the field in UW’s three consecutive losses heading into the Minnesota game, but he connected on two deep passes to move the Badgers inside the Gophers’ 10 before being injured.

Wake Forest’s offense has been a fast-paced, high-scoring unit under coach Dave Clawson and offensive coordinator Warren Ruggiero.

Despite having three games canceled this season, the Demon Deacons’ offense ranked third in the ACC in scoring (37 points per game) and sixth in the conference in total offense (435.3). Christian Beal-Smith and Kenneth Walker III were a steady 1-2 punch in the backfield this season, but Walker III opted out late in the year. Beal-Smith leads the team with 650 yards and averages 5.4 yards per carry, but Walker III found the end zone more often. He had 13 touchdowns to Beal-Smith’s four. Each of them had three 100-yard games this season and Walker III had three games in which he scored three rushing touchdowns.

The Badgers haven’t made any costly errors in the return game but haven’t gotten much from their punt or kick return units this season. 

Dean Engram has taken over punt-return duties with Dunn’s expanded role in the offense and he’s handled each kick his way.

UW coach Paul Chryst has been stellar in bowl games as a head coach at UW, posting a 4-1 record at UW. Chryst is 3-2 in regular-season games coming off a bye week, which is more akin to the situation the Badgers find themselves in with a truncated bowl prep.

Both of those losses off byes were to ranked teams. Defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will need to devise schemes to get pressure without leaving UW’s secondary too exposed.

Wake Forest hasn’t played since Dec. 12 and hasn’t won a game since Oct. 31 due to COVID-19 cancellations. That could mean the Demon Deacons are rested and ready for a game, or it could mean they’ll have some rust to shake in the early portion of the game.

Wake Forest won’t get an advantage of playing close to home — Bank of America Stadium is less than 90 minutes from its campus in Winston-Salem — because only a limited number of players’ family members and bowl officials will be in attendance.

UW’s offense should be able to get a least one of its key playmakers back, which will help it control the clock and keep Wake Forest’s offense off the field. The Badgers’ defense has avoided major injuries or losses to COVID-19, especially in the front seven, and they’ll win the line-of-scrimmage battle in this one.

Badgers 24, Wake Forest 14