Badgers brace for Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux

Though Jonathan Taylor is unquestionably the most important piece to the Badgers’ offense, getting Quintez Cephus, a junior wide receiver, involved early and often is crucial for UW’s success.

If quarterback Jack Coan can get Cephus (above) going, it opens things up for the rest of the offense, including Taylor. That’s the formula that worked for a little over a half against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game, when Cephus was targeted 14 times, made seven catches and gained 122 yards.

The passing game of the Ducks gets a lot of the publicity, but make no mistake, Oregon is a balanced team. When at its best, the running game adds an explosive element that helps Oregon keep the throttle down on opponents.

While the Ducks’ depth chart lists four running backs as potential starters, sophomore CJ Verdell (above) is the front man in the backfield. Verdell, who hails from Chula Vista, Calif., has scored eight touchdowns and has a team-best 1,171 yards on 180 carries this season.

Arguably the biggest factor in the Badgers’ 4-0 run in November that got them into the Big Ten title game was the variety of looks the offense gave opponents.

Coach Paul Chryst and offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph have made jet motion and jet sweep runs a staple, using them on over 20 percent of snaps in the past four games. That allows chances to get dynamic receivers the ball with space to run, as well as forces defenses to play honest on the edge instead of loading up the middle against tailback Jonathan Taylor. They’ve also used a wildcat package with receiver Aron Cruickshank at quarterback to create explosive plays, and a similar look with running back Garrett Groshek (above) at QB in short-yardage situations.