Fansided

College football 2019: Biggest trap game facing every Top 25 team

By Cody Williams

CLEMSON, SC - NOVEMBER 24: Tee Higgins #5 of the Clemson Tigers gets away from R.J. Roderick #10 of the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC - NOVEMBER 24: Tee Higgins #5 of the Clemson Tigers gets away from R.J. Roderick #10 of the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Clemson Memorial Stadium on November 24, 2018 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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BRONX, NY – DECEMBER 27: Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor (23) during the 2018 New Era Pinstripe Bowl between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Miami Hurricanes on December 27, 2018 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BRONX, NY – DECEMBER 27: Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor (23) during the 2018 New Era Pinstripe Bowl between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Miami Hurricanes on December 27, 2018 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

20. Wisconsin Badgers

Biggest Trap Game: at Illinois (Oct. 19)

Entering last season, the assumed path of the Wisconsin Badgers was running away with the Big Ten West and potentially competing for the conference championship with the heavy-hitters out of the East. Injuries and poor quarterback play, however, sunk those chances and Paul Chryst’s team didn’t even make it to the conference championship game.

One year later and there are similar expectations for the Badgers and for many of the same reasons. Running back Jonathan Taylor enters the year off of back-to-back monstrously productive campaigns and should continue his dominance in that regard. Even with stars departing from the offensive line, the O-line factor in Madison keeps on churning and should continue to grade the road ahead of Taylor.

While the defense still has shortcomings, the big hope for 2019 with Wisconsin is that the quarterback play will take a big step forward. Alex Hornibrook is gone now after three seasons as the starter and the Badgers will now look to either Jack Coan, who played in five games last season, or true freshman Graham Mertz. Whoever wins that battle, they have the talent to be far more consistent and effective than Hornibrook.

No one is expecting much from the Illinois Fighting Illini this season but their placement on the Badgers’ schedule makes them a tough matchup. In an eight-week stretch that features their toughest Big Ten opponents, a road trip to play Illinois sandwiched between a home game against Michigan State and another road game against Ohio State could be dangerous if Chryst’s team isn’t ready to play.