The Scarlet Knights return home after their first loss of the season in Lincoln against Nebraska.

Can Rutgers get back in the win column against Wisconsin?

Check out our staff here at OTB’s take on Saturday afternoon’s action below.

Greg Patuto: They hope Wisconsin doesn’t wake up this season after losing to Purdue last season. The Badgers had Braedyn Locke rushing for 389 yards and three scores. Tyler Van Dyke and Chez Mellusi are done and there are some injuries on the outside. The matchup is good for Rutgers. Wisconsin has struggled to stop the run against its toughest opponents, while that is clearly the game plan for Rutgers every week. Well, apparently not last week after the first quarter.

Other than that, Rutgers has never beaten Wisconsin. It is. a slight favorite on his home course. The site says Rutgers would be a dog if this game was played in Madison, but that’s not the case. The prediction was that Rutgers would get a decisive win against Washington. Is the team ready for another one? Wisconsin 24, Rutgers 18.

Gregg Podolski: When the schedule first came out, I was looking at an 8-4 season, with 9-3 being more than doable. The first of those four losses came against Wisconsin, a tough team that we never competed well against. I also expected us to finish in the rankings with back-to-back conference wins and thought maybe the kids would start reading too much of their own press. That, as they say, is why you play the games on the field and not on paper. We give Nebraska a win that was within reach and return to Piscataway to face a Wisconsin team that is struggling to regroup after losing both its starting QB and RB. Their offensive and defensive lines will still be a problem – much like Iowa and Nebraska, they’re growing big in the flyover states – but with Rutgers looking to cut down a few trees after last week’s (predictable) disappointment, I like our chances. I’m also taking my dad and son to our first live game of the season and I paid extra for a win. Rutgers 17, Wisconsin 14.

Arjun Jaswal: With the Knights playing at home against a struggling Wisconsin team, they should have extra motivation to finally defeat the Badgers for the first time in program history. Despite leaving Lincoln empty-handed, Joe Harasymiak’s defense completely stifled the red-hot Dylan Raiola, holding the freshman phenom to a season-low QBR of 11.2 (his previous low was 61.2). I expect the same thing to happen this week, especially with Wisconsin’s skill position players suffering just as they are now. Kaliakmanis had an uncharacteristically bad day last week, but this week I see him coming back in front of the home crowd and making plays when it matters most, returning to the same early-season form we saw against Virginia Tech and Washington . While the Badgers haven’t allowed a ball carrier to reach triple figures this season, they haven’t yet faced a backfield duo as talented as Monangai and Brown, and I believe they’ll be looking at one on Saturday afternoon in Piscataway hope for a convincing victory for Rutgers. Rutgers 23, Wisconsin 10.

Andrew Rice: Rutgers should come into this game with a new focus due to last week’s disappointment. Rutgers had several opportunities to win last week but couldn’t convert them. Expect them to attack with a new kind of energy this week. Wisconsin will be without its starting quarterback and running back. The lineman duel will continue to be an issue for Rutgers, but they should still have enough talent at the position to pull out a win. Rutgers 20, Wisconsin 13.

Previously: During my season preview, I referred to this game as a “page-turning game.” Rutgers has never beaten Wisconsin. The last five games have all been pretty one-sided, and that showed on the pitch. This year has the potential to be very different, and Rutgers can “turn the page” and start a new chapter. Wisconsin has many of the same types of players as usual (explosive RBs, excellent offensive line play, strong defense), but the difference lies in their scheme and culture. Offensive coordinator Phil Longa brings a wide, fast-paced offense that is all shotgun offense – something we are not used to in Madison. Luke Fickell was expected to hit a home run higher last season, but things didn’t go as expected. Chez Mellusi, the Badgers’ former starting RB, has decided to retire from football. With transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke out for the season, it seems like things will be a bit difficult in Madison.

Wisconsin absolutely dominated Purdue last week, which is exactly what a team going through some turmoil needs. However, I don’t think a trip to Piscataway in early October is the best way to keep the momentum going. I would say both teams have similar talent, especially given the injuries Wisconsin is currently dealing with in the WR room. Will Pauling, Bryson Green and Tyrell Henry all suffered lower-body injuries against Purdue (their status is unclear). Luckily for them, Trech Kekahuna answered the call of duty and had a field day against the Boilermakers. Rutgers is also banged up, but I expect the team to be healthier for Saturday’s game. Rutgers has the ability to control the pace of this game. A solid defensive performance should slow down the Badgers’ offense, which doesn’t work well when playing behind the sticks. Feed Monangai and Brown, put Athan in a position to make easy passes, and with better performance from the perimeter, Rutgers should end up with the win. We’re not expecting any big fireworks here, but we should just worry about securing the B1G W1N! Rutgers 17, Wisconsin 10.

Ed Rosero: Time to wipe away the blood and tears and get back to work. Wisconsin (3-2) comes to Piscataway to face Rutgers (4-1) in another conference match. This will be a comeback game after last week’s terrible offensive performance. I don’t care what the line says: This will be a dominant performance at home. I expect the Scarlet Knights defense to impose its will on the Badgers and set the tone for the offense and special teams. I predict at least two turnovers for Kaliakmanis and the restoration of our running game with multiple trips to the end zone. Rutgers easily wins this game. Rutgers 34, Wisconsin 14.

Francis Hearne: It’s a crucial game for both teams. Rutgers returns home after its first loss of the season and will look to bounce back. Wisconsin is 3-2 after a blowout loss to Alabama, a blown lead against USC and a blowout win over Purdue. The talent level seems pretty even on paper. In this game, it’s all about the trenches and turnovers. Wisconsin has struggled to stop the run at times, but its best defenders are at the back. Look for Kirk Ciarrocca to have a surge that calls for plays. Set up the run early and don’t cancel it like you did last week.

Wisconsin turned the ball over a few times against Purdue, but the Boilermakers couldn’t capitalize. The Dark Side defense was opportunistic and will have an opportunity to take advantage of this one. The offense has to convert turnovers into points. Rutgers hasn’t lost a game this season when Kaliakmanis protected the ball. Last week he threw two drives-killing picks. The ball is the program and holding on to it should lead to victory. Rutgers 26, Wisconsin 18.

Artificial stone: Maybe I drank the Kool-Aid, but I saw a number of positives from last week’s loss in Lincoln. While I trust Kaliakmanis to make the necessary throws, we are at our best when we run the ball, eat up time and keep the opposing offense on the sideline. The hardest thing for a team and a program to do is overcome the final hurdle from an average team to a winning/championship program. Having never beaten Wisconsin, this is one of those moments. Rutgers 24, Wisconsin 16.