WHO: No. 6 Wisconsin (12-1) vs. No. 10 Miami (10-2)
WHAT: The 84th Capital One Orange Bowl
WHEN: 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN
WHERE: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL
THE SKINNY: A matchup of the runners-up in the ACC and Big Ten championship games will offer a bit of a contrast of styles. Miami’s flashy persona complete with a turnover chain will be relishing in playing what amounts to a home bowl game in Hard Rock Stadium. Wisconsin will look to lull the Miami Hurricanes and fans to sleep with a physical running game and stingy defense.
Miami is undefeated in the recently renovated Hard Rock Stadium and has seen the building electrified this season in big moments like a blowout win over Notre Dame and a big win against Virginia Tech. But the Hurricanes have limped across the finish line of the regular season with a road loss against Pittsburgh and a sound defeat at the hands of Clemson in the ACC title game. Can Mark Richt get Braxton Berrios and the Hurricanes to bounce back and make some big plays against the Badgers?
Paul Chryst’s Wisconsin program has carried on a fine tradition of strong running games. This year it has been freshman running back Jonathan Taylor who has led the Big Ten in rushing behind a strong offensive line up front. But Wisconsin’s running game was a non-factor in the Big Ten championship game against Ohio State, suggesting Wisconsin can be stopped if the defense is up to the task. Miami’s defense may not be as talented and loaded as Ohio State’s, but the Hurricanes are better off on defense than the majority of Wisconsin’s opponents this season.
History is also on Miami’s side in the Orange Bowl. The ACC has won five consecutive Orange Bowl games, including College Football Playoff games, since West Virginia blasted Clemson in the 2012 Orange Bowl. Can Miami keep that streak going for the conference? The Big Ten last had an Orange Bowl winner in 2010 when Iowa topped Georgia Tech. Wisconsin has never played in the Orange Bowl, while Miami is 6-3 all-time in the game dating back to the first Orange Bowl in 1935.
If Wisconsin is going to leave Miami with a win, it will come on the strength of the running game.
THE PICK: Wisconsin 26, Miami 23