Northern Iowa @ Wisconsin preview

Another year, another transfer quarterback steps in for Wisconsin. Like Russell Wilson last season, Danny O’Brien will have the safety net of returning Heisman finalist Montee Ball, who will be looking to improve on his record-tying 39-touchdown performance. The No. 12 Badgers have their sights set on a third straight trip to the Rose Bowl and will not have to fight with the likes of Penn State and Ohio State, both of which will be serving postseason bans. The road to that starts Saturday with FCS foe Northern Iowa. The Panthers are the ninth-ranked team in the Football Championship Series and will be breaking in freshman quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network, BTN2Go.com. LINE: None

ABOUT NORTHERN IOWA (2011: 10-3, 7-1 MVC): The Panthers have been ranked in the FCS for 94 straight weeks and are capable of churning out some talented players. Northern Iowa has made the playoffs seven times in 12 seasons under coach Mark Farley. Kollmorgen will be the fifth freshman to start a season opener for the Panthers and will be able to hand the ball off to David Johnson, who rushed for 822 yards and nine touchdowns while also piling up 33 catches for 422 yards in 2011. Senior defensive back Garrett Scott returns to lead the defense. Scott made 105 tackles and pulled down four interceptions last season, including a pair of picks in a 20-19 loss to FBS school Iowa State in the 2011 opener.

ABOUT WISCONSIN (2011: 11-3, 6-2 Big Ten): Wilson guided one of the most prolific offenses in the country last season, putting up an average of 44.1 points. O’Brien, who joins the team after graduating from Maryland, will be working with a new offensive coordinator in Matt Canada. O’Brien will have most of the same weapons at his disposal as Ball is back and is healthy after sustaining a concussion in a fight over the summer. Ball has a stacked backfield behind him and leading receiver Jared Abbrederis returning on the outside. Despite that offensive depth, the Badgers return only nine seniors on the roster and 11 starters. The defense took the biggest hits, with only one full-time starter from last season coming back. Even so, the linebacking corps should be a strength.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Wisconsin owns the second-longest home winning streak in the nation at 16 games.

2. Northern Iowa is 65-3 under Farley when scoring more than 30 points, including a 42-39 victory over FBS Ball State in 2001.

3. The Badgers are 10-0 all-time against FCS opponents but have never faced the Panthers, who are familiar with FBS teams from tangling with in-state opponents Iowa and Iowa State. Northern Iowa is 20-64-5 all-time against FBS opponents.

PREDICTION: Wisconsin 45-10