3 things to watch for in Wisconsin's opener against Western Michigan

It's officially game week for Badgers football!

Jan 2, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Western Michigan Broncos and Wisconsin Badgers mascots play around during the game in the 2017 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Wisconsin Badgers officially play football this week and they're heavily favored by more than three touchdowns to take down Western Michigan. It will be an opportunity for the coaching staff to learn a lot about the team before hosting Alabama in three weeks.

1. Defensive line depth

The biggest difference between power conference teams like Wisconsin and group of five teams like Western Michigan tends to be the talent difference in the trenches. The Badgers' offensive line has a chance to be one of the best units in the country, but their defensive line took a major hit last week when veteran James Thompson Jr. was ruled out indefinitely.

Opponents like Western Michigan and South Dakota to open the season will give Wisconsin a chance to experiment with players at the position that weren't expected to have big roles. Transfers Brandon Lane and Elijah Hills will be two of the biggest questions, while veterans Curt Neal and Ben Barten will need to lead the group. Ultimately, Friday night should allow them to have a better idea of what they truly have on the D-line.

2. Trust in Tyler Van Dyke

Most coaching staffs spend the offseason hyping up players on their roster, as they don't want to tip their hand to future opponents. Week 1 will be the first time that the public will truly see how much trust Luke Fickell and offensive coordinator Phil Longo have in Miami (FL) transfer quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.

Last season Wisconsin passed the ball 52.1% of the time, which ranked 37th in college football. Play-calling might be conservative against an opponent like Western Michigan, but the number of times Longo opts to air things out will tell us a lot about the trust he has in his new QB.

3. WR pecking order

In the same vein of how much trust the coaching staff has in Van Dyke, Friday night could tell us a lot about how much trust Wisconsin's new QB has in his wide receivers. Last season, slot receiver Will Pauling was the clear No. 1 option, leading the team in targets, yards and touchdowns. He returns alongside veteran Bryson Green and breakout candidate C.J. Williams. Boston College transfer Joseph Griffin Jr. was the team's only addition to the position from the transfer portal.

All signs point to Pauling being the top option again, but a new arm under center could lead to a different approach when it comes to spreading the ball around. Pauling dominated the target share last season, but Van Dyke has been known to use all of his options.