Quarterback comparisons are inevitable, and in this case, they will be telling.
In a game of two run-first teams with stingy defenses, the quarterback who responds to big-game pressure will make all the difference.
Neither team relies fully on its very capable passer on most Saturdays.
Wisconsin features a massive and technically sound offensive line, the best the Ducks have seen this year, paving the way for a premier running back in Jonathan Taylor, the best in the country with over 6000 career yards and 40 career rushing touchdowns.
But it's the steady and efficient Coan who operates the Badger attack, a 71% passer this season with 2539 yards, 17 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
The UW junior was a 3-star prospect from Sayville, New York, a former lacrosse player with sneaky athleticism.
In the Big Ten Championship Game he stung the Buckeyes with a keep on a Zone Read play, weaving through the defense like a lacrosse attackman for a 14-yard touchdown that got the Badgers out in front early 7-0.
He added a one-yard TD on a Quarterback Draw play to build a 21-7 halftime lead before tOSU surged in the second half.
A week earlier, in a pivotal showdown against division rival and eighth-ranked, 10-1 Minnesota Coan threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns on 15-22 passing.
He rarely makes mistakes or puts the ball in jeopardy, making full use of the luxury of operating behind a stellar and cohesive offensive line led by Consensus All-American center Tyler Biadasz.
Coan was sacked just 19 times all season, and threw more than 30 passes just three times.
Ohio State did the best job of throttling him. Against a top-rated Buckeye secondary, forced to throw often in the second half as the lead evaporated, he managed only 17-34 passing for 202 yards, no touchdowns. Leading receiver Quintez Cephus did get loose for 7 catches and 122 of those yards.
If there's a weakness in Coan's game, that's it. He looks to Cephus first and second. The Badgers rely on the 6-1, 207 wideout for the bulk of their production in the pass game: no other target has more than 274 yards or 28 receptions, while Cephus gathered in 52 balls for 842 yards and 6 TDs.
If cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Thomas Graham can keep #87 covered, Coan may have to eat the ball 3-4 times, a big potential edge for the Ducks. Taylor is dangerous as an outlet, though, a dimension he added to his game in 2019,
Like Herbert, Coan is smart and resourceful, He's a banking and finance major who won the job over 4-star freshman Graham Mertz.
As a sophomore he took over late in the year after a season-ending injury to starter Alex Hornibrook. He went 2-3 in a 5-game trial, tossing 93 passes for 515 yards, 60% completions, 5 touchdowns and 3 picks.
In his first full season as a full-time starter he's become far more than the typical Wisconsin Game Manager behind center, jumping his completion percentage a full 10 points, able to take over a game when necessary.
He's become a fiery leader who played hurt over the last half of the year. Offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph revealed in interviews this week that an unspecified injury limited Coan's mobility for a stretch of games.
With the Oregon defense focused heavily on Taylor, the junior signal caller is in prime position to take shots downfield and burn them with his poise and consistency. Justin Herbert carries a bigger burden. For the Ducks to win, he has to play one of the best games of his career.
Herbert has superior arm strength and a bright NFL future. He's the one who'll be under more pressure, asked to do more to take control of the game.
In his last three outings his numbers have slipped. It's a legitimate question how well he'll handle the challenge.
