Seniors Chris Maragos and O’Brien Schofield are leading an improved Wisconsin defense this season. Both are enjoying career years. Maragos leads the Badgers in interceptions with three, including one to secure the victory over Fresno State. Schofield has racked up 6.
As disappointing as the Badger’s last two games have been, their season is far from unsalvageable. All Badger fans are familiar with the horror stories that accompany the team’s two losses. Scott Tolzien, after starting the season as one of the Big Ten’s most impressive quarterbacks, threw five interceptions and failed to complete a touchdown pass over the last two games.
Cincinnati and Texas, the lone unbeatens in the Big East and the Big-12 respectively, will be put to the test Saturday. Meanwhile, the winner of the USC and Oregon matchup in Eugene will likely produce the frontrunner for the Pac-10 title. With Iowa comfortably leading the Big Ten, some of the middle of the pack teams will try to separate themselves this weekend.
Ghastly protection Through the first five games of the season, the Wisconsin offensive line allowed just two sacks. In the Badger’s last two contests, between Ohio State and Iowa, Scot Tolzien has been taken down behind the line of scrimmage 10 times.
The start of the Big Ten season wasn’t so kind to Wisconsin in 2008. They surrendered a 19-point lead to the hated Wolverines, fell victim to Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes, were blown out by Penn State and got crushed by Iowa. Now in 2009, Michigan State stands in the Badgers’ way to kick off the conference schedule the right way.
With USC, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State making early exits from the top five, teams like Miami, Penn State and Mississippi are now receiving national attention. Will these teams keep their place atop the rankings or will they topple under the pressure? Virginia Tech vs.
Keep these five things in mind when watching Saturday's duel between Michigan State and Wisconsin
1 Snickers The laughs have ended. It’s time for the Big Ten season. We all had our giggles against NIU, our nervous chuckles during the Fresno State game, and, of course, the side splitting laughs at the expense of Wofford. The jokes are now over.
Wisconsin enters Big Ten play unranked in the national polls and out of the national spotlight.
The Wisconsin football team has yet to sniff any of college football’s top 25 polls this season. That’s fine with me. When the Badgers traveled to Ann Arbor to begin Big Ten play last season, they sported what later proved to be a highly inflated No.
and 
