When the Badger football team faces Ohio State this weekend, it will look into the eyes of a physically and mentally solid team similar to its own.
The Buckeyes bring to the field a menacing defensive line that has held its opponents to just 61 points this season, along with a pair of gifted running backs who have rushed for 588 yards combined.
And yet, the Buckeyes bring more than just physical size and strength to the game. Along with them comes a rich tradition of producing Heisman Trophy winners, successful NFL draft picks and top-notch scholars.
Ohio State, like Wisconsin, has an adept running game with two solid running backs. Senior Jonathan Wells has rushed for 414 yards so far this season and averages 5.2 yards a carry.
Freshman Lydell Ross, one of four prep All-American recruits, has carried the ball for 174 yards. In their 27-14 victory over Indiana, the Buckeyes relied heavily on their running game, carrying the ball 78 percent of the time.
When first-year OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel searches for recruits, he doesn't travel far, much like Wisconsin basketball Head Coach Bo Ryan. Nearly two-thirds of the current team hails from within state borders, a tradition Tressel plans to keep.
In his short time at Ohio State, Tressel has attracted 16 top recruits, four of which are prep All-Americans. Three of the four All-Americans'running back Maurice Hall, wide receiver Angelo Chattams and safety Dustin Fox'are from Ohio.
In its history, Ohio State has advanced six Heisman Trophy winners to the NFL and the Buckeyes won the most individual collegiate awards during the 1990s. OSU's most recent Heisman winner was Eddie George, who won the award in 1995 and signed with the Houston Oilers in the first round of the NFL Draft. George was then named the 1996 NFL Rookie of the Year.
Historians consider 1950 Heisman Trophy winner Vic Janowicz the greatest athlete to play football at OSU. This legendary runner, passer, blocker and kicker played professional baseball for two years with the Pittsburgh Pirates before returning to football. He signed with the Washington Redskins in 1954 but a car accident one year later halted his professional career.
Another successful player who tossed the pigskin at Ohio State include Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter. From 1984 to 1986, the split end caught 164 passes for 2,725 yards and 27 touchdowns in his noteworthy career with the Scarlet and Gray.
The late Korey Stringer, an offensive tackle with Minnesota, also played for the Buckeyes before suiting up with the Vikings.
Ohio State not only racks up the awards on the field but in the classroom as well. Ohio State educated 24 Academic All-Americans from 1952 to 1999, as well as a Rhodes Scholar and the winner of the Vincent dePaul Draddy Award, given to the top senior scholar-athlete in college football.
