As the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes invade Camp Randall Saturday night, emotions will be flying high as the Badgers (2-0 Big Ten, 5-1 overall) look for their biggest upset since knocking off the No. 6 UCLA Bruins in the 1999 Rose Bowl.
An 8 p.m. start is only the sixth night game in the history of Camp Randall Stadium and Wisconsin Head Coach Barry Alvarez knows it will be an intense atmosphere.
\I think one thing I've learned over the years, in games like this, you're playing the defending national champ. They're undefeated, the longest winning streak in the country,"" Alvarez said. ""You don't have to be a genius as a player to play a team like this and understand that it's a very good football team. It's going to be on national TV. It's an 8 p.m. game, which is special here.""
Ohio State (1-0, 5-0) is ranked third nationally in both polls and brings the nations longest winning streak of 19 games to Madison. The Buckeyes came into Camp Randall last year and defeated Wisconsin 19-14, giving Wisconsin yet another reason to get up for the game.
""It is a little bit of revenge factor knowing that we had them most of the game, we were up most of the game and we should have won that game but they made the plays down the stretch,"" junior defensive back Jim Leonhard said.
This year looks to be a more emotional game for the players, though. UW senior quarterback Jim Sorgi believes this is the most excited he has ever been for a game.
""I think this will be the biggest game we will play since we have been here,"" Sorgi said. ""It's against a high quality opponent; there is nothing better than the scenery. It's going to be at the Camp [Randall]. You're going to have 80,000 people watching the game, its going to be at eight o'clock at night, there is going to a be a little chill in the air, its just going to be the way football is supposed to be played.""
Students have been camping out at the Kohl Center for more than a week-and-a-half waiting to get the first few rows in sections O and P. All the talk around campus centers around this weekend's game. Leonhard and senior wide receiver Lee Evans think that the fans will be a major key to winning the game.
""It's going to be one of the greatest environments that's been around for the past couple of years,"" Evans said.
""It could play a huge role if we let it. If we come out and perform the crowd is going to be nuts,"" Leonhard added.
Coming off two road wins to start the Big Ten season makes this game all the more important for the Badgers in terms of being in good position to battle for the Big Ten Championship.
While a Badger victory is anything but guaranteed, an electric atmosphere, a buzz of excitement surrounding the stadium and a pumped up crowd will no doubt play an important role in the outcome of the game.
""It's going to be wild ... can't wait to get it started. Two quality teams playing against each other ... just going to duke it out, four quarters,"" senior linebacker Jeff Mack said.
