The phrase \1 and 0"" takes on a whole new meaning for the Badgers Jan. 1 when UW takes to the field one last time this season against Georgia in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
The experience will undoubtedly be bittersweet for the Badgers. After jumping out to a 9-0 start, Wisconsin seemed poised for a trip to Pasadena or even a chance to play for the National Championship. But two late losses ended those dreams, and for the second straight year, one of Head Coach Barry Alvarez's senior classes will not have had the opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl during their career.
After more than a month since the last game, the team should be stronger and healthier than it was against Iowa Nov. 20. Senior running back Anthony Davis, who did not play against the Hawkeyes, should be ready to go, as well as the senior defensive front four. Alvarez said he was confident that defensive ends Erasmus James and Jonathan Welsh, who have not been playing at 100 percent since being injured against Purdue, will be back to face the Bulldogs.
""This group of players have done what we've asked them,"" Alvarez said. ""Some of them are limited [physically], yet they've given us what we've asked of them. They've given us tremendous effort.
""So I'd be very surprised if they're not ready to play and we play well.""
With the questions on injuries seemingly answered, the one wildcard heading into the 11 a.m. New Year's Day matchup may be which version of sophomore quarterback John Stocco will show up in Tampa. After a slow start to the year, Stocco began to impress people after leading the comeback against Purdue and a dominant performance against Minnesota. After that, Stocco was at the helm of two poor offensive showings for the Badgers. Against Michigan State and the Hawkeyes, Stocco completed only 50 percent of his passes and had two interceptions and two fumbles. Even grimmer was the statistic that showed he led the offense to points on only three of the Badgers' 25 possessions over the two-game span.
""I thought we were progressing very well,"" Alvarez said of the team's offense. ""I was disappointed in the last two games. If you can't establish a running game, it all goes back to the quarterbacks and receivers. I wasn't pleased with how we finished the season.""
But there is no looking back as Wisconsin preps for a meeting with the Bulldogs. Georgia is led by senior quarterback David Greene, who has a 59.8 percent completion rate for 2,244 yards, 18 touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Bulldogs' senior defensive end David Pollack may create the same headaches the Badgers' offense had back during the last meeting between the two teams. This year's SEC Defensive Player of the Year (as well as in 2002), Pollack finished the regular season with an SEC-leading 9.5 sacks and 48 total tackles, and leads Georgia with 33 career sacks.
The Badgers hope to avoid a repeat performance of the last time the two squads met. In 1998, the Bulldogs squashed the Badgers, 33-6, a game where UW was helpless in stopping the Georgia offense led by quarterback Mike Bobo, who completed 26 of 28 passes. The vaunted Wisconsin running game, led by then-sophomore Ron Dayne, was held to minimal yardage in the loss.
- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.
