Expectations were not high for the Wisconsin football team at the outset of the 2006 season. But, under the guidance of first-year head coach Bret Bielema, the Badgers had a banner year. The team looks to punctuate it with a strong showing against Arkansas at the Capital One Bowl Jan. 1 in Orlando, Fla.
It will be the second straight appearance in the Capital One Bowl for the Badgers (7-1 Big Ten, 11-1 overall). Last year, with superb game-planning and an underdog's mentality, UW defeated Auburn, 24-10. Like Wisconsin, Arkansas will be appearing in the Capital One Bowl—the most notable bowl outside the BCS—for the second time in school history.
The Badgers hope to put the finishing touches on what has been a surprising and captivating run in the first year of the post-Barry Alvarez era. Their sole loss of the season came against Michigan. After the setback, UW ran off seven conference wins in a row, eight straight counting their finale against Buffalo.
Meanwhile, the Razorbacks (7-1 SEC, 10-3), who play in one of the country's most grueling conferences, come off a loss in the Southeastern Conference Championship game to Florida. Arkansas won 10 in a row after losing its opener to USC, but will come into the Capital One Bowl having lost two successive games.
The matchup provides UW with a genuine opportunity to prove critics wrong who have called the Badgers' ranking into question. Similar to UW, Arkansas is a team that pounds the football and wins games on the ground.
Sophomore running back Darren McFadden, who finished second in Heisman Trophy voting, spearheads the Razorback running game, which averaged 228 yards per game this season to place fourth in the nation. McFadden averaged an astounding 5.9 yards per carry, but he also poses a threat in other phases of the game with his size and speed. A definite point of interest is the potent Razorback rushing attack going against the Badger rush defense, which holds its ground well in allowing only 105 yards per game.
""They're very, very versatile,"" Bielema said after Arkansas accepted the bowl bid. ""From a defensive standpoint [for us], they're going to present a lot of challenges because they have so many players that do so many things so well.""
Conversely, the Badgers are certainly preparing to let loose their high-octane running game on Arkansas. Freshman running back P.J. Hill had over 1,500 yards on the ground this season and scored 15 touchdowns. Like McFadden, Hill opposes a defense that plays well against the run.
It appears likely senior quarterback John Stocco will get to play in his last game as a Badger. On Nov. 4, Stocco sustained a separated right shoulder and missed the last two games. He went through his first extended practice last Friday since suffering the injury and reported no problems.
What is less clear is whether sophomore cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu will suit up. He was arrested on Nov. 25 on charges of burglary and trespassing in DeKalb, Ill., and was subsequently suspended pursuant to UW's student-athlete discipline policy. Although the Razorbacks' passing game is not strong, the Badgers would undoubtedly miss a first-team All-Big Ten cornerback who plays the run well and is a dependable tackler.
Come Jan. 1, the Badgers can rest assured, however, that they will have on hand the experience of an improbably successful season and the chance to make it even more memorable with a Capital One Bowl victory.
Final score: Wisconsin 24, Arkansas 14
