For the first time since 2004, the UW football team will take on perennial powerhouse Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio Saturday for a meeting with the consensus top-ranked team in the country.
In their last meeting, the Badgers stunned a packed house at Ohio Stadium with a 24-21 win over the Buckeyes. The UW defense didn't allow a score in the second half, and tailback Anthony Davis plowed through the OSU defense for 168 yards and a touchdown. The victory was the Badgers' third straight in Columbus and their second straight over the Buckeyes.
This time around, the Badgers (3-2 Big Ten, 7-2 overall) will again have their hands full with the No. 1 Buckeyes (5-0, 9-0).
What you see when you flip on film is you see kids that are executing very well together - there's very few breakdowns,"" Bielema said. ""I say this all the time. A lot of times when you win a football game, it's based on what you do, but a lot of times people give you the game or give you points or give you yards or totals. Ohio State doesn't do that.""
Lead by junior middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, the Buckeye defense ranks No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense, allowing a meager 8.9 points per contest. They also lead the nation in total defense and passing defense.
Offensively, the Buckeyes are lead by junior quarterback Todd Boeckman, who leads the conference in overall pass efficiency while completing over 66 percent of his passes and tossing 21 touchdowns. In his Monday news conference, Bielema pointed out the athleticism of Ohio State's offense, noting a touchdown celebration he saw in which a tackle for the Buckeyes leapt almost clear over the head of an OSU receiver.
""They're very, very physical and very talented,"" Bielema said. ""What we have to do is fundamentally play sound and play at a very high level. And obviously, it all starts with the quarterback and the way he's playing. It speaks volumes about their offense and what they're able to do.""
The Buckeyes enter this Saturday's contest off of a huge 37-17 victory over Penn State at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa. Sophomore tailback Chris Wells compiled 133 yards on 25 carries, while Boeckman tossed three touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the Badgers enter Columbus following a 33-3 triumph against Indiana last Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.
The Badger defense forced five turnovers, while the offense rolled up 279 yards rushing despite losing sophomore tailback P.J. Hill following the second offensive drive of the game.
Hill's status for Saturday is still unknown. Freshman tailback Zach Brown, who had 40 yards and his first career score last week, would be the likely fill-in as starter.
Even with the winning streak in Columbus, Bielema knows the Badgers must execute on the field Saturday to have a chance to continue that streak.
""We didn't beat Indiana in Camp Randall on Saturday because of the 12 previous times we've gone out there and had success,"" Bielema said. ""It's not just going to happen. You got to make it happen based on the 11 guys we show.\
