At his press conference Monday, Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema said his team will focus on performing well early in the game at Fresno State Saturday.
We are one of only five teams in college football this year that is going on the road to play a ranked team in their own house,"" Bielema said.
After beating Akron and Marshall fairly soundly, the Badgers will test their No. 10 ranking against No. 21 Fresno State.
""They're a lot higher than [21st] on my poll,"" Bielema said.
According to Bielema, Fresno has a good quarterback, three solid tailbacks and one of the best special teams in the country.
Wisconsin got off to a poor start against Marshall last week, down 14-0 two minutes into the second quarter, but they compensated by scoring 51 unanswered points.
""We definitely took a life lesson forward,"" Bielema said. ""Our guys, in retrospect, might have been overly jacked-up. They really wanted to do well.""
Senior quarterback Allan Everidge was named offensive MVP of the game by the coaches, after passing for 308 yards and completing 17-of-26 passes. He threw only 10 passes against Akron, as UW earned 404 yards on the ground.
Defensively, middle linebacker Jaevery McFadden and cornerback Niles Brinkley were recognized as the top defenders. McFadden recorded nine tackles, while Brinkley caught two interceptions.
Bielema also credited the defensive line for putting consistent pressure by hitting Marshall's quarterback 13 times, which forced three interceptions.
Although Barry Alvarez never lost a game in California, Wisconsin struggled on the road last season, with all four losses happening away from Camp Randall.
""We failed to play normal Wisconsin football,"" Bielema said about away games last year. ""I've stressed to the team that the game we're going to play on Saturday is still going to be on a 100-yard field - it's got the same dimensions and the same number of players.""
New coach ready to move past top runners' departure
First year men's cross country coach Mick Byrne said he hopes to continue Wisconsin's tradition of excellence in distance running and win a 10th straight Big Ten title and a top-four finish at the NCAA championships.
Byrne, a Dublin, Ireland native, said he is excited to be in ""Badger land.""
""At Iona College, we beat Wisconsin at the national championships,"" Byrne said. ""We're going to change that this year. The plan is to continue that great tradition and get back on the podium.""
For the last 24 years, Byrne transformed Iona into a powerhouse, capping off his tenure there with a second-place NCAA team finish.
Byrne replaces Jerry Schumacher, who left his position at UW to coach for Nike in Portland, Ore. His team of professional runners includes many former UW runners, including Olympian Matt Tegenkamp.
Schumacher's departure prompted two top-notch runners to leave. Evan Jager, who competed at the Olympic Trials in the 1,500 meters after his freshman year, announced he would go pro and train under Schumacher, while Brandon Bethke, who earned Big Ten titles and school records as a sophomore in track last year, transferred to Arizona State.
""As a program, we need to move forward,"" Byrne said. ""The kids that are here are great kids - they're very receptive and very open.""
Both the men's and women's teams will open the season at the Northern Illinois Husky Open Saturday.
Waite emphasizes experience gained in loss
Wisconsin volleyball head coach Pete Waite is one match away from his 500th career victory, which he hopes to achieve at the Inntowner Invitational at the Wisconsin Field House this weekend.
""It'll be great to be here in front of the fans,"" Waite said. ""That's special to me because of how many people watch the games - both the students and the people in the community.""
The No. 14 volleyball team went 2-1 at the UNLV invitational over the weekend, defeating UNLV and Cal State Fullerton but losing to Miami (OH).
Junior Katherine Dykstra led the UW squad last weekend with 43 kills in three matches, good for all-tournament honors.
""Each year she's matured and progressed to where she's very consistent now,"" Waite said. ""She's really becoming a force to be reckoned with.""
Waite said the team's inexperience in some areas contributed to their loss against Miami.
""They have to experience things the tough way sometimes and realize they have to play better as a unit,"" Waite said. ""They'll get refocused, and I think they'll do well this weekend.
