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Friday, March 29, 2024
After bye, Wisconsin gears up for Purdue

O'Brien Schofield: Senior defensive end O'Brien Schofield and the Wisconsin defense will try to shut down a formidable Purdue offense that averages 401 yards and 27.6 points per game.

After bye, Wisconsin gears up for Purdue

Bret Bielema made it clear this year's football team is not at all like the squad from 2008. Last season, following a loss to Ohio State, the Wisconsin football team went on a skid, culminating in a four-game losing streak that nearly took the team out of bowl game contention.

This year, after losing to Ohio State and Iowa, the Badgers are in danger of repeating last season's slide.

""I felt last year, there were points when guys just let go on the field,"" Bielema said. ""And I haven't seen that at all from these guys.""

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 After being repeatedly asked to draw comparisons between the 2008 and 2009 seasons, Bielema began to show his annoyance with the subject.

""We're in 2009. I've talked enough about 2008,"" Bielema said.  ""If you want to keep going back, 2008 was a disappointment/ This is 2009 and I'm excited about this ball club just like I was in week one.""

And in 2009, the Badgers' next focus is Purdue.

The Boilermakers enter Camp Randall this week with a 2-2 conference record (3-5 overall).

Purdue, however, is coming off two wins in a row, including a marquee victory over Ohio State two weeks ago.

But entering this contest, Wisconsin may possess the advantage after having an opportunity to get rested and healthy because of a bye week.

""To have the bye week last week probably came at a very good time for us,"" Bielema said. ""[We had] an opportunity to kind of regroup ourselves.""

One Purdue player Wisconsin has been preparing for is junior defensive end Ryan Kerrigan.

Kerrigan currently leads the Big Ten with 7.5 sacks, and has collected 12 tackles for a loss in eight games this season.

Kerrigan was also a key factor in the Boilermakers' upset against Ohio State, and picked up both Big Ten and National Defensive Player of the Week honors following the game.

In fact, Bielema said Kerrigan reminds him of Wisconsin senior defensive end O'Brien Schofield, who has 16.5 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks this season.

When asked if playing a football game on Halloween in Madison will affect the mindset of his players, Bielema stressed that this Wisconsin football team is an extremely focused group, and this week, its focus is on beating Purdue.

""They're going to focus in on Saturday and be ready to roll out there,"" Bielema said. ""Anytime we play in Camp Randall it's special, no matter if it's homecoming, Halloween, night game, day game. It doesn't matter, our guys take the task at hand.""

This week's task at hand will be executing against a Purdue team that has a significant amount of confidence following two straight victories.

The Badgers, however, remain confident in their ability get back on track.

And despite currently riding a two-game losing streak, they still have an opportunity to finish near the top of the Big Ten.

""We're a 5-2 football team,"" Bielema said. ""[Oftentimes] you're so disappointed in the back-to-back losses, you forget you're a 5-2 team.""

Game time for Purdue is set for 11 a.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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