After Ohio State and Michigan State each turned in wins earlier in the day Saturday, the No. 7 Badgers (7-1 Big Ten, 11-1 overall) knew they had to keep pace to stay in a tie atop the Big Ten standings.
Boy, did they ever.
Wisconsin locked up a share of its first Big Ten championship since 1999 and—barring unforeseen circumstances—will likely will earn a berth in the Rose Bowl after downing Northwestern 70-23.
The Badgers, ranked No. 5 in Sunday's BCS standings, remain one spot ahead of Ohio State. If these rankings remain the same in next week's final poll, and with both teams idle it would require unprecedented circumstances, Wisconsin will win the tie-breaker in the Big Ten conference and will be Pasadena bound.
""I had a feeling as we went through our work week that this day was going to be real special,"" head coach Bret Bielema said.
While the offense again provided quite a show, putting up 70 points for the third time this season and the second straight game at home, it was the defense that was the catalyst for the Badgers' dominating win.
""Give credit to the defense,"" senior offensive lineman Gabe Carimi said. ""Today they had [seven] turnovers and that really got the momentum swinging.""
Seemingly playing a part in each and every one of those turnovers was junior defensive end J.J. Watt. Capping off an already outstanding regular season, Watt lit up the stat sheet Saturday afternoon with seven tackles (three for a loss), one sack, two forced fumbles, three quarterback hurries, and to put the icing on the cake, a blocked extra point.
""J.J.'s got great instincts,"" Bielema said. ""He plays 100 miles an hour.""
If the jury was out coming into the weekend, Watt's effort against Northwestern should make a strong argument for naming him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, at the same time putting him right in the mix for national awards.
""At his position, and what he's done for our defense, I can't say there's anyone comparable,"" Bielema argued.
But beyond Watt's big day and the seemingly ho-hum 180-yard, four-touchdown performance of sophomore running back Montee Ball (only the second Badger to score four rushing touchdowns in consecutive weeks since Ron Dayne), Scott Tolzien proved, in front of a national audience, that he belongs in the conversation among the nation's top college quarterbacks.
Although the running game had kept Tolzien's season passing-touchdown total at just 12 heading into Saturday, the first half against Northwestern featured a barrage of passing success that ended with Tolzien totaling 230 yards and four touchdowns on 15/19 passing. His 250.1 pass-efficiency rating was the fifth best single game performance in school history.
The balanced attack presented by the Wisconsin offense was simply too much for a bruised and battered Wildcat team that has struggled in the past two games without its junior quarterback Dan Persa Northwestern finished the season with a 7-5 record and looks set for an appearance in the Ticket City Bowl Jan. 1 in Dallas.
As for the Badgers, Jan. 1 seems to be their destiny as well. After becoming the first Big Ten team to win two straight Rose Bowl games in 1999 and 2000, Wisconsin looks poised for a return to Pasadena for the 2011 edition of the ""Grand-Daddy of them all.""
""As a kid from Wisconsin, too, this is what I dream about every day,"" sophomore center Peter Konz said. ""It started in the off-season, it started when we went 10-3 last year.""
To lock up a conference title and in all likelihood a berth in the Rose Bowl was no doubt the perfect way to end Senior Day at Camp Randall.
""I'm so thankful for now and I'm just going to enjoy what we have,"" senior guard John Moffitt said. ""Whatever happens, happens.""
Although the three-way tie for the conference title leaves the Rose Bowl bid technically up in the air until the final BCS standings are released Sunday, Dec. 5, the seven-game conference win streak since thae opening loss to Michigan State has been quite a ride.
""That is, I think, what needed to happen, and I think guys really realized that,"" Moffitt said. ""[We] realized how precious it is to have the ball and how few possessions you have during a game. We learned from that and capitalized on every possession.""
