In 2010, Wisconsin (3-1 Big Ten, 6-2 overall) lost to Michigan State (1-3, 4-4) 34-24 away from home in an otherwise regular road game. Last year however, the Badgers were forced to play in East Lansing again, thanks to the scheduling adjustments made after Nebraska was added to the conference.
I think we all know how that one ended.
But, thanks to the inaugural Big Ten Championship game, the Badgers played the Spartans in Indianapolis, winning 42-39. Even so, nothing was easy in the shootout and it usually isn’t for Wisconsin away from home.
Finally, the Badgers get to show off to the Spartans the atmosphere that makes Camp Randall special on Saturday for the first time since their 38-30 win in 2009.
“It’ll be pretty cool to get them in front of our fans,” junior running back James White said. “They’ll come ready to play and so will we.”
White and senior running back Montee Ball will be tested against the No. 12 Spartan defense. Though the Spartans and junior quarterback Andrew Maxwell—who had the tough task of replacing heralded Kirk Cousins—have had trouble putting points on the board, the defense has more than made up for it by stuffing the run.
Though the performances on the ground for the Badgers the last few weeks have certainly been impressive, keep in mind that the games were against three programs that are essentially in free-fall.
Illinois, Purdue and Minnesota, the last three Badger opponents, have not tallied a conference win and have shown little ability to stop the run throughout the conference season.
The Spartans, on the other hand, held Michigan and senior quarterback Denard Robinson to just 12 points last Saturday, as well as Ohio State and sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller to 17 points Sept. 29.
“They fly to the ball and they’re physical as a defense,” White said. “They’re going to hit you whenever they get a chance to.”
But the Spartans defensive front won’t be the only one tested Saturday. The Badgers—ranked No. 23 nationally in run defense—have a hefty task in stopping the burly Spartans senior running back Le’Veon Bell.
The 244-pound workhorse already has 226 carries on the season for 984 yards. The running back with the second-highest carries for the Spartans this season has only 16 attempts.
Luckily, the Badgers might be catching the Spartans’ offense in a period of transition, much like the Badgers’ offensive line at the start of this season.
“You see a lot of different numbers at their offensive line position,” Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema said Monday in his press conference. “So you know they’re going through some transition there.”
Maxwell has been slowed by his sub-par completion percentage rate. The junior has completed 59 percent (82-of-138) of his passes in games the Spartans have won but only 51 percent (78-of-152) of his passes in losses.
“In those games when they weren’t really catching the ball well at wide receiver, people were able to focus and take away Bell,” Bielema said.
Ball also has an opportunity to move into second place in the NCAA record books for rushing touchdowns. He only needs two to surpass former Texas running back Ricky Williams and needs only four to tie former Miami (OH) running back Travis Prentice.
