Football
Following a 41-10 drubbing of Purdue, the Wisconsin football team (1-0 Big Ten, 3-1 overall) will head to Columbus, Ohio to take on No. 3 Ohio State (4-0) Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ABC.
Head coach Gary Andersen looked ahead to the matchup, assessing the Buckeyes’ strengths as the perceived top team in the Big Ten.
“They use their individuals on the team, their play makers, in the right spots, which is always a sign of a quality coaching staff,” Andersen said.
Andersen explained despite Ohio State having two possible starting quarterbacks, the formerly injured junior starter Braxton Miller or the recent upstart Kenny Guiton, his defense is preparing to face only one flavor of offense.
“You don’t look in there and say, okay, here comes this guy or that guy or let’s expect this offense or that offense,” Andersen said. “It’s still the same offense regardless.”
Andersen later downplayed his professional ties to Buckeye head coach Urban Meyer, under whom he served as a defensive line coach at Utah in 2004.
“I spent one whole year with him coaching?wise, and I was on the defensive side and we never lost,” Andersen said. “So he probably came in the defensive room five times.”
The relationship, however, is not going to be apparent this week, according to Andersen. While the two may be friends, it’s all business on game day.
“I consider him a good friend,” Andersen said.” Who knows, maybe he doesn’t consider me a good friend. We’ll talk. We won’t talk this week, I can guarantee you that much.”
Volleyball
The volleyball team (11-1) wrapped up its nonconference schedule by winning the North Carolina State Invitational last weekend and will begin conference play against Purdue Friday and take on Indiana Saturday.
Head coach Kelly Sheffield addressed the many challenges Big Ten play will bring. Eight of the top 25 teams in the country reside in the Big Ten, including No. 1 ranked Penn State.
“You throw a wolf out the side of the window, and you’ve got two coming in the back door,” Sheffield said. “It’s constant and a really, really good club that’s always up next.”
Sheffield, however, made it clear how much he values the quality of competition.
“I’m stoked to go against it,” Sheffield said. “I think our players are. That’s why they come. That’s why you come to this conference to play against and with the best. I know our coaching staff is. We’re looking forward to this opportunity.”
Making the Big Ten gauntlet harder is the rash of injuries that have hit the team.
“I think right now our players are trying to figure out how to put on the boot or walk around on crutches or something like that, rather than who’s next on our opponents,” Sheffield said.
He also added that players are finally beginning to return to practice and may be ready to play soon, including redshirt junior middle blocker Dominique Thompson, freshman setter Lauren Carlini and junior outside hitter Crystal Graff.
Men’s Golf
The men’s golf team will host the Badger Invitational from Sunday to Tuesday at University Ridge golf course, the first tournament Wisconsin has hosted since the Big Ten Championship in 2005.
Head coach Michael Burcin was notably excited for the opportunity to finally host a tournament.
“None of the guys that were here have ever played in a home event here,” Burcin said. “I think we’re all excited to see how the golf course plays with the changes, new greens. It’s a lot longer than it was last time anything was hosted here.”
Burcin called the decision to host a no-brainer and credited the athletic department operations and Barry Alvarez for their support.
Overall, Burcin was not only excited about the prospect of hosting, but the environment it will create for the rest of the season.
“Guys are having a lot of fun,” Burcin said. “I think there’s a motivation that we’ve been looking for that’s here now. The competitive level has been raised. It’s much higher than it was … I’m so fired up for this year.”
