[media-credit name=’Derek Montgomery’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — If there was ever any doubt that the Badgers are a legitimate contender for the Big Ten title, that doubt was erased Saturday as Wisconsin defeated the highest-ranked team in the conference on their home turf.

"It's a huge win; it keeps us at the top of the Big Ten standings," offensive coordinator Brian White said. "It says a lot about our football team and the players that we have who believe in just the fact that you need to compete every play and play to the end of the game and good things will happen to you. It happened today."

If there was any doubt that Bret Bielema's unit is the best defense in the conference, that doubt was erased Saturday as Wisconsin contained the Big Ten's top-ranked offense.

"I don't think our defense plays at any time with a lack of confidence," Bielema said. "There was a lot of people that expressed a certain opinion about the way this ball game was going to go. Our kids got to sit around and listen to it all week; they got to see it all morning on the TV. The greatest thing that can ever come around is when guys believe in one another."

Coming into Saturday's game, the Boilermakers were averaging 41.8 points and 509 yards of total offense per game. Wisconsin held them to 17 points and 367 yards.

Before this week, Heisman front-runner Kyle Orton was averaging 328.4 passing yards per game. Against the Badgers, Orton managed just 235 yards and turned the ball over three times (one interception, two fumbles).

"We really capitalized on opportunities that were there," Bielema said. "Guys were really attacking the football when we asked them to and some guys were laying back, doing what we asked them to when we weren't in that mode."

In addition to limiting the conference's most potent offense to their lowest numbers of the year, Bielema's squad won the game on a defensive touchdown as cornerback Scott Starks returned a fumble 40 yards to put the Badgers ahead 20-17 with 2:36 left in the game.

"Another example of our defense, I think," Bielema said. "We have guys that believe in one another, that are willing to cover up for one another. It was a bust on that play by my outside linebacker; Mark Zalewski should have had him contained on the bootleg, but a couple guys hustled, made something special happen."

The Wisconsin defense has handled everything that has been thrown its way this season. It has proven that it can shut down the run and the pass, and it has shown a unique ability to put points on the board. In Saturday's win, the Badgers proved that even the most powerful offense in the conference, a unit that is anchored by a Heisman hopeful, is simply no match for the Wisconsin defense.

"I think it was obvious during two-a-days camp," Bielema said. "You hang around these guys and you realize the way they work, the way they believe, and they way they understand. I'll go back to the comment Coach Alvarez told me the first day he talked to me: 'Be careful what you tell these guys, because what you ask of them is exactly what you get.' And that's the truth."

While Orton was held in check by the Badgers' smothering defensive performance, John Stocco left West Lafayette a hero. If there was any doubt that John Stocco is capable of leading the Badgers to a conference title, that too was erased Saturday as Stocco led his team back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to win the biggest game of his young career.

"Stocco, he really stepped up his game," wide receiver Brandon Williams said. "Last week, he grew up. This week, he took another huge step. He's playing very good right now. That's why we're winning these games."

Though he hasn't put up big numbers this year and he has struggled with accuracy, Stocco has always been there when his team needed him most. Stocco proved himself in the clutch last week against Ohio State, and he did it again against Purdue Saturday.

In another hostile environment, Stocco led the Badgers 73 yards in just two minutes, 31 seconds with Anthony Davis on the sidelines and found Booker Stanley for a touchdown to cut the Boilermakers' lead to three points with a little more than five minutes to play. The quick score set the stage for Scott Starks' game-winning fumble recovery.

"He really competed, played hard, made the plays and throws that we needed him to make to win the game," White said. "He put us in a position that put the pressure on Purdue. We did put the pressure on them, and we ended up creating a turnover to win the game."

Stocco finished with 211 yards and one touchdown, completing 17 of 32 attempts on the day. The sophomore signal-caller recorded just 24 yards fewer than Orton, who entered the game as a favorite to win the Heisman trophy.

With an all-around stellar performance, the Badgers have put all doubts to rest. Regardless of what any statistics may say, this team is for real on both sides of the ball.