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Following a thrilling comeback victory over Minnesota to secure Paul Bunyan’s Axe for a fifth straight year, Wisconsin will face another challenge Saturday as it hosts Cal Poly at Camp Randall Stadium for its regular season finale.
Most likely to cause problems for the Badgers will be the Mustangs’ triple-option offense — something that has given Wisconsin fits in the recent past.
In fact, linebacker Jonathan Casillas saw a similar offense on a daily basis at the high school level, one that had quite a lot of success.
“My high school team ran [the wing T offense],” Casillas said. “I didn’t have to play against it [in games], but we used to kill people with it, and that’s kind of dreadful when you think about it.”
Cal Poly (8-1, 3-0 Great West) has had similar success with its offense this year in the Football Championship Subdivision. Through nine games, the Mustangs lead the FCS in total offense (493.6 yards per game) and scoring offense (46.4 points).
Leading the way offensively for Cal Poly has been quarterback Jonathan Dally and wide receiver Ramses Barden. Dally ranks first in the FCS in passing efficiency and has thrown 20 touchdown passes and just one interception.
Barden, much like the Cal Poly offense, is not the type of receiver the Badgers are used to facing in Big Ten play. Barden measures an imposing 6-foot-6 and weighs 227 pounds, with skills that have drawn comparisons to Jerry Rice.
In fact, Barden has caught at least one touchdown pass in 18 straight games, surpassing the previous Division I-AA record set by Rice at Mississippi Valley State.
“He’s a tall, athletic guy,” cornerback Allen Langford said of Barden. “He makes a lot of plays out there and catches a lot of balls for them.”
Langford also noted that Barden’s ball-hawking mentality is something he will need to emulate to have success defending him in Saturday’s game.
“He’s a guy that, when that ball’s up in the air, he definitely feels like he’s got to go get the ball,” Langford said. “I’ve got to do the same thing. When that ball’s in the air I’ve got to feel like I have to get that ball.”
After becoming bowl eligible with last week’s victory, Wisconsin (6-5, 3-5 Big Ten) knows it cannot rest, regardless of its opponent. To increase their chances of earning a bowl bid, the Badgers need to performing at a high level.
A win would be the third straight for UW, the longest streak since the first three games of the season.
“This last game coming up [against] Cal Poly is a very important game for us,” defensive lineman Jason Chapman said. “It’s like a playoff game. It’s very important not to underestimate them. They’re a [FCS] team; we have to take them seriously as well.”
Chapman, Casillas and Langford are three of 16 seniors who will play their last game in front of the home fans Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.
“What I’m going to remember about those other 15 is that they put their heart and soul in this game as well as I did, and I feel that they gave their all just like I did,” Chapman said. “I love them, man. We shared a brotherhood with each other.”
This year’s senior class is the last remaining group to have played under Barry Alvarez and one of the more successful classes in UW history.
In its tenure at Wisconsin, the senior class has not lost a game to a non-conference opponent and has compiled a 37-13 record including back-to-back Capitol One Bowl victories over Auburn and Arkansas in 2006 and 2007.
“It went by so fast,” Casillas said of his time at UW. “This is it. This is the last week I’m going to play at Camp Randall, and it’s astonishing really.”
While Casillas is aware this week is his final home appearance as a Badger, the reality of the situation has yet to set in for Langford.
“It might hit me when I get out there,” Langford said. “Right now, I’m just looking forward to going out there and playing against a great offense and a great receiver.”