Following one of the most controversial referee decisions in recent memory, the Wisconsin football team returned home following a game they surely thought they deserved to win. However, the Badgers were less lucky in the waning moments against the Sun Devils and will enter Big Ten play this Saturday in a bit of limbo.

Head coach Gary Andersen answered questions regarding the end of the ASU game during his Monday press conference and Tuesday teleconference — time slots usually reserved for questions about preparing for his next opponent, rarely his last. And now, five days removed from the controversial decision, Wisconsin (2-1) begins its conference schedule against struggling Purdue (1-2).

The Boilermakers arrive in Madison following what was one of their more impressive performances of the season — albeit in a 34-27 loss — against No. 22 Notre Dame.

Two weeks removed from a season-opening 42-7 loss to Cincinnati, Purdue led Notre Dame entering the fourth quarter last Saturday but dissolved in the last 15 minutes against the ranked Irish. Senior quarterback Rob Henry had efficiently led Purdue within striking distance when his interception-returned-for-touchdown took the underdog out of the running.

However, Henry amassed 256 yards and one score through the air against Notre Dame. The Boilermakers’ passing attack was plenty enough to catch the eye of UW defensive coordinator Dave Aranda.

“When you look at the Notre Dame game, in the pass game, Notre Dame was hurt when [Purdue] was really aggressive. When they flex their muscles, so to say,” Aranda said. “Purdue is difficult to defend, that, if you get too aggressive with them, they’ll try to bite you back.”

They bit the Fighting Irish early, and almost bit them in the end, the fate Wisconsin eventually found in Arizona. It was a passing attack that undid the Badgers’ chances at Sun Devil Stadium and it will most likely be a passing attack that presents the greatest test this Saturday at Camp Randall.

A pro-style offense — implemented by first-year offensive coordinator John Shoop — is the difference Wisconsin will see across the line of scrimmage. However, the running half of that offense has been largely missing in 2013.

Purdue’s leading rusher is junior running back Akeem Hunt, who has tallied 125 total yards on the ground this season, a number Melvin Gordon has topped in each of Wisconsin’s three games. As a team, the Boilermakers have rushed for just 237 yards in 2013, or less than each of Wisconsin’s three working backs, individually.

Not to compare one of the best at something to its opposite, but where Purdue could be most effective might again be in the passing game, exactly where Wisconsin found trouble against Arizona State.

The back-shoulder fade caused problems for the relatively inexperienced Badgers’ secondary as Sun Devils’ quarterback Taylor Kelly threw for 352 yards, 127 of them in the comeback fourth quarter. Saturday’s game brought into question which defense Wisconsin would be led by in the Big Ten; the two-shutout defense from the beginning of the season or the Swiss cheese-like defense that surrendered a second half lead. Cornerback Peniel Jean is pretty sure of Wisconsin’s defense moving forward.

“We’re definitely a team that can shut down and keep points off the board,” Jean said. “Obviously, every defense is going to give up points, but I think we’re going to give up the minimum amount of points possible.

Jean noted the back-shoulder fade that crippled the corners in Arizona was a point of emphasis this week, saying it is one of the areas where their group can grow. Another is clean play.

Wisconsin was flagged six times Saturday night, amounting 76 yards, no incredible quantity. However, all six came against the Badgers’ defense, five against the secondary. Two of them aided Arizona State scoring drives in the second half.

“We kind of beat ourselves in certain situations … self-inflicted wounds is what we call them,” senior linebacker Ethan Armstrong said. “A late hit penalty or a pass interference penalty or not executing a third down call … That was the biggest thing; things that not necessarily they did, but we did to ourselves to put them in a situation to score.”

Aranda agreed with the third down execution. While Wisconsin made the stop they needed in the final two minutes to set up its fateful drive, Aranda and the defense realized they had chances throughout the fourth quarter where they could have made stops earlier.

The consistency of three-and-outs is what Aranda is looking for from Wisconsin in its most clutch moments as its welcomes a writhing Purdue offense to Camp Randall.

“There’s times when we’re going to need a three-and-out and we’re going to need a stop. I want to be able to see us step up in those times,” Aranda said. “Those types of things, when we leave that sideline, everyone knows, ‘Hey, in three plays,  we’ll see you back again.’”