Might Madison be growing into the spoiled child of college football?
Two years, two proverbial Games Of The Year? Two visits from Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and the rest of ESPN’s College GameDay? Two chances to play Wisconsin Football on the biggest stage of the week, with the whole country watching?
Last year’s spectacle was the mid-October clash with Ohio State, then-No. 1 and undefeated. Wisconsin entered the game with a broad range of emotions, buoyed by a 41-23 thrashing of Minnesota in the Homecoming game but still stinging from a 34-24 loss at Michigan State in the Big Ten opener two weeks earlier.
The result, as you surely remember, was a resounding 31-18 victory over those evil Buckeyes, ignited by David Gilreath’s 97-yard touchdown on the game’s opening kickoff.
One year later, following a crushing two-point loss in the Rose Bowl and the acquisition of a certain transfer quarterback, the Badgers have returned to primetime. The Nebraska Cornhuskers come to Camp Randall Stadium Saturday night for their inaugural Big Ten conference opener, a contest so rife with storylines that, “It’s Nebraska, stupid!” seems to be the most adequate way to explain the magnitude of this game.
Perhaps most immediate is the fact that Saturday’s game will be the first Wisconsin plays against legitimate top-level competition this season. Against Nevada-Las Vegas, Oregon State, Northern Illinois and South Dakota, Wisconsin has rolled through the preseason with a combined 194-34 margin of victory. Quarterback Russell Wilson has completed more than 75 percent of his passes for 1,136 yards, 11 touchdowns and only interception – all good for the nation’s second-highest quarterback rating at 218.4
Collectively, the Badgers rank sixth in the country with 48.5 points per game and third with only 8.5 surrendered. Even outside of Wilson, the UW offense has been lethal in its execution – running backs Montee Ball and James White, as expected, have formed arguably the nation’s most potent backfield duo, wide receivers Nick Toon and Jared Abbrederis have combined to give Wilson a virtually unguardable passing attack and the offense line has, simply put, been a Wisconsin Badgers offensive line with an average size of 6-foot-5, 322 pounds.
The defense, even with star defensive end J.J. Watt departed for the NFL and without several other key senior contributors, has kept any opponent from staying close with the Badgers for anything more than a drive or two. The most points any team has scored against UW this season was UNLV’s 17, 14 of which came after halftime, when the Badgers already led 37-3.
By now, you probably get it. Heck, this team literally has not played a full four-quarter game. Wilson and his offense have been pulled no later than halfway through the fourth quarter, and the defense has had every game well under wraps by then. That, as well as the fact that this team has committed the same number of penalties (a somewhat concerning six) and inconsistency on kickoffs, has been the biggest issue with this team.
So with Nebraska, a team with the nation’s No. 13 scoring offense and eighth-ranked rushing attack, coming to town for its first game in the Big Ten, plenty is at stake for Wisconsin.
Win, and the Badgers could be lined up for a potentially undefeated season. Win, and they’ll align themselves beautifully for another shot at a Rose Bowl or other BCS bowl berth. Win, and they’ll prove that last year’s team absolutely was not a fluke.
Last year versus Ohio State, Wisconsin had to stop puffing its chest and prove it belonged with the big boys of college football. This year, the Badgers must prove they’re here to stay.
Nebraska brings a dual-threat quarterback similar to Wilson in Taylor Martinez, a sophomore who brings to Madison a trophy case already heavier than the ones many players graduate with. This season, Martinez has thrived more with his feet than his arm (50.6 completion percentage, 647 yards, two touchdowns and one interception). Even with talented junior running back Rex Burkhead lining up in the backfield, Martinez leads Nebraska in rushing yards – albeit with just one more yard than Burkhead’s 420.
But the fact that Martinez has rushed an identical number of times (63) as Burkhead shows that the Huskers are willing to both insist and allow their signal caller to take off and run.
Defensively, Nebraska brings an arguably even more talented squad. Led by second-team All-American defensive tackle Jared Crick and cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, the Huskers’ defense has the speed to overwhelm many of the Big Ten’s squads and the physicality to last four quarters with its toughest members.
Nevertheless, as compelled as Nebraska feels to mark its territory in the Big Ten, Wisconsin still has more at stake in this game. Already widely favored by more than a touchdown, the Badgers have no underdog role to play in this game. Last year, the absolutely volatile Camp Randall atmosphere might have caught the Buckeyes off-guard. This year? No shot the Huskers are surprised.
In last year’s magical run to Pasadena, the Badgers startled opponents with their brutally efficient play and masterful composure. In 2011, nothing less is expected – and even more is desired.
All of Madison knows how much talent and natural ability this team has. With GameDay here – airing from the perfectly chosen setting of Bascom Hill, no less – this team has a chance to show the rest of the nation what exactly Wisconsin Football is. With more eyes observing than ever before, Madison has been granted a shot at repeating last year’s image-redefining campaign.
Last season, the Badgers thrived under the spotlight and were rewarded with a return trip to Pasadena, sight of the program’s greatest triumphs. This year, Wisconsin faces the prospect of going farther than any team in school history – to New Orleans, for the national championship.
