If there’s one thing that can be said about the past three tumultuous seasons for the Wisconsin Badger football team, it’s that they have shown the uncanny ability to play down to a lot of levels, while still having shown the ability to play up to the higher level.

In the midst of a disappointing conference season in 2002, the Badgers showed glimpses of a team that could hang with the best of them. The Badgers lost by a touchdown to then No.11 Michigan, fell to the No. 10 Nittany Lions 34-31, and lost to No. 2 Ohio State 19-14.

Saturday will be the Badgers’ first chance to show that they can hang with the big boys. The No. 3 Buckeyes come to Camp Randall in a game that has been circled on everyone’s calendar since the start time was moved back for an 8 p.m. national audience.

And while the Badger faithful will be in rare form, creating an atmosphere unlike anything that Camp Randall has seen in recent memory, Wisconsin is, of course, still the underdog.

Over the past two seasons the Badgers have been 2-6 against ranked teams. One win came against No. 14 Colorado in the 2002 Alamo Bowl, the other a 20-17 upset victory over No. 25 Ohio State in 2001.

And while the wins against ranked teams are few and far between, the Badgers’ dismal three conference wins at Camp Randall over the past three seasons again strengthen Ohio State’s case against Wisconsin. Not to mention Ohio State’s 19-game winning streak, the longest in the nation.

But while Alvarez and his coaching staff say they will approach Saturday’s game like any other, the Badger players will be treating this one a little differently.

“I’ve never beat Penn State or Illinois [before this season],” sophomore fullback Matt Berstein said after Saturday’s 30-23 win over the Nittany Lions, giving the Badgers a 2-0 conference road record to start the season for the first time since 1950. “I’ve never beaten Ohio State. It’s going to be a great game. It’s going to be awesome.”

While the Buckeyes have had a week to get healthy and prepare for the Badgers, the excitement has no time to dim this week for Wisconsin. The momentum of a 2-0 start had the Badgers in a thrill of enthusiasm to face the Buckeyes after Saturday’s win over Penn State.

Those emotions will be channeled this week in practice to ready the team for a game the Badger players understand is the most important of the season.

Preparation will be the key for Wisconsin’s success Saturday, and while Alvarez insists on treating the game like any other, the Badgers would do best to keep the importance and the game in the front of their mind, knowing that for the Buckeyes as well, Saturday will be the biggest game of the season. Such an approach takes the mystique away from the Buckeyes’ defending national champions title, allowing the Badgers to see themselves as legitimate challengers.

The Badgers have put the embarrassing loss to UNLV behind them, and a win over such a highly regarded opponent will finally give this team the swagger that has only shown itself in spurts in the Badgers’ 2003 campaign.

To start the season, the passing attack looked most formidable for Wisconsin in wins over West Virginia and Akron. After the UNLV loss, the Badgers emerged anew as a team dominated by their rushing attack. The offensive line has dictated itself as the leaders of the team, vocally calling for command in key situations and finding success. Saturday they will get their greatest test against the Buckeyes’ talented front four. But, likewise, the competitive mean streaks of Donovan Raiola, Morgan Davis, Jonathan Clinkscale, Dan Buenning and Mike Lorenz make the Badgers the most formidable opponent the Buckeyes have faced.

A balanced attack would be preferred, but if the offensive line plays up to the level they look capable of, the Badgers could use the run to dominate the Buckeyes. The big-uglies upfront have set the tone thus far this season, and their performance Saturday will determine the tone of the game and the success of the Badgers. In the trenches, they have the power to determine the game’s outcome.

The line led Booker Stanley down the field to grind out the clock against Penn State. The line led Dwayne Smith to almost 200 yards against Illinois and the line led Anthony Davis to Heisman status through only the first two games. There just might be some accuracy in quarterback Jim Sorgi calling this line the best that has ever come through the University of Wisconsin.