In anticipation of the nation’s biggest rivalry weekend (FSU-Miami, Texas-Oklahoma) and important conference showdowns (Georgia-Tennessee), college towns across the nation will be ransacked by football fever this upcoming Saturday, and Madison will be no exception. A pivotal afternoon of college football, aptly titled “Separation Saturday” by the media, will culminate in Madison with an 8 p.m. kickoff pitting the Wisconsin Badgers against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

With seven Big Ten teams ranked in this week’s polls and no team emerging as a front runner to win the conference title, the magnitude of a prospective Badger victory cannot be underestimated. With that being said, here are the five keys for the Badgers if they hope to sit in the driver’s seat on the road to Pasadena.

Don’t be in awe of the Buckeyes

Wisconsin, like the rest of the Big Ten, is well aware of Ohio State’s credentials. Touting a 19-game winning streak, the defending national champions will be the most high-profile team to visit Camp Randall in quite some time. If the Badgers expect to be competitive throughout this game, any preconception of the Buckeyes’ dominance must be thrown out the window.

On paper, the Buckeyes have all the makings of a defensive juggernaut, ranking first in the nation against the run. This cannot deter the running attack or offensive game plan of the Badgers. Bear in mind that Ohio State’s stout performance against the run has been against pass-oriented teams like Washington, N.C. State and Bowling Green. Neither of these teams comes close to matching the proficiency and success the Badgers have on the ground, so the 43 rushing-yards-per-game allowed by Ohio State has no bearing on this weekend’s matchup.

Case in point, Wisconsin welcomed a vaunted Michigan State squad in 1999 that also ranked first against the run; thereafter, the Badgers proceeded to run over the hapless Spartans.

Win the battle in the trenches

Led by center Donovan Raiola, who has performed at an All-American level this year, the offensive line has skewered through opposing defenses in conference play; this week’s game will allow everyone to gauge how much progress they have really made.

Anchored by Tim Anderson, Will Smith and Simon Fraser, the Ohio State defensive line has been insurmountable and is largely responsible for the team’s overall success on defense this year. With their size and athleticism, penetration in the backfield will not bode well for a Wisconsin team already hobbled with injuries. So the O-line has a tall order ahead of it.

Much of the Badgers’ success running the ball, particularly on plays where they pull their interior lineman, will depend on the ability of their O-line to neutralize the speed of Ohio State’s front four.

If Wisconsin’s offensive line can turn in another commanding performance, it will dictate the game’s offensive pace and play calling and turn the tables on the Buckeye defense.

Ohio State’s troubles on the road last year have been well documented. There was the overtime victory against Illinois, the late (and gutsy) fourth-down conversion against Purdue and the late interception against Wisconsin. Ohio State did not win by more than a touchdown in any of the aforementioned games.

This week’s game at Camp Randall will mark Ohio State’s first road game this year after a string of victories at the Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio. With a late kickoff and everything that it entails, the Buckeyes will be greeted by a rabid student section at full capacity, which may be unsettling for a team that has not performed up to par on the road.

Matt Bernstein, Jason Pociask and Dwayne Smith have each seen their reps increase during the season, in part because of their improving ability to pick up the blitz. With Ohio State’s team speed on the defensive side of the ball, they have been able to apply pressure successfully both up the gut and from the corners. This speed will most likely preclude the possibility of Jim Sorgi rolling out of the pocket or running any bootlegs, and thus the only way he will get the time he needs to make a completion is for one of the aforementioned players to spot the extra man in the box and foil the blitz.

Improve coverage underneath

Though Wisconsin’s defense has been effective against the run and seen improved play from their cornerbacks, it still remains vulnerable to athletic pass-catching tight ends. This spells trouble against an Ohio State offense that heavily features its tight end Ben Hartsock, a threat both down the middle and in the end zone. Whether it was the defensive scheme or Ryan Aiello’s soft coverage, Wisconsin’s defense made Penn State tight end Matt Kranchik look like an All-American last week. If Wisconsin continues to have trouble covering underneath, the field will open up even more for Ohio State’s game-breaking receivers, Michael Jenkins and Drew Carter, making this an absolute priority for the defense.