The Badgers have their work cut out for them.
The celebration is over, and it’s time to get back to business.
After dispatching one of the more celebrated teams in the recent history of college football, Wisconsin finds itself on the top of the Big Ten at 3-0, tied with the unexpectedly contending Michigan State Spartans. But it’s no time to get complacent, and the Badgers know this.
With seven — believe it or not — seven Big Ten teams ranked in the nation’s top 25, the race to the finish line is going to be a tough one for the Badgers to maintain the driver’s seat to the league championship. However, their quick start provides Barry and company with a position they haven’t found themselves in for quite awhile.
It’s the Badgers’ conference for the taking if they can run the gamut, and while that might be a lot to ask, there are clearly some differences in this year’s team that makes them a more believable contender than those of years past.
First of all, there’s the confidence factor. The team practices loose and seems to prepare well, week in and week out. The offensive line and fullback Matt Bernstein punish opposing defenses, opening up rushing lanes that have allowed the Badgers to recover from the loss of home run hitting tailback Anthony Davis. Defensively, the Badgers finally have a performance to hang their hats on, penetrating a very talented offensive line to pester Craig Krenzel.
And after last weekend’s performance the confidence has spilled into a swagger, and the Badgers believe they have what it takes to make the climb to the top.
“No doubt, with the confidence we have in ourselves,” center Donovan Raiola said, “we think we can win every game, and that’s how we play.”
Add to that the influence of seasoned veterans like Jim Sorgi, Lee Evans and Jeff Mack, players who have played on or practiced with the last Badger team to win the conference.
Then there is Wisconsin’s fourth quarter ability. In the past few seasons, for whatever reason, be it inexperience or lack of execution, the Badgers haven’t been able to finish games. Games against Michigan, Indiana, Oregon and Penn State stand out as ugly reminders of how much a lack of focus and performance can doom a team despite its talented roster.
In 2003, the Badgers seem to have turned the table, closing out victories and making key plays late in games against West Virginia, Akron and Penn State. Wisconsin has stepped it up when it’s had to, which is much more than you can say for a team that seemed to fall into complacency in the middle of last year’s conference season.
“I think our guys have played well in the fourth quarter and have made plays in all phases in the fourth quarter, starting with the opening game,” Alvarez said. “You know, we tried to use the bowl game as a springboard where we did that — our defense stepped up, our kicking game stepped up and the offense drove us the length of the field to get us into overtime and win the game. And we did it in the West Virginia game. We’ve played well in the fourth quarter. I think our guys have done what they have had to do thus far this season.”
Look across the Badger sideline as the third quarter comes to a close. Every player, every coach has four fingers in the air. Quite simply, the Badgers believe the fourth quarter belongs to them.
“The fourth quarter is our quarter, no matter what you say,” Raiola said after the Badger victory over Ohio State. “It’s always our quarter. I think you can see that with everyone on the field, and we look so confident going into the fourth.”
And then there’s the spotlight. The Badgers proved Saturday that they are in fact an act fit for the big stage. With ESPN’s Game Day crew traveling to Madison this weekend, the Badgers will find it hard to escape the national spotlight.
It’s a long road to the top of the Big Ten, and the competition will be tough. But the Badgers are showing more grit and strut the farther they move into the season. With the taste of victory in their mouths, the Badgers believe that a trip to Pasadena isn’t out of reach.
