Auburn may be as fitting an opponent as Wisconsin can find. Both teams came into the season with lofty aspirations. Auburn was Sports Illustrated’s preseason choice for the national title. Wisconsin was to be a Big Ten title contender. Both teams held promise of solid defenses. Both teams were to be ranked throughout the season. None of these potentials fully materialized.

Such similarities, however, make the Music City Bowl an intriguing matchup.

“It should be a fun game between two physical teams that like to run the football,” Auburn head coach Tommy Tubberville said. “They also have a great wide receiver. We’re looking forward to the challenge. It should be a great football game.”

Auburn finished sixth in the SEC with a 5-3 record and completed the season 7-5 overall. The team struggled out of the gates, losing its first two games, including their season opener against Sugar Bowl snub Southern California and the following game to Georgia Tech.

The Tigers rebounded behind the play of running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams, who paced the team this season with 1,239 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, to win their next five games in a row. Two of those victories came against nationally ranked opponents Tennessee and Arkansas, both of which were in the top 10 at the time.

The streak ended with an overwhelming 31-7 loss to Louisiana State on Oct. 25. Auburn came up empty in losses to Ole Miss and Georgia but managed to down rival Alabama 28-23 in their annual Civil War game to end the regular season.

“The thing about Auburn is they have a tradition; they have a name,” UW head coach Barry Alvarez said. “Football is important, and they’ve had a lot of success. They’re always a good football team, and I think our guys are excited about that. That’s a team you want to play in a bowl game.”

The player on the spot for the Tigers will be quarterback Jason Campbell. He’s thrown 10 touchdowns to seven interceptions this season without a very reliable receiving corps. He’s looked bad in Auburn’s big games this season, particularly against Louisiana State.

But Auburn doesn’t need Campbell to do too much, but just to take care of the ball and make the handoffs to Williams and the rest of a very deep group of tailbacks.

Junior Brandon Jacobs has run for 446 yards in 2003 with an average of 6.2 yards per carry. Fellow junior Ronnie Brown has also added 384 yards and three touchdowns in what has been a very well-tuned running attack.

The Badger defensive has looked very good at times, but very mediocre at others. It’s a big game, and Alvarez usually finds ways to get his team to play up for important contests. Auburn won’t kill the Badgers with the pass, so the 3-3-5 format that worked so well against Michigan State won’t be much of an option. Missing tackles will not be an option for Wisconsin, either.

Finally, while Badger fans have been known to travel very well, Wisconsin will be headed into SEC country, where Auburn plays in Nashville every other season to play Vanderbilt. It’s an easy drive for the Tiger faithful, and they will be heard loud and clear.

“We are extremely pleased to be playing in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl,” said head football coach Tommy Tuberville. “We are excited to be playing Wisconsin and are looking forward to a great game. We are also looking forward to seeing a lot of orange in The Coliseum on Dec. 31.”