After failing to improve to 10-0 for the first time in school history, the Badger football team (9-1, 6-1) had little time to pick up the pieces and regroup. After the 49-14 debacle in East Lansing, Mich., in which the Badgers’ top-ranked scoring defense allowed 551 total yards of offense, Wisconsin dropped five spots in both polls and a crucial eight spots in the BCS standings. While this loss was new territory for the previously No. 4-ranked Badgers, Coach Alvarez is confident that his team will bounce back in Iowa City Saturday, where Wisconsin has won two out of the last three meetings with the Hawkeyes.
“I have many losses that were more difficult than this one,” Alvarez said. “I think when you are beaten soundly, [the loss] is easier to get behind you. It wasn’t like you got beat in the last second or you walked off the field and felt should have won the game. We were beat in all phases of the game. So, you move on. You move forward and take a look at where you are, what you are playing for and what you have to correct. You never like to lose, but [our coaching staff] have many more that are more difficult to accept than this one.”
Scouting Drew Tate: After suffering a pair of blow-out losses on the road against Arizona State and Michigan in late September, the Hawkeyes have been one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten, winning six straight conference games.
Iowa’s winning streak can be attributed to the resurgence of their offense, which has scored over 23 points five times during the win streak. The backbone of Iowa’s offense is first-year starter Drew Tate, who like John Stocco has quickly matured in becoming one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten. Tate ranks first in the Big Ten in passing (268 passing yards per game) and second in pass efficiency (136.4).
In Saturday’s road win over Minnesota, Tate completed 24 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns, bringing his season total to 15 touchdown passes this year. According to Coach Alvarez, Tate’s rise to the top of the Big Ten was no accident, and neither was Iowa’s ability to overcome its injury problems this season.
“[Iowa] at the beginning of the year, I think, was more balanced,” Alvarez said. “I don’t think they wanted to put to much pressure on the young quarterback. [Iowa] had a nice stable of running backs, but because of the injuries to their running backs, [Iowa] has had to put more of the offense in [quarterback Drew Tate’s] hands. Tate has grown with [the offense] … and they used his mobility and escapeability to get the ball around. Tate probably handles much more of the offense than you would think for a first year starter.”
Pasadena or Florida: With a national championship out of reach and the visions of roses starting to wilt, the Badgers are in a must-win situation as the Badgers finish the regular season traveling to the No. 17-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.
In order for the Badgers to reach the Rose Bowl, they will need to beat Iowa and hope that Ohio State can pull the upset at home at Michigan. If Michigan loses and Wisconsin wins, both teams would have identical conference records but the Badgers would go to the Rose Bowl because of a better overall record.
If Wisconsin and Michigan both win, Michigan would go to the Rose Bowl and the Badgers would most likely play in the Capital One Bowl against either Tennessee or Georgia.
If the Badgers lose, Wisconsin would finish third in the Big Ten and play in the Outback Bowl in Orlando. With all the scenarios on the table, Coach Alvarez knows that all his team can control is its showdown with the Hawkeyes.
“I know we are going to a bowl, but there are just too many things that could happen,” Alvarez said. “We have been on the phone. We talked with the Big Ten yesterday and talked about situations. I talked to some of the bowl people today. I think you always want to sit down and lay off different scenarios and what could possibly happen and there’s a lot that could possibly happen. I think you saw that with our game [against Michigan State] and with other games around the country. I do know we’re going bowling and that’s all that really matters.”
