[media-credit name=’RAY PFEIFFER/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Earlier in the week during a media conference, Penn State head coach Joe Paterno couldn't recall the names of some of the members of Wisconsin's 10th-ranked defense and didn't exactly gush over its accomplishments.

"We heard in the paper that Joe Paterno didn't really give us credit for some of the things we did against a couple of other teams," UW linebacker DeAndre Levy said.

Following the Badgers 13-3 suffocation of the Nittany Lions, where Paterno had to leave on a cart due to a left knee injury on a sideline collision in the third quarter, it's safe to say Joe Pa might know the names of the UW defenders.

"If anyone doesn't respect us now, I don't know what it will take," cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu said, before jokingly expressing surprise that anyone, even a 79-year-old man, could forget his unique last name.

Wisconsin's defense showed up strong again on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium, holding the Nittany Lions to a mere 36 yards rushing — 22 of which came on a quarterback Anthony Morelli scramble on their final drive — and just three points.

"Penn State's defense was a great defense last year, one of the best I think I've ever faced," offensive tackle Joe Thomas said. "They returned very few guys from that squad, and I think they were getting a lot of recognition from some of the stuff they did last year. I think our defense is a better defense than them, and the recognition they are going to get after this game is deserved."

While the face of Penn State's program was unable to finish the game, UW didn't escape unscathed itself as senior quarterback John Stocco left the game early in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury after taking a big hit from the Nittany Lions' Sean Lee, who forced and subsequently recovered a controversial fumble on the play.

"He obviously hurt his right shoulder, but it is nothing we were overly concerned with at the time," Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema said, adding that he did not consider re-inserting Stocco back into the game.

Stocco's status for next week's game at Iowa is unclear, and if the fifth-year veteran can't play, the starter would be junior Tyler Donovan, who took over for Stocco in the final minutes on Saturday.

"I think Tyler gives us a little bit of a different dimension," Thomas said. "We can throw some different game plan plays in there, and I'd be very confident with Tyler back there."

With the victory, the Badgers improved to 9-1 (6-1 Big Ten) clinching at least a third place finish in the conference, making them just about a lock for the Capital One Bowl in Orlando on Jan. 1.

"Our third Jan. 1 bowl in a row," Thomas said. "Since I've been a starter, we've been to a Jan. 1 bowl every year and that really means a lot."

The Badgers shut down Penn State by focusing on the running attack, as they believed Morelli, a first-year starter, would be incapable of hurting a staunch UW passing defense that came into the game ranked second nationally.

"We really zeroed in on their running back (Tony Hunt)," defensive end Joe Monty said. "[Last year] they had [quarterback] Michael Robinson. They had a double threat in the backfield. They don't have that this year."

"We thought we saw a weakness, [Hunt] didn't really show he was really tough," Levy added. "Early on, he was limping off the field a little bit and that was something we emphasized all week was to attack him. Once we attacked him and stopped him, there was nothing else they could do to you."

The Badgers took control late in the first half, putting together a nine-play, 68-yard drive highlighted by a very close fourth-and-one conversion by running back P.J. Hill. The play preceded a 19-yard touchdown pass from Stocco to Paul Hubbard four plays later, where Hubbard, whose hands have been questioned this season due to a series of drops, went up and made a superb catch over Penn State's Anthony Scirrotto.

"We were giving him some catching pills," Bielema joked, poking fun at his controversial comment earlier in the week about giving Hill some toughen-up pills. "He's a young guy that has continued to make plays in every ball game and has continued to move forward."

Hill looked strong returning from injury, after having to miss most of the second half last week. He rushed for 148 yards on 31 carries by again punishing defenders by initiating contact.

"I think he really improves our offense when he is in there," Thomas said. "He pushes the pile, always falls forward, gains an extra one or two yards, turning a run that is maybe only two yards into a four-yard gain."

The win sets up UW's Big Ten finale against an Iowa team that recalls the recent history of the series.

"No one on the team has beaten Iowa yet," said linebacker Mark Zalewski, one of six starting seniors for the Badgers. "This is always a big rivalry game, and I know the seniors want to go out with a win against a team that [we] have never beaten."