[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]When No. 10 Wisconsin beat Buffalo 35-3 Saturday, five different Badgers found the end zone in UW's regular season finale. It was the picture of offensive balance.

Fitting, because when UW head coach Bret Bielema's weekly nominations for Badger MVPs are totaled up, there is not one offensive leader. In fact, six different Wisconsin players each won offensive MVP of the week honors twice.

John Stocco, Andy Crooks, Luke Swan, Paul Hubbard and Marcus Coleman each earned their second nominations in order, beginning with the Minnesota game Oct. 14. Then, with his five-catch, 135-yard performance against Buffalo, Travis Beckum made it a six-pack with his second selection of the year.

"He continued to show us how his abilities can affect a ball game," Bielema said at his Monday press conference. "Especially with our second-string quarterback in there, with Tyler Donovan, the way they were able to connect and make some positive yardage."

Mark Zalewski's hard-nosed play and his vocal leadership, with the Bulls threatening to score at one point, earned him his fourth defensive MVP spot, leading his unit in that category.

"I thought he kind of took the game over there at one particular point on that goal-line stand," Bielema said. "It spoke volumes of his play."

Ken DeBauche earned his second special teams MVP nomination with his 45.8 yard per punt average on four boots, but kicker Taylor Mehlhaff stole the show over the course of the season, earning five weekly selections.

"Kenny DeBauche had a kill inside the five as well as the long punt that really changed field position early in the game," Bielema said.

Jerry Butler was offensive scout team MVP and Kirk DeCremer was the defensive scout team player of the week. Both Butler and DeCremer earned their third selections this week, and each led his respective unit in the category in 2006.

Several players disparagingly voiced their opinions about being pushed out of the BCS by that pesky rule that allows no more than two teams from any conference to play in one of the five major bowl games.

Bielema was nonchalant in reacting to comments from players like Jack Ikegwuonu and Joe Monty, saying in their own way that they wish they could get another shot at Michigan or that they're still holding on to the slimmest of hopes that Wisconsin could slide into the Rose Bowl.

"They probably responded because you asked them," Bielema said of his players reflecting on their only loss of the season, a 27-13 defeat at Michigan Sept. 23. "But you know what? … I think we are greatly improved."

With all the success that came from Wisconsin's many unknowns — new coach, new coaching staff, new offensive core — Bielema admitted it's easy to pick out the one period of play the Badgers would love to have back from the 2006 season.

"It'd be a natural reaction to, you know, what's the one thing that you may look upon during the past year that you could change," Bielema said. "Obviously the second half of the Michigan game jumps out in everybody's mind."

Coach of the year?

There have been murmurs that Bielema should receive strong consideration for Big Ten Coach of the Year for his efforts in the 2006 season.

When asked about his vote for the prestigious honor, Bielema named Ohio State coach Jim Tressel as his choice, as the Buckeyes coach led his top-ranked squad to an unblemished regular season, capped by Saturday's momentous defeat of rival No. 2 Michigan.

"I think what he's been able to do this year and then show through on Saturday what he did [has been great]," Bielema said of Tressel, whose Ohio State team is expected to participate as the favored squad in the BCS Championship Game in Glendale, Ariz. on Jan. 8.

Bielema said if he were to win the award, all the praise would have to go to his assistant coaches, the players and everyone else associated with UW's program.

"If I receive that award … it's really an indication of what our staff and what our team has been able to do," Bielema said. "When it was brought to our attention that we won 10 games for the first time in the amount of time that we did in the Big Ten Conference, I know I wasn't the only guy [doing the job]. We did it with a group and a team that was able to go out there and accomplish that."

Sit back and relax

With the next five weeks off from game play, Bielema said he is looking forward to enjoying the upcoming three weekends of college football, as a wide selection of games with BCS implications will be played out before the bowl season begins.

"You betcha I'm excited," Bielema said. "I'm a sports fan. Like I said last week, I went back and watched that Ohio State-Michigan game and saw a great contest amongst two great teams."

But it's not just college football that intrigues Bielema in the first week after the conclusion of his regular season. Bielema also expressed his excitement for the chance to show support for other Wisconsin programs.

"I'm going to go to the women's game tonight at [7 p.m.] and watch a good women's basketball team play," said Bielema, who attended the Wisconsin women's basketball game against UW-Milwaukee Monday night. "So it's kind of nice to sit back for a couple weeks, know that there's a couple teams out there that have some games and sit back on Saturday and watch them work a little bit."