Wisconsin vs. Oregon: Badgers Defense Will Clamp Down Ducks in Rose Bowl

In a Rose Bowl where offense will be on display from start to finish, it will be the Wisconsin Badgers defense that takes home the glory and the win over the Oregon Ducks.

The Big Ten champion Badgers (11-2) will face off against the back-to-back-to-back Pac-12 champion Ducks (11-2) on Jan. 2 in the Rose Bowl (5:00 PM ET, ESPN) in Pasadena, California.

Oddly enough, both teams are the last two losers of the annual game. Wisconsin lost to undefeated TCU 21-19 in last year's game, while Oregon fell to Ohio State 26-17 back in 2010.

Punts will be few and far between on Monday, while touchdowns will be as common as first downs. Wisconsin's fourth-ranked scoring offense will move the ball easily against Oregon's porous D, which is allowing more than 23 points per game this season.

Oregon's third-ranked scoring offense will find points tough to come by late in the game, though, when Wisconsin's sixth-ranked scoring defense tightens up.

The Badgers are only allowing 17 points per game this season, and have allowed no more than 37 points in each of their two losses.  

That's a telling statistic considering they average more than 44 points per game. The Badgers offense can match the Ducks' score for score without question, and that greatly benefits Wisconsin's D.

Badgers quarterback Russell Wilson has been deadly efficient in 2011, throwing for 31 touchdowns and just three interceptions. 

That being said, Wilson won't be putting the Badgers defense in any compromising positions. 

Not to mention, Montee Ball's running style will keep the Ducks offense on the bench for good chunks of time. 

It all adds up to a rested Badgers defense making the one stop necessary to put the game out of reach for the Ducks. 

The Big Ten conference is often overrated, but the defense of teams like Wisconsin and Michigan State (ninth-ranked scoring defense) are no joke.

Four times the Badgers have allowed seven points or less this season, and though that won't be the case against an offense as prolific as Oregon's, that consistency will be the deciding factor. 

Oregon will rack up yards, but not enough points to top Wisconsin. The Badgers' defensive unit will be the star of the show in the Rose Bowl.