Ohio State-Wisconsin: College Football Zoom-In Game of the Week
Game Time: 7:00 ET
Channel: ESPN
Location: Camp Randall Stadium (Madison, Wisconsin)
The newly appointed No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes will pay a visit to Madison tomorrow night to face off against No. 18 Wisconsin in what is shaping up to be one of the best Big Ten match ups of the season.
This is the first time the Buckeyes will have to deal with a truly hostile environment, and Wisconsin looks to be the tougher than any other opponent they've faced all year.
Can Ohio State survive and remain unscathed, or will the Badgers come away with the ground shaking victory?
Let's take an in-depth look at some of the keys and storylines involved with the game.
Ohio State Spotlight Player: QB Terrelle Pryor
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The success of the Ohio State offense basically hinges on one man, quarterback Terrelle Pryor. When Pryor is playing at his best, that is when the unit is most effective.
The dual threat junior may be one of the best athletes in college football but he is also far from the most consistent. Pryor tightened up during last year's meeting with Wisconsin, completing just five of his 13 passes for 87 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
We've seen that Pryor has improved as an all around quarterback since that point last season, but he can't afford to struggle so severely in this year's contest.
Pryor's numbers on the year—1,300 passing yards, 68 percent completion percentage, 15 TDs to just three interceptions—are no doubt impressive, but it should be interesting to see how he performs in a game of this magnitude.
Wisconsin Spotlight Player: RB John Clay
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You can't draw up a more perfect running back that's better suited for Wisconsin's offense than John Clay.
The 6'1" 255 lb. junior is a big, powerful back capable of eating up carries and wearing down defenses.
Clay has averaged six yards a carry on 115 attempts and scored nine touchdowns already this year, and he only looks like he's going to keep plugging away and adding to that total as the season progresses.
Clay is the type of runner that is capable of wearing down any defense, even one that is as talented as Ohio State's.
If the big back flips on the switch and goes into bulldozer mode, it could spell trouble for Buckeyes.
Wisconsin's Home Dominance
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Like their counterpart in tomorrow's game, Wisconsin is a team that doesn't lose very often at home. In fact, they've lost just four games in the last six years at Camp Randall Stadium.
Head Coach Bret Bielema made the point this week that if you give 80,000 Badger fans the entire day to "get their minds right", it could mean a very loud and raucous environment for any visitor.
Ohio State came away with a win the last time they traveled up to Madison back in 2008, but it was far from a comfortable defeat, as the Buckeyes scored with a minute remaining to pull off a 20-17 victory.
It wouldn't be surprising to see another low scoring, close affair this time around.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Bret Bielema Looking for Landmark Win
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Bret Bielema has experienced some great success in his four years as coach of Wisconsin.
Bielema has two bowl wins and a 43-15 career record to his credit, but one thing the coach doesn't have is that one true statement win.
Pulling off a victory over a No. 1 ranked team who just so happens to be a bitter conference foe and doing it in front of your own fan base would certainly change that.
If the Badgers can topple the Buckeyes, it would no doubt be the biggest win of the Bielema tenure.
Big Ten Title Impliacations
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Ohio State has won an outright or shared Big Ten Conference Championship each of the last five seasons.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, hasn't tasted the thrill of conference supremacy since 1999, the last time they went to the Rose Bowl.
Both teams have aspirations of winning the conference this season and that quest starts right here in this pivotal showdown.
Ohio State still has thoughts of playing in the National Championship game, but a loss tomorrow night would severely diminish those hopes.
Even though they already have one Big Ten blemish on their resume, if Wisconsin could win this one, they would gain a big advantage in the race for the conference title.
Ohio State Offense Vs. Wisconsin Defense
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Don't be fooled. Pryor isn't the only capable playmaker on this Ohio State offense.
The Buckeyes also have two talented runners in Boom Herron and Brandon Saine who are capable of picking up large chunks of yards behind one of the biggest and best offensive lines in America led by center Mike Brewster and guard Justin Boren.
Pryor's two main targets, DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher, have already accounted for 10 receiving touchdowns this season, and it will be up to Wisconsin cornerbacks Niles Brinkley and Antonio Fenelus to try and contain them.
One Badger defender who could give Ohio State some problems is defensive end J.J. Watt. The junior is stout against the run and tenacious as a pass rusher, and his nonstop motor can wear down opposing offensive linemen throughout the course of a game.
Ohio State Offensive Lineup
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Quarterback: Terrelle Pryor (2)
Running Back: Brandon Saine (3)
Fullback: Zach Boren (44)
Wide Receiver: DeVier Posey (8)
Wide Receiver: Dane Sanzenbacher (12)
Tight End: Jake Stoneburner (11)
Left Tackle: Mike Adams (75)
Left Guard: Justin Boren (65)
Center: Mike Brewster (50)
Right Guard: Bryant Browning (70)
Right Tackle: J.B. Shugarts (76)
Wisconsin Defensive Lineup
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Defensive Tackle: Jordan Khout (91)
Defensive Tackle: Patrick Butrym (95)
Defensive End: J.J. Watt (99)
Defensive End: Louis Nzegwu (93)
Outside Linebacker: Mike Taylor (53)
Middle Linebacker: Culmer St. Jean (15)
Outside Linebacker: Blake Sorensen (9)
Cornerback: Niles Brinkley (29)
Cornerback: Antonio Fenelus (26)
Free Safety: Aaron Henry (7)
Strong Safety: Jay Valai (2)
Wisconsin Offense Vs. Ohio State Defense
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It's no secret what the Badgers want to do offensively. They want to pound their opponent into submission.
Running Backs John Clay and James White look to be one of the best combos in the nation and perfectly adept at doing just that.
The two have already combined for over 1,000 yards on the ground.
Stopping Clay and White has to be priority No. 1 for this Ohio State front seven led by defensive end Cameron Heyward and linebacker Brian Rolle.
If the two backs get some momentum running behind this powerful offensive line, then it opens things up for efficient quarterback Scott Tolzien to beat the Buckeyes through the air.
Wisconsin Offensive Lineup
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Quarterback: Scott Tolzien (16)
Running Back: John Clay (32)
Wide Receiver: Isaac Anderson (6)
Wide Receiver: Nick Toon (1)
Wide Receiver: David Gilreath (85)
Tight End: Lance Kendricks (84)
Left Tackle: Gabe Carimi (68)
Left Guard: John Moffitt (74)
Center: Peter Konz (66)
Right Guard: Kevin Zeitler (70)
Right Tackle: Ricky Wagner (58)
Ohio State Defensive Lineup
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Defensive Tackle: John Simon (54)
Defensive Tackle: Dexter Larimore (72)
Defensive End: Cameron Heyward (97)
Defensive End: Nathan Williams (43)
Outside Linebacker: Brian Rolle (36)
Middle Linebacker: Ross Homan (51)
Outside Linebacker: Andrew Sweat (42)
Cornerback: Chimdi Chekwa (5)
Cornerback: Devon Torrence (1)
Free Safety: Jermale Hines (7)
Strong Safety: Orhian Johnson (19)
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
