Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Football: 5 Things To Watch When Badgers Host the Huskers

The seventh-ranked Wisconsin Badgers welcome the eighth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers to the Big Ten on Saturday night when the conference's top two teams meet under the lights at Camp Randall.

For the Badgers, it is a chance to establish themselves as the new team to beat in the Big Ten.

For the Huskers, it is a chance to prove they belong. 

Here are five things to watch from Madison this weekend. 

Are the Badgers Ready for Prime Time?

Wisconsin rolled through the first four weeks of the 2011 season, outscoring their opponents 194-34.

It was an impressive start, but it came against the likes of UNLV (1-3), Oregon State (0-3), Northern Illinois (2-2) and FCS opponent South Dakota. 

The Huskers are going to be making their Big Ten debut, and the game is set to be played in front of a national TV audience on ABC.

Are the Badgers ready to live up to their billing as the team to beat in the Big Ten?  

Are the Huskers Ready for the Prime Time?

Like the Badgers, the Huskers are off to a 4-0 start.

Despite their No. 8 ranking and a lot of hype, Bo Pelini's squad hasn't been all that impressive early on. 

Their defense has been shaky, and they needed a couple of big plays late from Taylor Martinez and the offense to get past Fresno State in Lincoln.

If Nebraska can beat the Badgers in Madison, nobody will remember their early struggles. 

Is Russell Wilson a Legitimate Heisman Contender?

Russell Wilson has been everything the Badgers had hoped for and then some.

Through four games, the first-year Wisconsin quarterback has thrown for over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing 76 percent of his passes. 

On Saturday, Wilson faces his first real test.

The Huskers defense has struggled at times this season, but they certainly pose a bigger challenge than the Rebels, Beavers, Huskies and Coyotes.

If Wilson has another huge game against a Top 10 team in front of a national television audience, expect him to skyrocket to the top of the Heisman watch list.

Is Taylor Martinez One of the Big Ten's Best?

Russell Wilson has established himself as the class of the Big Ten at the quarterback position, and Michigan's Denard Robinson is known nationwide for his jaw-dropping athletic ability and big-play potential. 

Where does that leave Nebraska signal-caller Taylor Martinez?

Like Robinson, Martinez is a run-first, pass-second quarterback. 

If the Badgers fail to stop him Saturday and he runs wild at Camp Randall, the Nebraska sophomore will find himself in the upper echelon of Big Ten QBs. 

National Title Implications?

Saturday's matchup between the Badgers and the Huskers has been hyped since Nebraska jumped ship to the Big Ten last year.

It is arguably the biggest game of the 2011 season to date, and the winner will leave the field Saturday night with an inside track to the Big Ten championship and a possible berth in the BCS title game. 

Many of this season's biggest games have been duds—see: Boise State-Georgia, LSU-Oregon and LSU-West Virginia.

Will Saturday's clash in Madison be any different, and will the winner be playing for the Coaches' Trophy at season's end?