ESPN College Football

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Greetings from The Shoe.

Ohio State hosts No. 15 on Homecoming night in a game that can't be understated for both teams. The weather is cool and the winds are calm. It should stay dry tonight.

Wisconsin must avoid a hangover after its heart-wrenching loss to Michigan State and prevent a second defeat that could knock the Big Ten preseason favorite out of the Leaders division race. Ohio State momentarily stopped the doom and gloom enveloping Luke Fickell and a beleaguered program with an Oct. 15 win at Illinois. Following a bye week, the Buckeyes can put themselves in the thick of the division race with a victory tonight.

Wisconsin beat Ohio State 31-18 last year in Madison en route to earning the Big Ten's automatic BCS bowl berth. The Badgers won the game at the line of scrimmage, bullying Ohio State like few teams in recent memory. Once again, Wisconsin must win the battle up front, especially in the run game, which sizzled with junior Montee Ball last week against Michigan State but faces a formidable challenge up the middle with Buckeyes defensive tackles John Simon and Johnathan Hankins.

Ohio State's defense carried the team against Illinois and will need an even better performance tonight against Russell Wilson and the Big Ten's top scoring offense (47.4 ppg). But the big question for the Buckeyes is whether the offense can show greater variety after attempting just four passes and completing only one at Illinois. Coordinator Jim Bollman has had two weeks to work with quarterback Braxton Miller, and you should expect to see some wrinkles with the Buckeyes' offensive scheme. This is also a big opportunity for Wisconsin's defense, which struggled to contain Michigan State's perimeter speed last week.

Special teams loomed large in last year's game, as David Gilreath returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown to give Wisconsin a lead it never relinquished. The Badgers must rebound in the kicking game after enduring several breakdowns against Michigan State.

This is a big moment for both head coaches. Ohio State's Luke Fickell is fairly or unfairly coaching for his future and needs a strong finish and some signature wins to impress his bosses. While I believe Fickell has handled an extremely difficult situation well, the bottom line always is wins and losses, especially at a program like Ohio State.

Wisconsin's Bret Bielema, meanwhile, must show he can get his team recharged after the most deflating loss of his head-coaching career. Bielema's record at Camp Randall Stadium speaks for itself, but a second consecutive road loss with an extremely talented team will raise some doubts.

Bottom line: We'll know a lot more about the Leaders division race after tonight's game.

Don't even think about going anywhere. This is the place to be for coverage throughout the night.

Our look at three fresh faces to watch for each Big Ten team this season continues with the Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin has produced the past two Big Ten Freshmen of the Year (RB James White in 2010, LB Chris Borland in 2009).

These players are freshmen, redshirt freshmen, transfers or upperclassmen ready to move into much bigger roles this season.

OFFENSE: Manasseh Garner, TE/WR, sophomore, 6-2, 210

Wisconsin needs more pass-catching options to help its new starting quarterback, and Garner should see an increased role this fall. The Badgers love to feature their tight ends as receivers, and Garner has the speed and athleticism to get open in the middle of the field. He played mostly on special teams as a true freshman but had a nice spring and fits the tight end-wide receiver hybrid mold, much like former All-Big Ten standout Lance Kendricks. Garner had four receptions for 57 yards in the spring game.

DEFENSE: Marcus Trotter, LB, redshirt freshman, 6-0, 235

Injuries to top middle linebackers Chris Borland and Ethan Armstrong allowed Trotter to play with the first-team defense this spring. Trotter capitalized on the opportunity, impressing the coaches with his play and increasing his chances of seeing the field this season. He had five tackles and a forced fumble in the spring game and boasts a knack for being around the ball. Trotter provides some insurance in case Borland's shoulder issues crop up again.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Kenzel Doe, WR, freshman, 5-8, 170

Wisconsin hopes Doe can step in following the departure of longtime return man David Gilreath. Doe enrolled early and had an impressive spring, drawing comparisons to Gilreath and showing good leaping ability to counter his size. The coaches will give him immediate opportunities on returns as Wisconsin tries to remain among the Big Ten leaders.

More Fresh Faces

• Michigan State
• Northwestern
• Iowa
• Purdue

As promised, here is an updated list of undrafted Big Ten players who have now found homes with NFL teams.

Players not included on the original list appear in bold.

ILLINOIS

• CB Travon Bellamy, St. Louis Rams
• WR Jarred Fayson: New Orleans Saints
• G Randall Hunt: St. Louis Rams
• WR/QB Eddie McGee: Oakland Raiders
• DE Clay Nurse: New England Patriots

INDIANA

• QB Ben Chappell: Washington Redskins
• WR Terrance Turner: Philadelphia Eagles

IOWA

• P Ryan Donahue: Detroit Lions
• LB Jeremiah Hunter: New Orleans Saints
• TE Allen Reisner: Minnesota Vikings
• LS Andrew Schulze: Atlanta Falcons
• LB Jeff Tarpinian: New England Patriots

MICHIGAN

• T Perry Dorrestein: New York Jets
• CB James Rogers: Denver Broncos
• TE Martell Webb: Philadelphia Eagles

MICHIGAN STATE

• WR Mark Dell: Denver Broncos
• TE Charlie Gantt: Kansas City Chiefs
• LB Eric Gordon: Jacksonville Jaguars
• T D.J. Young: Arizona Cardinals

MINNESOTA

• T Dom Alford: Cleveland Browns
• FB Jon Hoese: Green Bay Packers
• QB Adam Weber: Denver Broncos

NEBRASKA

• K Adi Kunalic: Carolina Panthers
• TE Mike McNeill: Indianapolis Colts
• DE Pierre Allen: Seattle Seahawks
• G Ricky Henry: Chicago Bears
• QB Zac Lee: Seattle Seahawks
• T D.J. Jones: Miami Dolphins
• S Rickey Thenarse: Seattle Seahawks

NORTHWESTERN

• DT Corbin Bryant: Chicago Bears
• LB Quentin Davie: Detroit Lions

OHIO STATE

• G Bryant Browning: St. Louis Rams
• G Justin Boren: Baltimore Ravens
• RB Brandon Saine: Green Bay Packers
• WR Dane Sanzenbacher: Chicago Bears
• DT Dexter Larimore: New Orleans Saints
• CB Devon Torrence: Minnesota Vikings

PENN STATE

• WR Brett Brackett: Miami Dolphins
• LB Chris Colasanti: Indianapolis Colts
• T Lou Eliades: Oakland Raiders
• LB Bani Gbadyu: Oakland Raiders
• DT Ollie Ogbu: Indianapolis Colts

PURDUE

• TE Kyle Adams: Chicago Bears
• WR Keith Smith: Detroit Lions

WISCONSIN

• CB Niles Brinkley: Pittsburgh Steelers
• RB John Clay: Pittsburgh Steelers
• WR David Gilreath: Indianapolis Colts
• QB Scott Tolzien: San Diego Chargers

Our preseason position ranking series comes to an end today with everybody's favorite group: special teams.

For this ranking, we're going to consider punters, kickers and returners only. No offense to the long-snappers or the punt-team gunners, but things like kickoff coverage units are hard to forecast. We'll give a little extra weight to teams that have returning and proven players at these spots, because it's difficult to know how new punters and kickers will fare when the pressure of real games begin.

As the guys in these positions would say, let's kick it:

1. Michigan State: Kicker Dan Conroy made 14 of his 15 attempts last year, and Keshawn Martin led the league in punt return average. They will miss punter Aaron Bates and will have to improve their kickoff return game. And you know you always have to watch out for the fake when the Spartans line up for a kick.

2. Wisconsin: The Badgers are set at both punter and kicker, with seniors Brad Nortman and Philip Welch, respectively. Both are third-year starters who can be relied upon. Wisconsin will need to find a replacement for primary return man David Gilreath.

3. Penn State: The Nittany Lions bring back punter Anthony Fera and punt returner Devon Smith, who finished just behind Martin in yards per attempt last season. Chaz Powell and Stephfon Green are dangerous kick returners. Fera could move over to handle field goals this season if incoming freshman Sam Ficken doesn't win the job.

4. Ohio State: The Buckeyes have a veteran punter in senior Ben Buchanan and two threats to take a kick to the house in Jordan Hall and Jaamal Berry. Sophomore Drew Basil is expected to take over at place-kicker. Special teams are almost always a force in Columbus.

5. Purdue: No one in the league has a bigger leg than Carson Wiggs; the questions is whether he can consistently harness it. Punter Cody Webster averaged 43.3 yards per attempt last season, second best among returning punters. The Boilermakers' return game needs to improve.

6. Illinois: Derek Dimke was a Lou Groza semifinalist last season and broke the school record for points by a kicker. He nailed two 50-plus yarders. Ray Guy semifinalist Anthony Santella is gone, though return man Troy Pollard is back.

7. Northwestern: Brandon Williams improved at punter as his freshman year went along last season. The Wildcats at long last have an elite return option in Venric Mark. But place-kicker was a concern this spring, with Jeff Budzien and Steve Flaherty competing for the job.

8. Iowa: Kirk Ferentz's teams usually find a way to be good on special teams, so odds are the Hawkeyes will climb these rankings. But they lost a lot from 2010, including Ray Guy finalist and four-year starter Ryan Donahue, plus both primary return men. Eric Guthrie held the edge at punter after the spring. Place-kicker Mike Meyer returns after taking over that role for the final 10 games and doing a solid job.

9. Indiana: Mitch Ewald was named to the Groza watch list after a strong freshman year in which he made 16 of 19 field goals. Chris Hagerup needs to increase his punting average of 39.4 yards. The Hoosiers should have enough athletes to replace Tandon Doss on returns.

10. Minnesota: Dan Orseske's 36.1-yard average was worst among starting Big Ten punters in 2010, so that must get better. Jerry Kill must also find a new place-kicker -- NC State transfer Chris Hawthorne looks like the top option. Troy Stoudermire, one of the league's top return specialists, is back for his senior year.

11. Nebraska: Like Iowa, this is a team that will almost assuredly outperform this ranking. But boy did the Huskers lose a lot of talent and experience. It will be difficult to match the value that punter/kicker Alex Henery brought -- Brett Maher and freshman Mauro Bondi will battle to replace him -- and Adi Kunalic was a secret weapon as kickoff specialist. Top returner Niles Pau is gone, too. The Cornhuskers will likely reload, but nobody has bigger shoes to fill at these positions in the Big Ten.

12. Michigan: The kicking game looked like a disaster this spring, with neither Seth Broekhuizen nor Brendan Gibbons inspiring confidence. Incoming freshman Matt Wile might win the job this summer. This could prove to be an Achilles' heel for the Wolverines, as it was a year ago. On the plus side, Will Hagerup is the leading returning punter in the Big Ten, though he had only 33 attempts last season.

The spring superlatives series, which examines the strongest and weakest positions for each Big Ten team this spring, continues with the Wisconsin Badgers.

Strongest position: Running back

• Key returnees: Montee Ball (163 carries, 996 rush yards, 18 TDs, 16 receptions, 128 receiving yards); James White (156 carries, 1,052 rush yards, 14 TDs, 11 receptions, 88 receiving yards)
• Key losses: John Clay (187 carries, 1,012 rush yards, 14 TDs)
• The skinny: It's a close call between running back and offensive line, which will remain very good despite the losses of two All-Americans (Gabe Carimi and John Moffitt). But the Badgers have two running backs who would start for any Big Ten team, a luxury that should help as they go through a transition at quarterback in 2011. White provided a new element to Wisconsin's rushing attack and should only get better as he gets older and stronger. Few players in the country had a stronger second half in 2010 than Ball, who slimmed down in the offseason and should be dynamic this season. Clay's power will be missed at times, but Ball and White are more than capable of carrying the load in 2011.

Weakest position: Pass catcher (WR or TE)

• Key returnees: WR Nick Toon (36 catches, 459 yards, 3 TDs); WR Jared Abbrederis (20 catches, 289 yards, 3 TDs); TE Jacob Pedersen (8 catches, 132 yards, 2 TDs)
• Key losses: TE Lance Kendricks (43 catches, 663 yards, 5 TDs); WR Isaac Anderson (24 catches, 233 yards); WR David Gilreath (23 catches, 370 yards, 1 TD)
• The skinny: Wisconsin really needs a big senior season from Toon, who had injury issues and saw his numbers drop in 2010. If Toon doesn't surge, the Badgers could have some problems in the passing game as a new starting quarterback takes over. Abbrederis is a nice player who should see his role increase, but the Badgers likely will need another receiver or two to emerge this spring or in the fall. They can't assume Pedersen will become the next Kendricks, a major threat to defenses as a pass-catching tight end. Unlike spread teams, Wisconsin doesn't need five or six options in the pass game, just two or three good ones. While there's potential here, this group has a lot to prove.

Following the lead of my colleagues David Ubben and Chris Low, I wanted to examine the top in-game atmospheres from the 2010 season.

This is clearly a subjective list, so to be fair, I only considered games I attended this past season. Although I could sense the electricity of games like Wisconsin-Iowa and Notre Dame-Michigan State as I watched them on TV, I couldn't get the full experience since I wasn't there in person.

Here are my top five game atmospheres from 2010:

1. Ohio State at Wisconsin, Oct. 16: Electricity filled Camp Randall Stadium on a perfect October night as Wisconsin hosted the nation's No. 1 team. The place started rocking from the opening kickoff as David Gilreath scored on a 97-yard return. Badger fans shook the stadium with "Jump Around" to begin the fourth quarter and stormed the field after Wisconsin recorded a season-defining win against the Buckeyes. This was the obvious choice for No. 1.

2. Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. TCU, Jan. 1: There's simply no setting in college sports that compares to Pasadena on New Year's Day, and this year's Rose Bowl didn't disappoint. Wisconsin fans showed up in force and lifted their team in the fourth quarter with "Jump Around." TCU fans also did their part to provide a terrific atmosphere for a non-traditional Rose Bowl game.

3. Northwestern at Penn State, Nov. 7 (second half and post-game): I can't excuse the Penn State students for showing up late, but Beaver Stadium lived up to its excellent reputation in the second half. Penn State mounted the largest comeback in the Joe Paterno era to give the coaching legend his 400th career victory. Everyone stuck around after the game as Penn State honored Paterno with a touching tribute. It's a moment I'll never forget.

4. Wisconsin at Michigan State, Oct. 2: It was an emotional game for Michigan State, which played without head coach Mark Dantonio in the stadium, and the home crowd provided the Spartans with the lift they needed. After falling behind early, Michigan State rallied to take control and post its biggest win of the season.

5. Connecticut at Michigan, Sept. 4: Quite a lot has changed since Michigan opened the season with a bang, but the Big House rocked as Denard Robinson and the Wolverines stomped Connecticut in an impressive win. The stadium rededication and Brock Mealer's pregame walk got the crowd going, and the Wolverines' performance kept the energy level high all afternoon.

Here are the games I attended this fall:

Week 1: Marshall at Ohio State (Thursday); Connecticut at Michigan (Saturday)
Week 2: Miami at Ohio State
Week 3: Arizona State at Wisconsin
Week 4: Not at game
Week 5: Wisconsin at Michigan State
Week 6: Michigan State at Michigan
Week 7: Ohio State at Wisconsin
Week 8: Michigan State at Northwestern
Week 9: Michigan State at Iowa
Week 10: Northwestern at Penn State
Week 11: Not at game
Week 12: Wisconsin at Michigan
Week 13: Michigan at Ohio State
Jan. 1: Rose Bowl (TCU vs. Wisconsin)
Jan. 4: Sugar Bowl (Arkansas vs. Ohio State)

We looked at the recruiting needs for the Legends division earlier today. Now let's take a look at what the teams are looking for in the Leaders division.

As a reminder, I tried to look at positions that have depth issues for the 2011 and/or the 2012 seasons.

ILLINOIS

Linebacker: Martez Wilson's early departure to the NFL leaves a void at middle linebacker, and Illinois also says goodbye to playmaker Nate Bussey and reserve Aaron Gress. Ian Thomas comes back and Jonathan Brown showed a spark, but Illinois has to rebuild some depth in its defensive midsection.

Wide receiver: Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino wants to run the ball, but quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase showed in the Insight Bowl that he can be an effective passer. A.J. Jenkins returns to serve as Scheelhaase's No. 1 option in 2011, but Illinois needs other pass-catching options to emerge.

Quarterback: The Illini have lost two scholarship quarterbacks (Jacob Charest and Chandler Whitmer) in each of the past two seasons, creating a depth issue behind Scheelhaase. Given Scheelhaase's style of play, Illinois needs other options under center and must address this position with this class.

INDIANA

Secondary: The Hoosiers simply haven't had enough Big Ten-ready defensive backs in recent seasons. This might be a recruiting need for several years as Indiana has to begin building a talent base in the secondary.

Quarterback: Kevin Wilson has done wonders with quarterbacks at his previous coaching spots, but he needs talented players who can flourish in his system. Ben Chappell's departure leaves Indiana with no proven options at quarterback. Although the Hoosiers bring back all of their reserves, they should keep looking for the right answer under center.

OHIO STATE

Wide receiver: All-Big Ten receiver Dane Sanzenbacher departs, and DeVier Posey is suspended for the first five games of 2011, pending appeal. Ohio State hasn't developed much depth at wideout in recent seasons, and a capable freshman could put himself into the mix.

Quarterback: Ohio State needs someone to take the snaps during Terrelle Pryor's suspension, and it's unknown whether Joe Bauserman or Kenny Guiton will be the answer. The Buckeyes also must address life after Pryor in this recruiting class.

PENN STATE

Offensive line: The Lions began addressing this need with last year's class and will continue to do so with the 2011 crop. Getting the offensive line in order is the biggest key to Penn State reclaiming a place among the Big Ten title contenders. Penn State loses standout guard Stefen Wisniewski and will have more departures after the 2011 season, so building depth is paramount.

Defensive line: Penn State lacked a dynamic pass rusher in 2010 and could bolster the end spot, but it can't neglect the defensive tackle position, either. Ollie Ogbu departs and Devon Still will be gone after the 2011 season. Although Jack Crawford returns at end, the depth there could be enhanced through recruiting.

PURDUE

Running back: The Boilers should avoid a depth disaster like the one they endured in 2010, but they can't take any chances, either. Coach Danny Hope and offensive coordinator Gary Nord want to run the ball a lot and they need more options to emerge around Ralph Bolden and Al-Terek McBurse. There are opportunities for freshmen to emerge here.

Tight end: Purdue should be fine at receiver in 2011, but it loses starting tight end Kyle Adams, the team's top pass catcher, as well as backup Jeff Lindsay. Expect the Boilers to address the tight end position in the 2011 class, as it is a big part of the plan on offense.

WISCONSIN

Secondary: The Badgers lose a multiyear starter at safety in Jay Valai this season, and three more starters (safety Aaron Henry and cornerbacks Antonio Fenelus and Devin Smith) will depart after the 2011 season. It's important to start building depth with this class.

Wide receiver: Wisconsin benefits from Nick Toon returning for his senior year, but the overall depth at receiver isn't great. David Gilreath, Isaac Anderson and Kyle Jefferson all depart and with Toon gone after the 2011 season, the Badgers need to find playmakers to complement Jared Abbrederis.

Pass rusher: J.J. Watt's early departure to the NFL draft creates a potential depth issue at defensive end. Returning starter Louis Nzegwu and David Gilbert both are good options, but the Badgers are young and unproven after those two. Young players like Beau Allen will take on bigger roles in 2011, and the team could use an incoming player or two to emerge.

As we gear up for the Senior Bowl, I wanted to piggyback off of an excellent post by colleague Chris Low from last week.

It's time to identify an All-Big Ten team comprised only of seniors. There were easy picks like Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi and Michigan State linebacker Greg Jones, but several positions created some tough choices.

Reminder: This team includes only fourth-year or fifth-year seniors, not redshirt juniors.

Bowl performance is included in this rundown, if applicable.

In case you forgot, my All-Big Ten team included only 12 seniors, all of whom will appear below. I also selected 14 underclassmen.

Without further ado ...

OFFENSE

QB: Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin
RB: Evan Royster, Penn State
RB: Dan Dierking, Purdue
WR: Dane Sanzenbacher, Ohio State
WR: Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Iowa
TE: Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin
C: Bill Nagy, Wisconsin
T: Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
T: D.J. Young, Michigan State
G: John Moffitt, Wisconsin
G: Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State

DEFENSE

DL: Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
DL: Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
DL: Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
DL: Karl Klug, Iowa
LB: Greg Jones, Michigan State
LB: Brian Rolle, Ohio State
LB: Eric Gordon, Michigan State
CB: Chimdi Chekwa, Ohio State
CB: Chris L. Rucker, Michigan State
S: Jermale Hines, Ohio State
S: Brett Greenwood, Iowa

SPECIALISTS

K: Collin Wagner, Penn State
P: Aaron Bates, Michigan State
Returns: David Gilreath, Wisconsin

Some thoughts:

• I really struggled with the quarterback spot. Tolzien ultimately made fewer mistakes than Iowa's Ricky Stanzi, who had superior statistics and had fewer weapons surrounding him. You can make a good case for Stanzi or Indiana's Ben Chappell, but Tolzien gets a slight edge.
• No disrespect to Royster or Dierking, but the Big Ten really struggled to produce many decent senior running backs this season. Perhaps that's a promising sign for the future, but typically there are more experienced ball-carrying options. Royster was the only senior ranked among the Big Ten's top 10 rushers. I thought about Ohio State's Brandon Saine, but Dierking did more as a ball carrier.
• The No. 3 linebacker was a really tough call between Gordon and Ohio State's Ross Homan. Ultimately, Homan missing time with a foot injury and Gordon displaying remarkable consistency alongside Greg Jones made Gordo the pick.
• Another tough call was DJK ahead of Indiana's Terrance Turner, who had 21 more receptions but fewer yards and seven fewer touchdown catches.
• The deepest position among Big Ten seniors (by far): offensive guard. I went with Moffitt and Carimi, but players like Ohio State's Justin Boren, Michigan's Stephen Schilling, Iowa's Julian Vandervelde and Illinois' Randall Hunt all were good options.
• Five teams didn't produce selections: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Northwestern. Is that a good omen or a bad one for 2011?

Selections by team: Wisconsin (6), Ohio State (5), Michigan State (5), Iowa (4), Penn State (3), Purdue (2)

LOS ANGELES -- You could make a good case that Wisconsin's season turned in 12 seconds.

That's how long it took Badgers receiver David Gilreath to run 97 yards after receiving the opening kickoff against then-No. 1 Ohio State on Oct. 16.

"I don't know if it was a turning point," Gilreath said. "It was something that got us going. I still have people asking me about it. I can still watch it on YouTube and kind of get that feeling."

Gilreath's kick return touchdown set the tone for Wisconsin's 31-18 win against the Buckeyes, the biggest victory of the Bret Bielema era and one that spurred the Badgers to their first Rose Bowl appearance in 11 seasons. But the runback was just one of several special moments in the kicking game for the Badgers.

Special teams played an enormous role in Wisconsin's 20-19 win against Arizona State on Sept. 18. Safety Jay Valai blocked a potential game-tying PAT attempt in the closing minutes, and safeties Shelton Johnson and Dezmen Southward stopped Sun Devils kick returner Kyle Middlebrooks just shy of the goal line as the second quarter expired, saving a touchdown.

A week after the Ohio State win came "chain," a fake punt Wisconsin executed from its own 26-yard line while trailing Iowa 30-24 in the fourth quarter. The Badgers continued their drive and scored the game-winning touchdown to edge the Hawkeyes, 31-30.

"In those situations, those were big plays in our game, in our season, to get us where we are today," coach Bret Bielema said.

Special teams likely will loom large again Saturday against TCU in the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO. The Horned Frogs are solid on special teams and exceptional on both kickoff and punt returns, ranking fifth nationally in both categories.

TCU receiver Jeremy Kerley ranks among the top 20 nationally in both kickoff and punt returns. Wisconsin has struggled on both kickoff and punt coverage, ranking 106th nationally and 103rd nationally, respectively, although most of the struggles took place early in the season.

"Turning a weakness into a strength was a major thing we did this year," Wisconsin safety Jay Valai said of the special teams play. "We had a couple [shaky] games there for a second, Arizona State and Michigan State. We really woke up from those games and knew we had to really emphasize special teams."

Gilreath will never forget his runback against Ohio State.

About the only thing that could top it is a return touchdown in Pasadena.

"To get one in this game, I don't even know what I'd do," he said. "I'd turn [to the coaches] and [say], 'I'm done for the game. Take me out.' You’ve got to go out like [John] Elway or something."

Bret Bielema and the Wisconsin Badgers took the step from very good to great this season, and they received a rosy reward for their efforts.

Wisconsin is headed back to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 11 seasons. After hovering just below elite status for the past decade, the Badgers got back to the top by fully embracing the values that defined the program under Barry Alvarez in the 1990s. They boast the nation's deepest group of running backs, one of the nation's best offensive lines, the perfect quarterback for their system in Scott Tolzien and several playmaking defenders, led by All-Big Ten end J.J. Watt.

A shaky start followed by a loss at Michigan State to open Big Ten play left many thinking the Badgers once again wouldn't get over the hump. Turns out, they never looked back, winning their final seven games and averaging 48.3 points in the process. Wisconsin recorded its first win against the nation's top-ranked team since 1981, and Bielema overcame his struggles on the road against ranked teams as the Badgers overcame several key injuries to rally past Iowa.

Power football became pretty football this fall, as Wisconsin reached the 70-point plateau three times and supplemented its offense with improved special-teams play and timely lifts from the defense.

Offensive MVP: Scott Tolzien. Wisconsin always produces great running backs and this year was no different, but Tolzien provided the pocket presence the Badgers have lacked for much of the past decade. Tolzien led the nation in completion percentage (74.3) and ranked fourth nationally in pass efficiency (169.8 rating). He executed the play-action to perfection and ended the season as one of the Big Ten's hottest players.

Defensive MVP: J.J. Watt. An easy choice here as Watt made more game-changing plays than any Big Ten defender and was a close second to Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan for Big Ten defensive player of the year. The mammoth junior recorded 21 tackles for loss, seven sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, seven pass breakups, three forced fumbles, three blocked kicks, two fumble recoveries and an interception. Translation: Watt was an absolute beast.

Turning point: In the first six games, the Badgers had showed very little to suggest they could knock off top-ranked Ohio State on Oct. 16. But from the opening kickoff, which David Gilreath returned for a 97-yard touchdown, the Badgers took control and never let the Buckeyes get comfortable. Wisconsin controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and received big performances from Watt, John Clay, James White and others. The Badgers followed up the historic win with an equally huge one the next week at Iowa.

What's next: Wisconsin heads to Pasadena to face TCU in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio. The Badgers look for their fourth consecutive victory in the Rose Bowl after capturing championships in 1994, 1999 and 2000. TCU has scored just as many points (520) as the Badgers this season, and the Horned Frogs' defense provides a major test for Tolzien, the running backs and the line.

Wisconsin's offense isn't new. It's just better. A lot better.

The Badgers have been rooted in the same offensive principles for years: the power run, bruising line play, an effective play-action game, efficient quarterbacking, tight ends and receivers who catch (passes) and throw (blocks).

"When we go recruit these guys, they know who we are," offensive coordinator Paul Chryst told me this week. "We haven't changed."

What has changed this season are the results. Wisconsin's offense has gone from pretty good to virtually unstoppable.

The numbers don't lie (thanks to the Wisconsin sports info staff for these notes):

• Wisconsin leads the Big Ten and ranks seventh nationally in scoring at 40.9 points per game. The Badgers will easily eclipse the team single-season scoring record of 34.3 points per game set in 2005.
• The Badgers are even more potent in Big Ten play, averaging 41.7 points. Since 1936, only four Big Ten teams have averaged at least 40 points per game for an entire conference season. Wisconsin has scored on 45 of 71 possessions (63.4 percent) in league play, not including five possessions on which it ran out the clock to end the half or a game.
• During its current six-game winning streak, Wisconsin has outscored its opponents by more than 22 points per game (44.7-22). The Badgers have averaged 240.7 yards on the ground, while quarterback Scott Tolzien has completed 78.6 percent of his passes. Wisconsin has converted 54.1 percent of its third downs (33-of-61) and scored touchdowns on 83.9 percent of its red zone opportunities (26-of-31).
• Wisconsin ranks second nationally in red zone touchdown percentage (79.3 percent). In Big Ten play, the Badgers have converted 28 of their 33 red zone trips into touchdowns (84.8 percent). Wisconsin ranks ninth nationally in red zone scoring (91.4 percent) and has gone 41-for-42 in its last eight games.
• The Badgers lead the Big Ten and rank 10th nationally in third-down conversion percentage (51.3).
• Wisconsin already has set a team record with 41 rushing touchdowns

How has this happened? Here are three reasons.

1. Experience and depth


The Badgers aren't lacking in any area of their offense.

They have three senior starters along the offensive line in left tackle Gabe Carimi, left guard John Moffitt and center Bill Nagy. Carimi, an Outland Trophy finalist, and Moffitt have combined to start 87 games in their careers.

The receiving corps also boasts experience with tight end Lance Kendricks, a fifth-year senior, as well as receivers David Gilreath, Isaac Anderson, Kyle Jefferson and Nick Toon, who have combined for 67 starts.

Top running back John Clay has started for two seasons. Same goes for Tolzien.

The Badgers also have had plenty of players step up when others go down, whether it's running back Montee Ball, receiver Jared Abbrederis or tight ends Jake Byrne and Jacob Pedersen.

"The neat thing about it is it takes everyone to be a part of it," Chryst said. "Everyone can really take ownership for what's happening."

2. Running back depth

Most teams would be in trouble if they lost the league's offensive player of the year for a few games. Not Wisconsin.

Clay's knee injury hasn't slowed down the Badgers' run game one bit. In fact, Wisconsin is putting up even better numbers without him -- not a knock against Clay, just a fact -- by rushing for 695 yards and 12 touchdowns in wins against Indiana and Michigan.

Wisconsin is the only FBS team to have three backs with at least 600 rushing yards: Clay (929), freshman James White (895) and Ball (686). All three players have recorded 13 rushing touchdowns this season.

While White has emerged as the Big Ten freshman of the year front-runner, Ball has provided the biggest lift. An afterthought in the first half of the season, Ball stepped in after injuries to both Clay and White and has 467 rush yards and nine touchdowns in his last three games.

"Montee was a big part of what we were doing in the second half of last season, and Montee has continued to improve," Chryst said. "You've got to give him a ton of credit for not getting caught up where he is on the depth chart and keeping his focus."

3. Scott Tolzien

Wisconsin has mass-produced elite offensive linemen, running backs and tight ends in recent years, but the quarterback position has been more of a headache.

Tolzien came out of nowhere to win the starting job in 2009, and he has taken his game to another level this fall. The senior leads the nation in completion percentage (73.9) -- he completed 24 consecutive passes before an interception last Saturday -- and has completed 78.6 percent of his passes during the current win streak.

Tolzien is on pace to set team records for career pass efficiency (151.2 rating) and career completion percentage (68.2). He has done his best work in clutch situations, completing 23 of 27 passes with 12 touchdowns and only one interception in the red zone, and completing 40 of 57 passes for 492 yards on third down (rating of 150.8).

"He's playing his position as good as anybody in college football," head coach Bret Bielema said. "What he's done in the red zone, it's just unbelievable. And ball-security wise, being able to come through in clutch situations, has been really unparalleled by anything I've ever witnessed."

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Wisconsin's offense is pretty simple: power runs and play-action passes.

Right now, Michigan can't stop either weapon.

After a good defensive stand on the game's opening possession, highlighted by a blitz from safety Jordan Kovacs, the Wolverines were no match for Wisconsin's powerful offensive line on a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Running back Montee Ball is continuing his meteoric rise from third-stringer to stud, pounding away at the Wolverines' defense. Wisconsin's depth at running back is ridiculous this season.

A bigger concern for Michigan: Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien is having no trouble hitting his receivers on intermediate routes. If the Wolverines' secondary doesn't start marking Nick Toon, David Gilreath and Lance Kendricks, it will be a very long day.

Wisconsin leads 7-0 late in the first quarter.

Thanks to all those currently serving or who have served on this Veterans Day. I hear from many servicemen and servicewomen around the world who read this blog, and I really appreciate all you do for us.

• The Big Ten Network's Dave Revsine goes inside the numbers for Week 11 in the Big Ten.
• Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin might want to introduce himself to Terrelle Pryor on Saturday, Cory Giger writes in The Altoona Mirror. Penn State used to be like Boise State and TCU, doubted in the regular season and stellar in bowl games, Bill Livingston writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• Pryor says he's coming back to Ohio State for the 2011 season, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch. Pryor has grown as a quarterback since his fumble against Penn State in 2008, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Plain Dealer.
• Making the cases for both a rising star and an experienced coach for Minnesota's upcoming hire, Phil Miller and Dennis Brackin write in the Star Tribune.
• According to Northwestern running back Adonis Smith, coach Pat Fitzgerald isn't an Iowa fan, Mike Hlas writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette. Iowa's Kirk Ferentz defends his decision to keep running back Adam Robinson in a lopsided game against Michigan State, Pat Harty writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
• Michigan receiver Roy Roundtree remembers Purdue being "boring" on his recruiting visit there, annarbor.com's Pete Bigelow writes. The Wolverines' thrilling win last week will help recruiting, Josh Helmholdt writes in the Detroit Free Press.
• Illinois' defense tries to redeem itself after what coach Ron Zook called an "embarrassing" performance at Michigan, Shannon Ryan writes in the Chicago Tribune.
• Indiana AD Fred Glass is focused on the here and now regarding Bill Lynch and the football program, Justin Albers writes in the Indiana Daily Student.
• Northwestern's quarterbacks have given Iowa trouble the past few years, Andrew Logue writes in the Des Moines Register.
• Wisconsin's David Gilreath earns respect as an elite return man, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Mark Dantonio says Michigan State's sole focus is winning the Big Ten, Greg Johnson writes in The Grand Rapids Press.

Here are the selections from the league office announced Monday morning.

OFFENSE: Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi

Stanzi completed 70.8 percent of his passes with three touchdowns to help lead Iowa to 38 points in a road triumph at Michigan, its highest point total ever against the Wolverines. The senior quarterback completed 17 of 24 passes for 248 yards and led the Hawkeyes offense to touchdowns in each of its five trips into the red zone. After Michigan pulled within 35-28, Stanzi guided Iowa on a 10-play, 49-yard drive for a field goal with 2:53 remaining to secure the 38-28 victory. He is now 23-5 as a starting quarterback and has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of the past 15 games he has played. Stanzi earns his first career weekly accolade.

DEFENSE: Michigan State LB Greg Jones

Jones racked up a season-high 14 tackles and added a pass breakup and quarterback hurry against Illinois to help Michigan State hold a Big Ten opponent without a touchdown for the first time since 2003. The senior linebacker recorded double-figures in tackles for the second time this season and the 20th time in his career. With the Illini leading 6-3 at halftime, the Spartans' defense blanked Illinois in the second half while forcing three turnovers to produce four takeaways in the game. Michigan State held the Illini to 114 rushing yards, more than 100 yards below their season average.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Wisconsin KR David Gilreath

Gilreath returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown to spark Wisconsin to a victory over top-ranked Ohio State, the Badgers’ first victory over a No. 1 team since 1981. The senior wideout’s 97-yard sprint also shattered the Big Ten career record for kickoff return yardage. He finished the game with four kickoff returns for 163 yards, boosting his career total to 2,677 yards and passing Michigan State’s Derrick Mason (2,575 yards from 1993-96) for the Big Ten record. Gilreath entered this year ranked first in conference history in total kickoff returns and has boosted that total to 120 returns. The Minnesota native recorded his first kickoff return touchdown and the first for a Wisconsin player since Lee Evans returned a kickoff for a score at Indiana on Nov. 11, 2000.

FRESHMAN: Purdue QB Rob Henry

Henry accounted for all four of Purdue’s touchdowns in a 28-17 victory over Minnesota to earn his first Freshman of the Week honor. The redshirt freshman completed 13 of 20 passes (65.0 pct.) for 183 yards and a touchdown and added 17 carries for 57 yards (3.4 avg.) and three more scores. The Florida native tallied scoring runs of 4 and 1 yards in the first half to give the Boilermakers a 14-0 halftime advantage.

MADISON, Wis. -- Quick thoughts at the half, as No. 18 Wisconsin is pounding No. 1 Ohio State 21-3 at Camp Randall Stadium.

Turning point: David Gilreath's touchdown return on the opening kickoff stands out, but Wisconsin's ability to keep Ohio State out of the end zone after the Buckeyes had first-and-goal from the Badgers' 3-yard line is my pick. While the Buckeyes mysteriously abandoned the pistol offense, Wisconsin made the plays to keep Terrelle Pryor and Dan Herron out of the end zone, forcing a short field goal.

Stat of the half: Even though Ohio State had the first offensive possession because of Gilreath's return, Wisconsin held the ball for 18:05. The Badgers racked up nine first downs in the first quarter and outgained Ohio State 197-93. Last week, Ohio State allowed 14 first downs and 210 total yards all game in a blowout win against Indiana.

What Ohio State needs to do: Convert opportunities into touchdowns. The Buckeyes' inability to convert Andrew Sweat's interception return into any points was an absolute killer late in the first half. I have a feeling Ohio State will force some more major mistakes from the Badgers, but in a limited-possession game, the Buckeyes can't afford to settle for field goals. They also need to play better on special teams.

What Wisconsin needs to do: Avoid the major mistake. Quarterback Scott Tolzien normally is a very careful passer, but Ohio State seems to bring out the worst in him. He needs to make good decisions in the pass game and let his running backs go to work. The Badgers also have to keep making Pryor beat them with his arm.