ESPN College Football

MADISON, Wis. -- Even in video games, Montee Ball piles up the touchdowns.

During a friendly game of "Madden" on Friday, the Wisconsin running back uses the New York Giants to race out to a 21-0 lead over Badgers teammate Darius Feaster before the first quarter ends. Feaster quits in despair, saying he has to go to class, although he sticks around to watch Ball take on roommate Devin Smith in another game.

Ball's Giants then pour on 21 more first-half points against Smith's Pittsburgh Steelers, almost all on passing plays. Smith throws his controller in the air in disgust after giving up another long completion.

"Surprisingly, he can't run in this game," says Smith, a senior cornerback.

It's a scene probably playing out on hundreds of campuses the same way: three friends wasting away an afternoon talking trash over an Xbox game. The decor in the three-bedroom apartment Ball shares with Smith and another student looks like a typical college residence, too. A Wisconsin flag hangs on the living room wall above a decidedly dated, low-def RCA TV. "Hey, it was in my parents' garage," Ball says sheepishly.

Ball has few worries on this spring afternoon, but things could have been a lot different. The NFL draft is just a week away, and most people expected him to skip his senior season after he tied Barry Sanders' FBS record with 39 overall touchdowns and led the nation with 1,923 rushing yards last season. Instead, he became the only draft-eligible 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist to return to school.

Already, he has heard some media pundits say he made a mistake, that he could have been the second back taken after Alabama's Trent Richardson. Yet he remains content with his decision and happy to be a college student, zipping around campus on his scooter, enjoying the views of Lake Mendota at Memorial Union and walking down Madison's famous State Street on the way to his apartment.

"I'm savoring a lot," he said between bites of a turkey sandwich at Memorial Union. "I've been catching myself going and visiting the library, which I'd only been to a couple of times since we have our own [football academic] center. I'm making an effort to step out of my comfort zone and really explore the campus and mingle with people."

Ball made the call to return a few days before the Rose Bowl, after receiving his evaluation from the NFL draft advisory board. Although he produced one of the greatest offensive seasons in college football history, pro scouts shrugged and pegged him as a third-rounder.

"That shocked me a little bit," Ball said. "I didn't understand it, honestly. I was first in every single [rushing] stat last year."

So he huddled with his parents, who supported his decision to come back. Montee Sr. and Melissa Ball moved from Wentzville, Mo., to just outside of Madison shortly after their son enrolled to be around for his college days, and they wanted to see him earn a degree. Ball -- who's 35 credit hours short of graduating -- recently took out an insurance policy through the NCAA in case of an injury this year.

The word from NFL personnel was that Ball looked too light to play running back at the next level, which was a bit ironic because he dropped from 230 pounds as a sophomore to a playing weight of 203 last year. Standing next to the freakishly strong Richardson during the Heisman ceremony did make Ball feel a little too small, though. He's experimenting with his weight this spring and is up to about 213 now.

He may be a little heavier, but he's just as quick as ever during spring practice. Maybe even quicker.

"He's definitely gotten faster," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "It's hard to imagine. But I really think his explosiveness has increased."

Ball didn't believe that until he saw it on film. He said experience and a better understanding of the game are allowing him to make faster decisions on his cuts and moves, and hitting the hole decisively was already one of his strengths. He's also working hard this spring on improving his pass-protection skills that were lacking at times last year, most obviously in the first Michigan State game. And Wisconsin is finding new ways to use him as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.

So Ball could be a more complete running back this season. But will he be less appreciated?

He'll enter the season as a Heisman Trophy favorite, and expectations will be huge after his record-breaking 2011 season. After he scored 39 touchdowns last season, some will wonder what went wrong if he doesn't have 40 in 2012.

"The thing that's extremely unfortunate is, in a way I can only do worse than last year if you look at it statswise," Ball said. "If I come out this year and have 23 touchdowns and 1,400 yards, it's a really good season but nowhere near what I had last season.

"So I'm not as focused on stats. I'm just focused on being a better football player."

Wisconsin has had the luxury of holding Ball out of most contact work this spring. The Badgers have two very capable backups in James White and redshirt freshman Melvin Gordon, who is turning heads during practice. But coaches say Ball has set the tone for the whole team with how hard he is working every day despite his superstar status.

"He could have rested on his laurels," first-year offensive coordinator Matt Canada said. "I've been impressed with the way he attacks every job, every drill."

Unlike some of his Heisman finalist counterparts, Ball is getting ready for Wisconsin's spring game this weekend instead of the NFL draft. He became friends with Richardson, Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck during the Heisman festivities in New York and texts with them often about their draft prospects.

Sure, part of him wishes he were in their shoes this week. But he has some goals left to accomplish in college. Ball needs just 18 rushing touchdowns and 23 total scores to tie the FBS career records held by Travis Prentice, who played at Miami (Ohio). He could challenge Ron Dayne for the title of best back in Wisconsin history. He'd also like another crack at a certain statue.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to get back to New York," he said. "I want to win the Heisman. I want to win as many awards as I can, personally. As a team, though, I want us to go undefeated and make it to the national championship game."

Ball is excited to watch the draft this weekend, but he's perfectly happy waiting another year to get there himself. For now, his NFL experience will involve only playing "Madden" with his friends on a lazy afternoon.

Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right.

Today's Take Two topic is this: Last season, defensive tackle was clearly the strongest overall position group in the Big Ten. What position will be the best throughout the league in 2012?

Take 1: Brian Bennett

I'm tempted to go with linebacker, where some high-profile players and future stars are scattered throughout the conference. But my pick is running back.

There's some major star power at the position this year in the Big Ten, starting off with last year's Heisman Trophy finalist and record breaker, Wisconsin's Montee Ball. While Ball is the obvious choice for preseason offensive player of the year, he could get pushed by some other backs, including Nebraska's tough-as-nails Rex Burkhead, who ran for 1,357 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Even with last year's No. 2 league rusher (Iowa's Marcus Coker) gone, the position is still stacked with guys like Penn State's Silas Redd, who we both think is primed for a huge season; Michigan's Fitz Toussaint, who ran for more than 1,000 yards despite not taking over lead rushing duties until the eighth game of the season; and Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell, who came on strong late last season and looks great this spring.

Purdue has some very capable runners in Akeem Shavers, Akeem Hunt and Doug Gentry, and Ralph Bolden is coming back from an ACL injury. Ohio State has a potentially strong group with Carlos Hyde, Jordan Hall, Rod Smith and freshman Bri'onte Dunn. Stephen Houston showed some good things for Indiana last year, and transfer Isaiah Roundtree had a big spring game. Minnesota is high on junior college import James Gillum. And don't forget James White at Wisconsin, who could start for most teams in the country.

Iowa, Illinois and Northwestern have some question marks at tailback. But overall, running back is where the Big Ten's bread will be buttered this season.

Take 2: Adam Rittenberg

A good choice, Bennett, as the Big Ten returns six of its top seven running backs and would have brought back all seven if not for Marcus Coker's transfer. But my experience covering this league has taught me to never overlook the defensive line. The D-line once again will be the Big Ten's strongest group in 2012.

Sure, the league loses standouts like Devon Still, Whitney Mercilus and Jerel Worthy. But you could substitute the names Aaron Maybin and Mitch King after the 2008 season, or Brandon Graham and Jared Odrick after 2009, or J.J. Watt and Corey Liuget after 2010. The Big Ten always finds ways to reload up front, and this year will be no different. There might not be as many familiar names as there are at running back, but that soon will change.

Let's start off with the top returning linemen, Ohio State's John Simon and Purdue's Kawann Short, both of whom earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2011. Both men will contend for All-America honors, and could be potential first-round picks in the 2013 class. Then you have a guy we're both excited about: Michigan State defensive end William Gholston. He's a physical freak, as you recently detailed, and has the potential to dominate games and become one of the nation's truly elite defenders in 2012. I'd also include Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill in this group of known commodities with the potential for very big things this season. Penn State's overall depth along the defensive line should be better this year.

Now for some lesser-known names who could have breakout seasons. Let's start at Illinois with defensive end Michael Buchanan and defensive tackle Akeem Spence. Buchanan is poised for a big year, as he showed in Illinois' spring game, while Spence is a next-level player who could follow Liuget's path this season. Speaking of defensive tackles, watch out for Ohio State's Johnathan Hankins, a very big man who can do very big things this season. The Buckeyes' heralded incoming freshmen should only bolster their line.

Michigan loses two standout linemen (Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen), but it's hard to imagine the Wolverines falling back much at all up front. Nebraska boasts good depth at the defensive end spot and could see a big year from a guy like Cameron Meredith.

While there are some question marks around the league, including an unproven line at Iowa, teams like Northwestern and Minnesota should be improved up front.

We're continuing our look at the postseason rankings for each position in the Big 12. Here's a look back at where the running backs ranked in the preseason.

In this position, unlike quarterback, depth is a major, major factor in these rankings.

1. Texas A&M

The Aggies had the two most talented backs, and despite injuries to both, proved it through an otherwise frustrating 2011. Christine Michael suffered a torn ACL, but still managed 899 yards on just 149 carries. Cyrus Gray injured his shoulder late in the season, but secured his second consecutive 1,000-yard season and ranked third in the Big 12, despite carrying the ball just 198 times. This duo should have easily surpassed 1,000 yards, but even when they were injured, Ben Malena played well in the final two games.

2. Missouri

Mizzou dealt with injuries, too, first to Kendial Lawrence and De'Vion Moore. Cue Henry Josey. Josey became the best back in the Big 12 this year before suffering a major knee injury that included torn ligaments. He may not be back in 2012. His 1,168 yards were third most in the Big 12, despite carrying the ball just 145 times. Lawrence finished 12th with 566 yards.

3. Oklahoma State

Joseph Randle stole the show this year, rushing for 24 scores and ranking second in the Big 12 with 1,216 yards. Only Collin Klein ran for more touchdowns and Terrance Ganaway was the only player with more yardage. Still, Jeremy Smith had averaged more than 7 yards a carry, and he'd be able to start for anyone else in the league. Herschel Sims showed promise, too, with 242 yards on 31 carries.

4. Baylor

Ganaway led the Big 12 in rushing with huge performances late in the season, including a 200-yard, five-touchdown game in his final outing as a college athlete in the Alamo Bowl. He averaged more than 6 yards on his 250 carries and had 330 more yards than any other back in the league. Jarred Salubi added 331 yards, too.

5. Texas

Texas' Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron were banged-up late in the season, but Fozzy Whittaker played well until suffering a torn ACL against Missouri, too. Scatback D.J. Monroe was effective in the passing game as well. Four running backs topped 300 yards and Brown led the team with 742 yards, despite missing three games and having his carries limited early in the season.

6. Oklahoma

Oklahoma got great contributions from walk-on Dominique Whaley early on, and he proved to be the team's most effective runner and best runner between the tackles. He fractured his ankle in midseason, and finished with just 627 yards to lead the team. Roy Finch emerged late in the seasons after a quiet first half and added 605 yards.

7. Kansas

KU's James Sims led the team in rushing again with 727 yards. Darrian Miller was excellent, too, with 559 yards, though he was dismissed after the season. Freshmen Tony Pierson and Brandon Bourbon have plenty of promise, both averaging more than 5.5 yards a carry in 2011. The bad news: All their carries were limited by an awful defense that limited KU's chances to run the ball.

8. Kansas State

K-State's rushing attack centered around Klein, but John Hubert, a slippery back from Waco, Texas, had a good year. Hubert was seventh in the Big 12 with 970 yards. Bryce Brown offered basically nothing to K-State, and beyond Klein and Hubert, the Wildcats were pretty thin. Additionally, without Klein, would Hubert have duplicated his success?

9. Texas Tech

An awful knee injury derailed Eric Stephens' likely 1,000-yard season, and the rest of Texas Tech's backfield got banged-up, too. Stephens will probably return in 2012 from his dislocated knee, and finished with 565 yards, 17th in the Big 12. Aaron Crawford and DeAndre Washington both topped 300 yards.

10. Iowa State

ISU lost Shontrelle Johnson for the season early on, but James White filled in well. He finished with 743 yards, which ranked ninth in the Big 12. Jeff Woody had 380 yards and provided quality carries late, including the game-winning touchdown against Oklahoma State.

PASADENA, Calif. -- Strap yourself in. We are having a wild and wildly entertaining 2012 Rose Bowl.

Oregon's De'Anthony Thomas capped an exciting first quarter with a 91-yard run on the final play to tie the score at 14. The Ducks' speed advantage was on full display with that burst, as safety Aaron Henry couldn't catch up with Thomas down the sideline.

We had scores on the first three possessions, as Wisconsin pounded the Ducks on the ground with Montee Ball then opened up play-action for a Russell Wilson touchdown throw and a Wilson bootleg scoring run. The Badgers got an important three-and-out then pinned Oregon deep in its territory, but it didn't matter because of Thomas' run.

The Rose Bowl combined scoring record is 80 points. Long way to go, but that could be threatened.

So far, it's about what we expected. Wisconsin's power game is causing Oregon lots of problems, and the Badgers need to keep Ball in the game. There's just not the same respect for play-action when James White comes in. The Ducks have ripped off some big gains in the running game, too, and when their skill players get outside the tackles, it's a dangerous situation for the Badgers' defense.

There should be lots more fireworks coming our way.

The 2011 Heisman Trophy ceremony took place Saturday night, and very few people were talking about players like Robert Griffin III or Montee Ball as serious candidates before this season. So it's ridiculously early to be speculating on 2012 candidates. But it is a lot of fun.

Wisconsin's Ball is only a junior, and if he decides to come back for his senior season he'll be one of the preseason Heisman favorites in 2012. Most expect him to make the leap to the NFL, however, and his stock might never be higher.

So we'll assume Ball does not return as we examine some other potential Big Ten Heisman candidates next season:

• Michigan QB Denard Robinson: Well, of course. Robinson has been in the Heisman conversation in the early part of the past two years, and voters are very familiar with his abilities. A couple of things could be in his favor in 2012: He'll be a senior, and he'll enter his third year as a starter. He'll also be in the second year of Al Borges' offensive system. Robinson will have to cut down on his interceptions, develop into a better passer and compete against the insane numbers he has put up the past two seasons. But he'll definitely be on the radar if Michigan keeps winning under Brady Hoke.
• Nebraska RB Rex Burkhead: Burkhead blossomed into a star this season, rushing for 1,268 yards and 15 touchdowns, and is expected to come back for his senior season. He might not always be flashy, but few backs run harder. If Nebraska can have a big season, he can get into the mix, along with possibly his backfield mate, quarterback Taylor Martinez.
• Ohio State QB Braxton Miller: It's probably wildly unfair to put Miller on this list. He'll only be a sophomore and will be learning a new system. But he did show signs of stardom as a rookie, and now he'll be showcased in Urban Meyer's spread system. Next season is likely too soon for Miller to make many Heisman waves, but don't be surprised if he's competing for the statue before his career in Columbus is over.

Others to watch: Iowa's James Vandenberg and Marcus Coker; Penn State's Silas Redd; Wisconsin's James White.

Wisconsin and Michigan State will play for the Big Ten championship this Saturday in Indianapolis. Of course, it is a rematch of their Oct. 22 meeting, won by [spoiler alert!] the Spartans 37-31 in one of the best games of the college football season.

In order to understand all the storylines and key matchups of this week's game, it's crucial to know exactly what happened the first time. So I decided to go back and watch that initial encounter and, with apologies to Bill Simmons, provide my thoughts and observations in a retro diary. You can follow along through the magic of ESPN3.com here. Or you can just read.

This first installment will cover the first half of the game. I'll be back later on today with the second-half diary. Wonder if anything cool will happen late in the game?

Pregame

• Kirk Herbstreit says, "This is what we've all wanted to see for a number of weeks." I think the same line could be used Saturday night.
• Michigan State's Keith Nichol is one of the first Spartans to come out of the tunnel for introductions. I've got a hunch he could play a role in this one somehow.
• I don't know how good the audio quality is on my replay, but it sounds extremely quiet when Wisconsin takes the field. No boos, just silence. Someone who was there will have to tell me if that's how it really went down at Spartan Stadium. If so, I think that's the best way to taunt an opponent; just ignore them. I recommend this for all home fans from here on out.

First quarter

• 15:00: Wisconsin wins the toss and takes the ball first. The first play of the game is a handoff to Montee Ball, who runs 8 yards before plowing into Isaiah Lewis's shoulder. Lewis goes down and has to leave the game. Remember, Lewis gave the Badgers some major bulletin board material the week before after beating Michigan, saying the Spartans defense "was going to hurt" Russell Wilson. You think Ball remembered that as he slammed into Lewis?
• 12:03: Russell Wilson throws his first pass -- complete to Jacob Pedersen -- after four straight Ball runs have softened up the defense. Lewis comes back in.
• 8:48: On third-and-4, Wilson play-fakes to Ball and throws a touchdown pass to a wide-open Pedersen with Anthony Rashad White and Marcus Rush bearing down on the quarterback. That was the second straight completion off play-action for Wilson, as Michigan State's safeties and linebackers are biting hard on the run. It's a textbook, 80-yard Wisconsin style drive with almost perfect balance. The game could not have started off better for the Badgers. 7-0, Wisconsin
• 8:33: Uh-oh for Sparty. Tailback Edwin Baker fumbles on Michigan State's first offensive play, thanks to a hit from linebacker Mike Taylor. The officials review whether or not Wisconsin's Marcus Cromartie touched the ball first while coming from out of bounds on the recovery, but the play stands and the Badgers take over.
• 7:42: Wisconsin needs only three plays to cash in the fumble, as Ball rushes up the middle for a 9-yard touchdown. 14-0, Wisconsin. Wilson completed another pass off play-action immediately before. It was not a good series for Michigan State safety Trenton Robinson, who was fooled on the play-fake and then broke the wrong way before unsuccessfully trying to arm tackle Ball. Hey, the Badgers might win this game in a blowout!
• 3:47: Michigan State picks up a pair of first downs but can't convert a third-and-14 and has to punt. At least its defense got a little bit of a breather, but if Wisconsin goes in for another score this one could get out of hand early.
• 0:33: And we have our first Badgers mistake. After the offense drove to midfield, Wilson throws an interception to -- guess who? -- Robinson. It's only the second interception of the year for Wilson, who threw his other one on a meaningless play late in the Northern Illinois blowout. But I don't put this one entirely on him. Receiver Nick Toon appears to break the wrong way on the route, and he doesn't even start to look for the ball until it's nearly over his head. Remember that Toon missed the previous game with a foot injury he suffered two weeks earlier against Nebraska. He looked a little rusty/anxious, especially as he drew an uncharacteristic false start penalty later in the half. But the play was set up by a loss of 1 yard by James White on first down. The second-and-long prompted offensive coordinator Paul Chryst to put Wilson in the shotgun and not use play-action, allowing the safeties to stick in pass coverage. Even if Wilson and Toon had been on the same page, it was a low-percentage throw into double coverage, and that's not Wisconsin's game.
• 0:26: I love, love, love the fact that Wilson sprints down the field and actually makes the tackle on Robinson, even though his form could use a little work.
• 0:18: Michigan State, which has negative-9 rushing yards to this point, finally gets something going on the ground. The Spartans wide receivers blow up the right side of Wisconsin's defense, and Le'Veon Bell rushes 32 yards behind tackle Fou Fonoti, who's dying to find someone to block. Momentum seems to be changing.

Second quarter

• 14:15: Kirk Cousins and Larry Caper can't quite connect for a screen pass on third-and-6, which was set up perfectly and might have resulted in an easy touchdown. The Spartans have another empty possession. But Bell's big run has flipped field position, leading to ...
• 14:04: Mike Sadler punts the ball out of bounds at the Wisconsin 5. We didn't mention Sadler when we talked about freshmen of the year candidates in the Big Ten, but he has been a valuable weapon for Mark Dantonio all year long.
• 13:58 to 13:10: Disaster strikes for Wisconsin. First, Jerel Worthy finally makes his presence felt, stuffing Ball for a 3-yard loss back to the 2. Then Wilson is called for intentional grounding in the end zone under heavy pressure from Denicos Allen. That's a safety, and it's now 14-2, Wisconsin. Chryst dialed up play-action again and looked to be going for a big throw over the top. But the call actually helped Michigan State, because the linebackers darted up field to stop the run. Ball has had an amazing season, but he whiffed on Allen to let "The Waterboy" get right to Wilson, who had little choice but to throw it away. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, there was no receiver on the side of the field where Wilson could get rid of the ball.
• 11:22: Razzle, meet dazzle. After a beautiful throw from Cousins to tight end Brian Linthicum, Michigan State offensive coordinator Dan Roushar dials up some trickery. The Spartans line up in the I-formation. Cousins fakes a handoff to Bell, then hands it to receiver B.J. Cunningham on a reverse. Cunningham then pitches it to Keshawn Martin coming the other way. Wisconsin blitzed to the side Martin is now running toward, leaving no one left to tackle the Spartans' speedster except safety Aaron Henry. And he's sandwiched by three blockers. Martin scores from 34 yards out to make the score 14-9, Wisconsin. Martin has been on fire the latter part of this season.
• 8:41: Wisconsin's offense mounts a good drive in response, and receiver Jared Abbrederis takes a jet sweep 21 yards. It's no coincidence that Abbrederis runs to the side where suspended defensive end William Gholston would have been. The Badgers have been attacking his replacement, Denzel Drone. Gholston's return is a big factor in this week's game.
• 7:49 to 7:22: A tough sequence here for Ball. First, he misses another block, allowing cornerback Johnny Adams to blow up a play when he tackles Wilson from behind. Then he takes a Robinson shoulder to the head after a 7-yard run. Ball gets up from the tackle and then falls back down in a scary scene. He's escorted off the field and is given concussion tests on the sideline as Wisconsin fans hold their breath. Ball has 68 yards rushing and a touchdown when he goes out.
• 6:42: On third-and-short from the Michigan State 14, White is stopped shy of the first down when Kyler Elsworth sheds a Pedersen block and makes the tackle. Great defensive play. No disrespect to White, but it makes you wonder if Ball would have gotten the extra few feet had he been in the game.
• 5:55: Philip Welch's 30-yard field goal try is blocked by Darqueze Dennard, who ran in free from the left end. I'm not sure if Welch would have made the kick anyway, because Brad Nortman bobbled the snap, which disrupted the timing of the play. Wisconsin converted 62 of 65 trips in the red zone into points this season, second best in the FBS. But it comes up empty in a big spot here.
• 1:40: Michigan State moves the ball down the field, but Baker is tackled for a loss to set up fourth-and-2 from the Wisconsin 35. Dantonio doesn't hesitate to go for it, and Roushar calls a great, if somewhat risky, play. Cousins waits for Cunningham to find a hole behind the linebackers in a long-developing route. But Wisconsin doesn't get any pressure on Cousins, and he hits Cunningham in the middle of three Badgers defenders. Taylor misses a tackle in a difficult matchup for him, and Cunningham is off for a touchdown to make it 16-14, Michigan State. It's the second straight year that Cunningham catches a fourth-down touchdown pass in a key spot. Think Wisconsin will know where he is if a big fourth down comes up again Saturday? The game's final play got all the attention, but this was just as big.
• 0:45: Complete catastrophe for the Badgers. A fired up Spartans defense forces a three and out at Wisconsin 45, and then backup linebacker Ellsworth makes his second huge play of the game. He blocks Nortman's punt, and Bennie Fowler recovers the ball in the end zone to make it 23-14 Michigan State. The Spartans brought four defenders untouched up the middle against Wisconsin's three-man punt protection unit, and Ellsworth flew right by Robert Burge. In Burge's defense, middle protector Ryan Groy was slow to pick up his block, and Burge looked like he couldn't decide whether to chip Ellsworth or help on Kurtis Drummond right up the gut. "It was nothing special we haven't seen on film," Bret Bielema will tell Erin Andrews at halftime. "We've just got to block all four."
• 0:00: The half mercifully ends for Wisconsin as Spartan Stadium is rocking. In a 15-minute span from the end of the first quarter to the final score of the half, the Badgers threw an interception, gave up a safety, had a field goal blocked, had a punt blocked for a touchdown, allowed a touchdown pass on fourth down and surrendered another score on a trick play. In basketball terms, it's a 23-0 spurt. Things can't get any worse for Wisconsin, or better for Michigan State. Can they?

MADISON, Wis. -- Some quick thoughts at the end of the first quarter in Madison, where Wisconsin and Penn State are tied at 7-7. But probably not for much longer.

• After being stopped on the game's opening series, Wisconsin has settled in to a nice rhythm on offense. Senior QB Russell Wilson has come to play, connecting on 8 of 11 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. Top WRs Jared Abbrederis and Nick Toon both have been effective against Penn State's veteran secondary, and the line is opening things up for RBs Montee Ball and James White. Wisconsin might have to pass to set up the run today, but Wilson looks more than willing to do so. The Badgers held the ball for 11:23 in the quarter.
• Curtis Drake continues to be a difference-maker for Penn State's offense. A week after leading the Wild-Lion attack against Ohio State, the sophomore found himself uncovered for an easy 44-yard touchdown. Drake benefited from a blown coverage by Wisconsin safety Aaron Henry on the play. Wisconsin might want to keep an eye on No. 7 from here on out. Drake had only three catches coming into the game.
• Matthew McGloin looked comfortable throwing the ball until an ill-advised interception. It will be interesting to see how the Penn State quarterback responds.
• Special teams continue to hurt Wisconsin in big games. A running into the punter penalty on White prolonged Penn State's first drive, leading to the Lions' touchdown. The Badgers also had a kickoff sail out of bounds to give Penn State excellent field position.

The 2010 season wasn't a great one for Big Ten running backs.

The league's best running back played quarterback (Michigan's Denard Robinson). Illinois' Mikel Leshoure flew under the radar but was a nationally elite back in every sense of the word.

But after those two, meh. The league boasted some solid backs -- Edwin Baker, James White, Dan Herron, Adam Robinson, John Clay -- but no one you had to watch every time he took the field. The Big Ten's real star power could be found on the defensive line, as five players went on to become first round picks in the NFL draft.

This season, it's all about the running backs in the Big Ten. The league boasts four players averaging more than 105 rush yards per game, all of whom rank among the nation's top 21 rushers. No other league has more backs in the top 25 nationally than the Big Ten.

So who's the Big Ten's best running back in 2011? It's already one of the more spirited debates around the conference.

Let's meet the candidates (in alphabetical order):

• Wisconsin junior Montee Ball
• Nebraska junior Rex Burkhead
• Iowa sophomore Marcus Coker
• Penn State sophomore Silas Redd

Now let's take a closer look at each player and how they stack up.

MONTEE BALL

Vitals: 5-11, 210, junior from Wentzville, Mo.

2011 stats: 162 carries for 1,076 yards and 21 touchdowns, 119.6 ypg, 6.64 ypc, 13 receptions for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns, 1-for-1 passing with a 25-yard touchdown

Things to know: Ball leads the nation with 24 touchdowns, tying the team record set by Brian Calhoun. He needs just two touchdowns to tie the Big Ten single-season record held by three players. Ball scores a touchdown every 7.3 touches. ... Ball leads the Big Ten in all-purpose yards (145 per game). He ranks fifth nationally among FBS running backs in combined rushing-receiving yards. ... He has scored at least one touchdown in each of his last 15 games and 39 touchdowns during the span. ... Ball has rushed for at least 115 yards in eight of his last nine games against Big Ten opponents. ... Like the other Wisconsin backs, Ball has no fumbles (lost or recovered) this season. ... Despite a strong finish to last season, Ball transformed his body in the winter and spring, shedding weight to add speed while maintaining his power.

Supporting cast: Ball has the best supporting cast of the four candidates. He runs behind one of the nation's best offensive lines, a group led by NFL prospect Peter Konz. His quarterback, Russell Wilson, is a Heisman Trophy candidate and has brought a new element to Wisconsin's offense. His backup, James White, is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

The quote: "He's definitely our best practice player. Nobody has practice that hard at that position since I've been here." -- Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema

Quick case for Ball: "Moneyball" is a touchdown-scoring machine and has been absolutely unstoppable for most of the season. Few backs in the country have been more effective than Ball since the middle of last season. He doesn't put the ball on the ground and consistently moves it forward and into the end zone. He didn't rest on his laurels in the offseason and got better physically.

Quick case against Ball: Wisconsin's track record of running the ball probably works against Ball with the other candidates. The Badgers always have a dominant back (or three) and terrific offensive lines. Wilson's presence also has opened things up for Ball in the run game.

REX BURKHEAD

Vitals: 5-11, 210, junior from Plano, Texas

2011 stats: 187 carries for 951 yards and 13 touchdowns, 105.7 ypg, 5.1 ypc, 14 receptions for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns

Things to know: Burkhead has recorded five 100-yard rushing performances in the last seven games, including against two of the nation's better rush defenses in Michigan State and Ohio State. He turned in a heroic performance in the win against the Spartans, carrying 35 times, the third-highest total in team history. ... Burkhead has gotten better as games have gone on. He has 43 fourth-quarter carries and has averaged 6.16 yards in the final quarter. Burkhead had 109 second-half yards and 96 fourth-quarter yards in Nebraska's historic comeback win against Ohio State. ... He has lost just 32 yards on 187 carries. ... Of his 38 carries in the red zone, Burkhead has gained a first down or a touchdown on 15 rushes. He has rushed for at least one touchdown in every game this season. ... Former Texas high school star nicknamed "Superman," Burkhead did a bit of everything for Nebraska in 2010, even taking some snaps as a Wildcat quarterback.

Supporting cast: Burkhead shares a backfield with another rushing threat in quarterback Taylor Martinez, who has 712 rush yards and nine touchdowns this season. While Martinez demands the attention of opposing defenses, he also takes away some carries and scoring opportunities for Burkhead. Nebraska's offensive line entered the season banged-up and extremely young, but the group has come together nicely. The Huskers' passing attack ranks 101st nationally, and Martinez and his receivers have had their ups and downs. After Burkhead and Martinez, no other Nebraska player has more than 25 carries.

The quote: "He might not be the flashiest guy in the world. I wouldn't trade him for anybody. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and how he plays the game." -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini

Quick case for Burkhead: He's one of the more reliable players in the country and an absolute joy to watch. He doesn't mess around with excessive moves and blends speed and power extremely well. Unlike Ball and Coker, he doesn't operate in an offense with a strong passing threat, and he's produced against some solid defenses.

Quick case against Burkhead: His numbers don't pop off the page like some of the other candidates'. Burkhead's most impressive performance (against MSU) was more of a workmanlike effort (35 carries, 3.7 ypc) than one that wows you. He doesn't have many long runs in Big Ten play (longest is 22 yards).

MARCUS COKER

Vitals: 6-0, 230, sophomore from Beltsville, Md.

2011 stats: 211 carries for 1,101 yards and 12 touchdowns, 122.3 ypg, 5.2 ypc, 15 receptions for 94 yards

Things to know: Coker leads the Big Ten in carries, rushing yards and rushing average (he ranks sixth nationally). ... He has six 100-yard rushing performances this season. His 12 rushing touchdowns tie for the fourth-highest single-season total in team history ... Coker ranks second in the Big Ten and 41st nationally in all-purpose yards (132.8 ypg). ... His 252 rushing yards yards in an Oct. 22 game at Minnesota ranks as third best single-game total in school history. ... He's one of only four backs in Iowa history to record multiple 200-yard rushing performances. ... Coker has eclipsed 120 rush yards and scored two touchdowns in each of his last four games, all against Big Ten opponents.

Supporting cast: Coker runs behind one of the better Big Ten offensive lines, led by NFL draft prospect Riley Reiff at left tackle. Iowa isn't quite as powerful up front as Wisconsin but boasts a better line than both Penn State and Nebraska. Quarterback James Vandenberg has had a very strong season passing the ball, and defenses must respect Iowa's aerial attack and receiving corps, led by star senior Marvin McNutt. Coker has been Iowa's bell cow, as no other Hawkeyes running back has logged more than 18 carries.

The quote: "Marcus is the type of back that makes your offensive line want to block for him. So we definitely love him, and we love blocking for him, and we don't want anyone else back there." -- Iowa center James Ferentz, to The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette

The case for Coker: He leads the Big Ten in rushing and has improved as the season has progressed. He boasts arguably the best combination of power and big-play potential among the candidates, recording six runs of 25 yards or more and three of 41 yards or more. While some of the other candidates are solid, reliable runners, Coker has the rare ability to simply dominate a game.

The case against Coker: He struggled with fumbles at the start of the year and hurt Iowa in its Week 2 loss to Iowa State. He benefits from Iowa's lack of depth at running back and gets more carries than other candidates. He averaged a pedestrian 4.3 yards per rush through Iowa's first five games. He feasted on mostly average defenses.

SILAS REDD

Vitals: 5-10, 209, sophomore from Norwalk, Conn.

2011 stats: 195 carries for 1,006 yards and 7 touchdowns, 111.8 ypg, 5.2 ypc, eight receptions for 31 yards

Things to know: Redd recorded five consecutive 100-yard games and led all FBS players with 703 rushing yards in October. He averaged 140.6 yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry during the month. He's the first Penn State player to record five consecutive 100-yard games since former All-American Curtis Enis in 1997. ... He already has eclipsed 1,000 rush yards for the season, becoming the 12th Penn State player to do so. ... He already has 118 carries more than he had all of last season and has racked up 28 or more carries in four of Penn State's five Big Ten games. ... He has lost just 19 yards on 195 carries. ... Redd worked on his body during the offseason and added 10-15 pounds to help with an increased workload. He also changed his running style, becoming a more straight-ahead, downhill power back.

Supporting cast: Redd has the weakest supporting cast of the candidates, underscoring how impressive his performance has been this season. Penn State has rotated two quarterbacks all season and had very limited success in the passing game, so the offense relies heavily on Redd to produce. The offensive line is performing better in recent weeks but hasn't been as strong as Wisconsin's and Iowa's, and even Nebraska's. Redd has gotten a bit of help from fellow backs Beachum and Curtis Dukes, but Dukes is second on Penn State's carries list with only 35.

The quote: "He can hurt you with his speed and his elusiveness outside, and he can run between the tackles. He's a pretty complete back." -- Nebraska coach Bo Pelini

The case for Redd: He has been an absolute workhorse for a struggling Penn State offense and transformed himself into a complete back in just his sophomore season. Redd had the most impressive month of any candidate (October), and he did it all against Big Ten competition. He has the weakest supporting cast and, along with Coker, he's clearly his team's main ball-carrier.

The case against Redd: The main knock on Redd is he doesn't score enough touchdowns. He has 14 fewer rush touchdowns than Ball, six fewer than Burkhead and five fewer than Coker. Redd also has had some fumbling issues that have ended promising Penn State drives.

All Wisconsin needed to right the ship was some good old-fashioned home cooking.

The Badgers just about never lose at Camp Randall Stadium these days, and most opponents end up leaving bludgeoned. Purdue found that out the hard way in a 62-17 loss. Wisconsin led by 21 points at halftime and ended any drama with two quick third-quarter touchdowns.

This offense is breathtaking and intimidating when it finds in a groove like today, especially at home. Montee Ball was the star with 224 yards and three touchdowns. That gives him 24 on the season, and he needs just three more to break the Big Ten single-season record. He could very easily do it next week against Minnesota. Heck, he could have done it today, but Bret Bielema lifted Ball after his last score with 12:01 left in the third quarter. Fellow tailback James White benefited by scoring two touchdowns of his own.

Wisconsin punished a Purdue defense that played quite well in its first three Big Ten games. But the Boilers have now given up 98 points in their last two contests. They're 4-5 now and still needing two more wins to get that elusive postseason berth. Realistically, though, they never expected to count this game as one of those six necessary six wins. Purdue will have to get it done at home against Ohio State and/or Iowa, with Indiana as the finale. Clearly, Danny Hope has to shore up what's wrong with the defense.

Hope also won't see an offense quite like Wisconsin's again, especially not the Madison version. The Badgers probably needed an easy win like this to put the bad taste of their last two crushing losses out of their mouths. I still like their chances of winning out given the rest of the schedule -- at Minnesota, at Illinois and home against Penn State. But they have put themselves in the position of needing some help from Penn State and Ohio State.

But the Badgers are feeling good tonight, as they usually do at home.

We're all square in predictions through the first nine weeks. Will anything change in Week 10?

The lineup of games isn't too exciting and features four games with heavy home favorites (Wisconsin, Nebraska, Ohio State and Michigan State). The one truly intriguing matchup, barring a surprise, takes place in Iowa City as No. 15 Michigan visits an Iowa team that hasn't lost at home this season.

Let's get picky ...

MINNESOTA at NO. 17 MICHIGAN STATE

Brian Bennett: It was great to see the Gophers go hog wild and get their moment last week. That moment won't last against a Spartans team that plays at a different level at home. Jerel Worthy and William Gholston make life miserable for MarQueis Gray. ... Michigan State 31, Minnesota 3

Adam Rittenberg: The Spartans get their groove back in East Lansing, and an offense that simply didn't show up in Lincoln takes advantage of Minnesota's secondary. Kirk Cousins and B.J. Cunningham connect for two touchdown passes as Michigan State starts a bit slowly before opening things up in the second and third quarters. ... Michigan State 34, Minnesota 10

INDIANA at OHIO STATE

Adam Rittenberg: This is the perfect opportunity for Braxton Miller and the Buckeyes' offense to build off of a strong finish to the Wisconsin game. Miller and Dan Herron run wild on a young and overmatched Indiana defense. While the Hoosiers are running the ball well, Ohio State's defensive line is playing at another level right now. ... Ohio State 37, Indiana 6

Brian Bennett: Indiana has allowed at least 41 points in its last four Big ten games, and opponents are averaging more than 50 a game in that span. Yikes. The Hoosiers' lone attribute right now is their offense, but John Simon and the Silver Bullets shut that down. ... Ohio State 41, Indiana 10

NO. 15 MICHIGAN at IOWA

Brian Bennett: Big Ten teams have had trouble on the road all season, and the Hawkeyes are a much better team at Kinnick. But I just can't pick a team that just got beat at Minnesota and has way too many defensive issues right now. Iowa's James Vandenberg makes it interesting, but too much Denard Robinson keeps Michigan in the Legends hunt. ... Michigan 35, Iowa 27

Adam Rittenberg: This is a tricky one as Iowa will be motivated to atone for last week's shocking defeat and maintain its unbeaten record at home. Michigan is a bit banged up right now, but the Wolverines have the better defense and an offense that will make enough big plays to overcome its mistakes. Iowa leads at halftime, but Michigan, as it has much of the season, comes on strong in the second half behind the run game. ... Michigan 35, Iowa 31

NORTHWESTERN at NO. 10 NEBRASKA

Adam Rittenberg: Nebraska is on a roll, and the Huskers offense should run all over a Northwestern defense that can't stop anybody. Northwestern will move the ball in this game, as it has all season, but the Huskers will limit points and get plenty of their own from Rex Burkhead and Taylor Martinez. ... Nebraska 42, Northwestern 20

Brian Bennett: Northwestern is allowing 38 points per game in Big Ten play, and while Nebraska won't exploit its pass defense as much as others have, the Huskers will still score at will. The Blackshirts will have a little tougher time than they did against Michigan State's predictable attack, but Alfonzo Dennard slows down Jeremy Ebert and gets a pick six. ... Nebraska 45, Northwestern 24

PURDUE at NO. 20 WISCONSIN

Brian Bennett: Caleb TerBush hits Justin Siller on a 60-yard pass with one second left as the Boilers ... Nah. Wisconsin might suffer a bit of a hangover from the previous two gut-wrenching losses, but they'll still mash Purdue at home with another three touchdowns from Montee Ball. ... Wisconsin 38, Purdue 17

Adam Rittenberg: I agree Wisconsin might be a little off its game early on, but soon enough the Badgers will look around and realize where they are. Wisconsin's dominance on its home field continues, and Camp Randall Stadium continues to be a house of horrors for the Indiana schools. Russell Wilson records three touchdowns (2 pass, 1 rush) and James White reaches the end zone once. ... Wisconsin 41, Purdue 14

Bonus pick alert! You might have heard a thing or two about this game ...

NO. 1 LSU at NO. 2 ALABAMA

Adam Rittenberg: Most folks seem to be picking Bama at home, and I get it. The Tide linebackers are out of this world, and Trent Richardson is a beast. But LSU has repeatedly impressed me, not just with its play and its across-the-board talent, but with its ability to overcome adversity time and again. The Tigers once again will be in a tough spot Saturday, but I like The Hat and his crew to come out of T-Town with a win. ... LSU 17, Alabama 14

Brian Bennett: Adam, you won't get served at Dreamland with a prediction like that. I get the feeling LSU is a bit better overall, and you never bet against The Hat. But home field is just enough of an advantage between two extremely good teams. Richardson makes his Heisman statement, and Penn State enjoys the BCS bump as Alabama escapes. Let the rematch debate begin. ... Alabama 21, LSU 17

SEASON RECORDS

Bennett: 55-18 (.753)

Rittenberg: 55-18 (.753)

Here's our awards for the day's best performances. Couldn't narrow it down to very many individuals Saturday. I'll need a new shipment of helmet stickers after this week.

James Franklin, QB, Missouri: Franklin isn't a mean guy much, if ever, in real life. Texas A&M's defense might find that hard to believe. Franklin was being downright disagreeable and delivering some punishment to the artists formerly known as the Wrecking Crew in Saturday's win. He threw 198 yards and two scores and ran for 97 yards and two more touchdowns, highlighted by a 20-yard run littered with broken tackles. The Tigers got by the Aggies in overtime, 38-31, thanks to Franklin's second touchdown pass, and the sophomore got a nice midweek pep talk from former Tigers quarterback Chase Daniel.

Oklahoma State's defense: So what if it gave up more than 600 yards? These guys got it done. Believe it. OSU beat Baylor 59-24 and led 49-3 after three quarters, thanks to forcing five turnovers in Oklahoma State's territory. They picked off Robert Griffin III twice after the Bears quarterback had only thrown two picks in his previous six games. Believe what you read in the stat sheet at your own risk. Garbage time lies.

Iowa State's running game: Can't narrow this one down to one player, either. A week after Oklahoma struggled to run against Texas Tech (just 124 yards), the Cyclones rolled over Texas Tech for 368 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-7 win over Texas Tech. Just unbelievable. Jared Barnett's reinvigorated the team, and after this development, both teams are a bit of a scary matchup. James White and Duran Hollis both topped 100 yards.

Texas' defense: The Longhorns shut down the Jayhawks all night in this one, a dominant 43-0 shutout. With 7:30 remaining, the Jayhawks had just 18 yards of offense on 29 plays. The team finished with just 46 yards on 36 plays, and gained just three first downs compared to Texas' 34. Texas outrushed the Jayhawks 441 to -2. To borrow a phrase: U-G-L-Y, you ain't got no alibi.

Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma: Jones enjoyed a record-breaking day in the Sooners huge 58-17 win over Kansas State. He completed 35 of 47 passes for 505 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions as the Sooners' outscored the Wildcats 35-0 in the second half. The 505 yards was a school record, breaking the record of 468 yards he shared with Sam Bradford. He also became Oklahoma's career leader with 90 touchdown passes. No offense had scored that many points on K-State since Colorado in 1989.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Quick thoughts at halftime at Ohio Stadium, where Ohio State is giving No. 15 Wisconsin all it can handle.

Turning point: Wisconsin led 7-0 and faced third-and-1 from its own 26-yard line. Typically a formality given the Badgers' running backs and offensive line, Wisconsin failed to pick up the first down as S Christian Bryant stopped Montee Ball for no gain. Ohio State changed field position on the next possession and kept Wisconsin from doing much offensively.

Stat of the half: Wisconsin entered the game ranked eighth nationally in rushing (252.1 ypg). The Badgers have rushed for 200 yards in each of their previous six games. Ohio State held Wisconsin to only 10 rush yards on 12 carries in the first 30 minutes. John Simon and Adam Bellamy recorded sacks of Russell Wilson.

What Wisconsin needs to do: Rush. The. Football. It seems absurd to suggest for a Wisconsin team, but the Badgers' biggest strength has vanished tonight. Ohio State's defensive front has controlled the line of scrimmage extremely well. Wisconsin must get Ball and James White going and create more manageable down-and-distance situations. The defense has contained the big play well but must keep an eye on QB Braxton Miller, whose speed and elusiveness make him a threat to take off on every snap.

What Ohio State needs to do: The game plan is working well so far, as Ohio State has taken time off of the clock, stopped the run and kept Wisconsin's powerful offense off of the field. The Buckeyes must continue to clog the middle of the field and pressure Wilson, who looks a bit off his game and is having trouble extending plays like he typically does. Ohio State needs to start limiting the negative-yardage plays on offense and hit on some big gainers, as it's very difficult to keep Wisconsin out of the end zone for 60 minutes.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Some quick thoughts at the end of one quarter at The Shoe, as No. 15 Wisconsin leads Ohio State 7-0.

• Wisconsin doesn't appear to have a hangover from its heartbreaking loss to Michigan State. The Badgers took the field with energy and avoided major lapses in the first 15 minutes. Russell Wilson, who finished the Michigan State game strong, completed 6 of 7 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown.
• While Wilson gets most of the credit, junior running back Montee Ball is becoming the biggest difference-maker for Wisconsin's offense. The Badgers looked different with Ball on the field in East Lansing, and certainly lost something midway through the game with their top ball-carrier on the sideline. Ball made a terrific catch and run for a 22-yard touchdown on a pass thrown slightly behind him and nearly into the arms of Ohio State safety Christian Bryant.
• After getting dominated at the line of scrimmage last year in Madison, Ohio State is doing a better job so far tonight. The defensive line has limited Ball and James White on between-the-tackles run and got a big stop on third-and-short to force a punt. Wisconsin had just 19 rush yards on eight carries in the quarter.
• Ohio State already has matched its pass completions total (1) from the Illinois win on Oct. 15. The Buckeyes are opening things up more and giving Miller chances to air it out, but his first instinct often remains to run the ball. The freshman also isn't getting much help from his targets, as Corey Brown dropped a deep pass and Jake Stoneburner dropped what would have been a first-down strike on a crossing route.
• Linebacker Mike Taylor and defensive end Brendan Kelly have stood out for Wisconsin's defense.

Paul Rhoads stuck with Steele Jantz as his starter.

Jantz, playing through a painful foot injury, didn't reward Rhoads, failing to complete any of his first four passes, which included an interception.

Like last week, Rhoads benched Jantz and went with Barnett.

It's paying off, and Iowa State now leads No. 17 Texas A&M, 7-3.

Barnett is taking on the nation's last-ranked pass defense, and looking good doing it. Coaches often talk about new quarterbacks needing to provide a "spark" for the offense, and Barnett is proving why it's more than a tired cliche.

Barnett completed his first three passes for 47 yards and ran for a seven-yard gain.

James White, stepping in for the injured Shontrelle Johnson, split the Aggies' defense for a touchdown.

Unless Barnett gets hurt or hits a string of turnovers, it's hard to see Jantz getting back into this game. The freshman had a rough outing against Mizzou in limited action last week, but this week?

So far, it's all good.

It wasn't an 83-20 redux, but Wisconsin flexed its muscles once again against an overmatched Indiana team. As a result, Bret Bielema's team improved to 6-0 before its first true road game of the season.

The Badgers cruised to a 59-7 win against Indiana in their final tuneup in advance of the Michigan State showdown next week. While the competition level will be brought up whenever Wisconsin's name is mentioned, credit the Badgers for handling their business in dominating fashion these first six games.

No offense in America is clicking like Wisconsin's, which received huge performances again from running back Montee Ball (14 carries, 142 rush yards, three rushing TDs and a passing TD) and quarterback Russell Wilson (12-for-17 passing, 166 yards, TD and receiving TD). James White had a nice performance as well, as the Badgers steamrolled Indiana's defense. After a huge first half from the offense, the defense and special teams joined the scoring action as Jared Abbrederis had a punt return for a touchdown and Derek Landisch recovered a fumble in the end zone.

We'll get a much better read on Wisconsin next week against Michigan State, which continues to play superb defense and rediscovered its rushing attack against Michigan. It'll be strength versus strength in East Lansing.

Indiana didn't have much of a chance today, but the Hoosiers hurt themselves with turnovers and failed to cash in on some scoring opportunities. Quarterbacks Ed Wright-Baker and Tre Roberson struggled, combining to complete eight of 20 passes for 64 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. It hurt that top receiver Damarlo Belcher left the game with an undisclosed injury.

Coach Kevin Wilson must continue to evaluate his quarterback spot going forward. Wisconsin clearly doesn't have that problem.