The weekly recap goes year-end mode.

Like anyone else out there running a blog or any kind of news-site, you feel obligated to go out and make predictions at the start of the season. We thought now would be a good time to go back and take a look at what we predicted and compare those predictions to what came to be.

We're pretty new at this whole thing so we didn't really venture out on any limbs, but we're willing to take the beating if we were far off and trust us, if one of us really screwed up on something, the other is going to never let them forget about it.

We're going to start things off with Michigan, since they were easy.

Basically, we feel that while defense is the foundation of everything in the Big11Ten, when you’ve lost so many key pieces and have only one returning starter on your o-line, it’s bad times ahead. Throw in a new coach and a new system, and things probably aren’t going your way.

Our prediction for Michigan this season: 5-7 (3-5 Big11Ten).

So we gave them more credit than they deserved. They ended up 3-9 (2-6 Big Ten) and at or near the bottom of the conference in a whole heck of a lot meaningful statistic. Eleventh in scoring offense. Tenth in scoring defense. Eleventh in pass offense. Ninth in pass defense. You get the picture.

There was one statistic, however, where they stood supreme. The Wolverines led the conference with a sparkling 40.1 net yards per punt.

The Wolverines were about as bad as we had hoped but worse than we expected. We loved seeing them lose to teams like Toledo, hearing how this was the first time in a while they lost to all three of their big rivals and we really liked all the "since 1967" stats.

However, the Big11Ten needs Michigan to come back strong soon, if not next year. As much as we hate to admit it, the conference teams are all in it together when it comes to getting the big bowl bids. Why do you think there's 7 one-loss teams and probably a couple 2-loss teams ahead of PSU in the "trip to the championship game" queue?

The sooner Michigan comes back and does something meaningful, the better off the entire conference will be. Just so they don't beat Penn State anymore.


Moving on to Minnesota.

For as much positive potential the offense has, the defense seems to have as much negative potential. It would be a great story to see that terrible defense return with a couple junior college guys and turn into a competitor, but it's still a long shot for Minnesota to turn into anything resembling a contendor quite yet. Hopefully for the Gopher faithful, the 2009 team will put something special together for that new stadium they're building -- but 2008 looks like another year full of L's.

Our Prediction for 2008: 3-9 (0-8)

We were off by four games, but we were way off in predicting 0-8 in the conference. The Gophers ended up 7-5 (3-5) and to a team that was coming off a 1-11 (0-8) season, that's a huge turnaround. Sure, they had the benefit of playing Northern Illinois, Montana State, Bowling Green and Florida Atlantic, but hey, they lost to two of those teams the year before.

We noted that while the Gophers have the potential on offense to do something special, defense will ultimately bring them down. That suspect defense ended up allowing 378.4 yards per game, good for 10th in the conference. Pair that with an inability to run the ball (dead last in the conference with 105.8 ypg) and it was a recipe for disaster when you got against a solid opponent.

Had the Gophers finished a bit stronger and not lost their last four games of the season, including a beatdown of epic proportions by Iowa (55-0), this really could have been a special season. For Gopher fans it was probably a great surprise but moving forward the Gophers won't be sneaking up on anyone. Again, we hope they continue to improve because the more good teams in the conference, the better.

Next up: Wisconsin.

The chances of the Badgers to make an appearance in a BCS bowl this season probably rest entirely on the shoulders of PJ Hill. Make no mistake about it, he can run. It will be no surprise when Bielema starts calling for the ball to get to Hill early and often. As PJ Hill goes this season, so go the Badgers.

Also, PJ Hill has his own website We couldn't believe it when we saw it either. Hope you like the third person.

"Visit PJ Hill's website." - PJ Hill

Our Prediction for this season: 10-2 (6-2)

Yeah, we were pretty far off on this one. The Badgers actually ended up being 7-5 (3-5). PJ Hill did get his carries and put up 1000 yards (4.8 ypc average), but he also split time with John Clay who put up 845 yards of his own (5.9 ypc average!).

Wisconsin started off well enough as they won their first three games, but that brings us to the next part of our preview:

After that game (Fresno State), they get a week off to prep for a road trip to Michigan. Despite it being a down year for Michigan (potentially), it's never a good thing when you have to travel to Ann Arbor.

Following Michigan the Badgers play at home against Ohio State, Penn State, then travel to Iowa before returning home for a game against Illinois. If Wisconsin can get through that stretch, perhaps even with just one loss, they should be at the top of the running for Big11Ten Champs as they close with Michigan State, Indiana, Minnesota and a team that really strikes fear into everyone -- Cal Poly.

If you didn't know by now, The Badgers didn't get through that stretch. They lost to Michigan (somehow), Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa before breaking the slide with a win against the Illini. They would lose one more to Michigan State before closing out the season with three wins, BUT BARELY.

If not for a disastrous day kicking extra points (or not kicking extra points, that is), the Badgers would have lost to Cal-Poly. The Cal-Poly kicker missed three of those extra point attempts, including one in overtime that allowed Wisconsin to lock up the win.

Wisconsin's demise may have been one of the biggest surprises of the season, but there's no reason to believe they won't come back swinging next year. They were middle of the pack in a lot of categories this year, so it might just take a little fine tuning to get things rolling again. Unfortunately for Badger fans, Brett Bielema doesn't look like the kind of guy who could fine tune anything.

We'll continue this tomorrow....

Game 7 Recap: Penn State 48, Wisconsin 7

Pregame

Look who's back. Could you imagine a PSU game without the Blue Band?

Well, in the Roundtable we guessed Joe was would be on the field. We were clearly wrong. It was probably announced last Sunday and we just missed it.

1st Quarter

The first couple drives of this game, if you could even call them drives, were trash.

PJ Hill got three straight carries and got nowhere. Punt.

PSU got the ball and got a big gain, then punted four plays later.

John Clay then got three carries for some big yards. Wisconsin shot themselves in the foot, then Maybin (read: BEAST) chased down Evridge in the backfield for a loss. PUNT.

Fearing the inevitable Derrick Williams return, Brad Nortman punts the ball fifteen yards to be sure Williams doesn't get his hands on the ball.

Kevin Kelly says, "skip the first three downs, I can knock it down from here."

They didn't skip the first three downs, but KK did drill one home from 5o.
He has turned out to be quite the reliable kicker.

3-0

Upon getting the ball back, PJ Hill got two rushes. He ran for nine, setting up a short second down.

Most teams would take second and one and try some sort of play down field, relying on third down to convert that short first down.

Wisconsin hadn't passed the ball yet, no reason to start now.

No passing plays?
"PJ Hill approves of this method." -PJ Hill

On second and 1, the PSU D-line knocks that stupid grin off of PJ's face when they stop him in the backfield for a loss of two yards.

That set up a third and three and on that play Ollie Ogbu lead the jailbreak and got the sack.

You better check yourself.

As the first quarter ended you should have noticed two things:
1. Wisconsin had attempted one pass, an incompletion.
2. The Wisconsin student section was still half empty.

2nd Quarter

PSU started a drive at the end of the first at their own 49. It seemed like every drive was starting at or near mid-field, and it would only be a matter of time before they punched one in.

On this drive, all but one play went for positive yardage.

The drive culminated with an option to Royster that he walked in from two yards out. Clark took a hell of a shot on the play, but Holly Rowe was quick to inform us that he laughed it off.

10-0

Realizing they were quickly getting into some serious trouble, Wisconsin decide to come out throwing the ball. Three attempts, three incompletions. It was time for a punt. Somewhere in there Maybin knocked down one of those pass attempts. He's everywhere.

Upon the reception of said punt Williams decide he wasn't going to let anyone touch him, and took it back 63 yards.

Shot out of a cannon. Get it?
It's a big blue and white cannon and, ah, nevermind.


17-0
And it was beginning to feel like the rout was on.

It felt like PSU had just knocked the life out of Camp Randall, but those Wisconsin kids weren't ready to give up quite yet.

Travis Beckum took a reception 42 yards into PSU territory. John Clay piled up some runs and moved the ball even further.

"PJ Hill does not approve of this method." - PJ Hill

A big run by Everidge got the ball to the PSU 6, and then finally PJ Hill got a carry and took it to the PSU 1 yard line. Wisconsin was finally ready to punch one in and --Oops, 12 men in the huddle.

The refs back the Badgers up to the five, but Evridge took it in anyway.

17-7

The last thing you want to happen as the half ends is for the home team to start building any momentum. The offense needed to come out and put something together and get some points to quell the turn-around.

Rosyter had two good runs on the next drive and it seemed like he was picking up 6 or 8 yards on every carry. Clark and Norwood got some rushing attempts that really went nowhere and it put the Lions in some passing situations.

We don't know anything about running a football team, but when it's 2nd and 8 and you have a guy like Royster breaking off 5+ yard runs left and right, why not try and shorten things up for third down?

Isn't it ironic that a couple PSU fans might be disappointed that, after all these years, Joepa tried some fancy plays when a run up the middle might have got the job done?

Anyway, two Clark passes fell incomplete and they had to punt the ball away.

A Wisconsin penalty on the return put the ball inside their own 10 yard line.

It was time to run the two minute drill and maybe swing the momentum even further their way, but Aaron Maybin (read: FIEND) was in the backfield before Evridge knew what was going on. He hit Evridge as he crossed the line of scrimmage and knocked the ball loose, right into the waiting hands of Josh Hull.

On his way to forcing that fumble, Maybin had a steak dinner, had sex with your girlfriend and saved four children from a burning building.

Drive ended. PSU ball.

PSU had to go for the jugular now.

Butler was interfered with on first down and the Lions were moved up to the two. Clark ran it in on the QB keeper.

Party on, Clark.

24-7

Wisconsin got the ball back with 1:24 left in the half.

A series on ineptitude followed, and it was on to the second half.

Yeah, the rout was back on.

-Halftime-

During halftime, Aaron Maybin put an end to the Taliban.

Threat neutralized.

3rd Quarter

Penn State received the ball to start the 3rd, and Daryll Clark promptly said, "Don't worry guys, I'll handle this."

Clark was 4-5 on the drive, hitting Williams, Norwood and Butler twice along the way. On the Wisconsin 4, Clark decided, "Fat Wisconsin linemen be damned, I'm plowing this one in."

And he did.

31-7

Wisconsin got the ball back and ran the the ball three times for nine yards and punted. We know, that play calling seems shocking what with Brett Bielema's extreme confidence in Evridge. At least for the Badgers, Williams made a fair catch on this punt.

The coaches seemed content with letting Clark control the game with his arm and again let him loose on the next drive. He really went to work, hitting Royster for 24, Norwood for 21, James McDonald (???) for 25 and finally Butler for a 44-yard touchdown.

Woot.

38-7

The Badgers came out lifeless, and Evridge tossed a pick to Lydell Sargeant on 3rd down, because he wasn't yet satisfied with Penn State's point total.

Clark hit Williams and Green twice on the following drive, which ultimately stalled at the Wisconsin 13. Kevin Kelly added to the beat down.

41-7

Much to the delight of Badger fans, Wisconsin started its next drive with a new QB, Dustin Sherer. And we can still hear the loud, sarcastic cheers after Sherer hit Garrett Graham with his first attempt for a 23-yard gain.

Get used to that headset, Allan.

After another completion and couple of rushes, the Badgers had the ball on the Penn State 27. Then, with all the composure of his predecessor, Sherer tossed an interception to Sargeant, who returned it 55 yards to the Wisconsin 44.

Or not.

Green had a carry for 8 yards, and the quarter was over.

Just a guess, but we think Jump Around probably wasn't much fun last night.

4th Quarter

Green had another carry for a first down to start the quarter, and then Clark hit him for a 19-yard pickup. Two plays later, Clark was intercepted.

The best thing about that interception was that it was a 34-7 game in the 4th Quarter, and Clark looked completely pissed off on the sidelines. That's a gamer.

The Badgers took over at their own 42. Sherer went back to work, and was 3-4 until he found another Lion defender with a pass, this time it was Mark Rubin.

Back up the truck. Under review.

Incompletion.

Not to worry though, because Sherer threw another incompletion to set up a fourth and 11, where he was promptly sacked for a loss of 12 by, you guessed it, Maybin.

The teams traded three-and-outs, and it was eventual transfer Pat Devlin's turn to take the reigns of the offense.

Devlin threw a couple completions on a drive that went for eight plays and 51 yards, and he sneaked one into the end zone to add the final blow to Wisconsin's nightmare conference start.

48-7

The Badgers got the ball back and moved it down the field, but nothing would come of it.

Shame in Madison.

Game.
48-7

3 Big Stat Lines

• Daryll Clark: 16-25, 244 yds, 1 TD (passing); 6 carries, 12 yds, 2 TD (rushing)
  
• Derrick Williams: 63-yard punt return for TD
  
• Aaron Maybin: 6 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles (!!!)
  

Our Quick Thoughts On The Game:

• RIP PJ Hill speaking in third person jokes. Until next year.
• Aaron Maybin is leading the nation in sacks. Did anyone see that coming?
• The PSU offense is good.
• We expected a win, but not by that much.
• Allan Evridge gives new meaning to the word "inept".
• The game was over after the Evridge fumble in the second quarter.
• The second half was a showcase for Penn State.
• Wisconsin: run, run, incomplete pass, punt.
  
• Williams returns another kick. Brad Childress belittled the Wisconsin punter after the game.
• Royster didn't have huge numbers, but he was still very solid.
• The defense as a whole played great.
• Bielema looked clueless. Not so easy when you're not using an inherited Alvarez squad.
  
• Call us trite if you want, but this was the definition of a statement game.

Penn State Player of the Game: Aaron Maybin
Re-watching the game barely through the first half we were thinking "damn, Aaron Maybin might just have to be the player of the game!" Well, there were still more than two minutes left in the first half at that point, and he still had a sack, forced fumble and tackle for loss left in him before the half closed. That forced fumble at the end of the 2nd essentially ended the game for the Badgers, and we have Maybin to thank for it. This guy is a beast and he's been great to watch.

Wisconsin Player of the Game: QB Dustin Sherer
If only because he had as many completions in his first two attempts as Evridge did all game.

Game 7 Preview: Penn State @ Wisconsin

Gametime: 8:00 pm

Records: Penn State: 6-0 (2-0), Wisconsin: 3-2 (0-2)

Series Record: Wisconsin leads, 8-5

TV: ESPN

Audio: Here

Weather: 64 degrees at game time, clear skies, 0% chance of rain

"P.J. Hill approves the following." -P.J. Hill

When you look at the stats, Wisconsin probably should have a better record than 3-2. But the stats don't tell the whole story, as usual. Blowing a 19-point halftime lead to Michigan would be awful even if Michigan were having a good year, but doing it during what is obviously a transition year for the Wolverines is unacceptable. The Badgers had every chance to bounce back last weekend, but their defense couldn't stop a true freshman QB when they needed to. (To be fair, it was the top recruit in the nation, but he's still a freshman.)

Despite all that, we're scared as hell of this team, because its still loaded with talent, and it's still one of the most dangerous teams in the conference. This is the first huge test of the season for Penn State, and if they can stare down the Badgers and beat them up in Camp Randall, they will be loaded with confidence the rest of the way. Before we get to our prediction, let's look at some important areas of the Wisconsin squad, and how the Lions will need to deal with them:

Running Backs
For the Badgers, the 5'11", 236 pound junior P.J. Hill is a bruising power back who is fourth in the conference in rushing. The backup is John Clay, who at 6'2" 237 is also a beast, but is a little quicker than Hill. Clay had a nice game against OSU and is averaging 6.7 ypc so far this year.

When you compare the Badgers ground attack to Penn State's, there's not a WHOLE lot of difference between the two, at least statistically. Both teams have two very talented backs, and both are near the top of the conference in rushing. Penn State leads the Big11Ten with a whopping 256 yards a game on the ground, while Wisconsin is third with 210. Both will try to establish the run early to set up the pass. The Penn State D-Line will have their hands full with the talent of the Wisconsin backfield and if they can shut them down, they can shift all the pressure to Allan Evridge.

QB
Fifth-year senior Allan Evridge is at the helm for Wisconsin, although his job is in jeopardy after two straight losses in which he had very rough outings. He's completing just 56% of his passes this year and he's thrown 4 picks to only 5 touchdowns. He's been shaky at best so far.

Evridge is at his best when he can rely on the run and just manage the game. Penn State needs to shut down the run and put the game squarely on Evridge's shoulders. If they make him win the game for the Badgers, they should be in good shape. Pressure early will be key.

Receivers
Wisconsin is just 9th in the conference in passing, but a lot of that has to do with Evridge. He does have some weapons to throw to, however. The Badgers have a great tight end tandem with junior Garrett Graham and senior All-American Travis Beckum. Beckum is second on the team in receptions and receiving yards, and Graham leads the team with 3 TD receptions. Sophomore wideout David Gilreath leads the team in receiving with only 14 catches and 167 yards, so you can see that the passing game is a little anemic.

The backers and secondary will have to stick tight to Beckum and Graham, but the real key to stopping the pass will be to put lots of pressure on Evridge, early and often.

Defense
We would break the defense down by unit if we weren't so lazy and actually knew a little something about each of the units. But those are two big factors playing against us, so we give you this.

The Badgers' D isn't quite as stout as they were in years past, but they are still talented and can control games when they're playing well. In the conference, they're currently 6th in scoring defense, 4th in pass defense and just 7th in rush defense. That last stat is particularly interesting to us. Linebackers Jaevery McFadden and DeAndre Levy lead the team in tackles with 44 and 33, respectively. Levy also has 6 tackles for loss and 2 sacks.

While the Badgers' D is solid, there are a few holes that the Lions can attack. If they can win the battle on the line and get Royster and Green moving early, it will really open things up for Clark, Williams, Butler and Norwood (and hopefully Galen Hall's playbook). The Badgers aren't super fast on D, but they are physical. As Clark may need to make some plays on his feet, he'll need to watch his ass and stay away from getting drilled. If the Lions offense can rebound from a lackluster performance last week and return to their dynamic form from the Illinois game, they shouldn't have TOO much of a problem scoring against this D.

Wisconsin Player To Watch: QB Allan Evridge
Alright, it seems really easy to pick Evridge, but he is the correct choice here. This entire game depends on him for the Badgers. Their defense usually keeps things close, but can Evridge pull it together and lead the offense on some sustained drives? It's not going to be easy against the stout Lions' D, but if he doesn't do it, the Badgers are staring down an 0-3 start in the conference.

Penn State Player To Watch: Jordan Norwood
It's almost becoming too hard to pick just one guy to watch on this team, but since Norwood is coming off of an injury, we'll go with him. He's such a key to the passing game, always making a big impact, but in a quiet fashion (if that makes sense). Watch him early and see if his hamstring is 100%. It would be great to have him out there in full force this week.

3 Bold Predictions:

• Clark will post a season-high rushing mark this week.
• Norwood makes at least two catches in key 3rd down conversion situations.
• Someone in the Wisconsin band will be fondled by a tuba player.

Other Notes:

• Penn State is 2-5 all time at Camp Randall Stadium, and hasn't won there since 2002
• The Blue Band could whoop Wisconsin's Band's ass

This one is going to be close until the fourth quarter. Penn State is going to score, get the ball back and the let Royster salt the game away. And it will be glorious.

Game Prediction: Penn State 27, Wisconsin 13

Wisconsin Band Will Show Up and Play...Will the Football Team?

Yes, the news came out last night - before we even finished writing our Roundtable post, so that shows our stellar research skills - that the Wisconsin band will be playing at tomorrow night's game. The Green Bay Press Gazette has the story.

The band is being allowed to play amidst allegations of hazing and sexual misconduct. We would criticize the move to allow them back, but we're pretty sure Mo Evans and Abe Koroma will be playing Saturday as well. HEY-OOOOO!

But seriously, having the band will definitely be a boost to the crowd, if not to the actual Wisconsin players. College football without marching bands is...well... kinda like the NFL. Boring. This will give it more of a big-game atmosphere, and it should be awesome. That is assuming the band can actually concentrate on playing a song without fondling one another, of course.

Blue & White Roundtable: 'Sconsin Edition

Other possible participants:

There is No Name on My Jersey
Tangled Up in White and Blue
W. F. Yurasko
Happy Hour Valley
Black Shoe Diaries
The Nittany Line
Zombie Nation
Nittany Whiteout


1. What must Penn State do or not do to come out of Madison victorious?

Do:

• Score when you get into the red zone. Leaving points on the field might be okay against Purdue, but it won't fly against the Badgers.
• Establish the running game. Let the best part of your offense set the tone. Then you can...
• Open up the playbook. Bust out some plays that will baffle the Badgers D. Get points on the board early and then don't look back.
• Stop the Badgers running game. P.J. Hill and John Clay are looking to pound the Lions D. Penn State must make Allan Evridge win this game at any cost. Speaking of which...
• Pressure Allan Evridge. He's looked shaky at best so far, and he's barely clinging to his job. Sack him a couple times early and then he's finished.

Don't Do:

• The opposite of all that stuff.
  

2. The Badgers are really down after dropping out of the rankings and losing their grip on a Big Ten title and a BCS Bowl. There is concern that the Badgers are emotionally spent and could collapse. Does Wisconsin bounce back and beat Penn State or do they collapse? Is there reason for panic in Madison?

Hey, by now we all know how the mainstream sports media works. They panic in Week 1, they panic in Week 7, they panic in Week 12. It doesn't matter what week it is or what happens, someone is always worked up about something.

That being said, there really isn't reason for panic in Madison. Do we think that the Badgers are going to win this weekend? No. Is an 0-3 start in the conference the worst thing in the world? Also no. There are a lot of factors at play here. There are good teams in this conference and Wisconsin is facing them early. Sometimes you don't live up to preseason expectations (like Wisconsin last year). And of course, when you don't win the games you're supposed to win (i.e. Michigan), you may end up with a bad record.

There's no reason to get too worked up about it though. In case no one remembers, we had a couple rough years not too long ago, and we seemed to have bounced back pretty well, now that we're rid of Morelli. There's no reason Wisconsin can't do the same. They just have to play hard the rest of the season and try to turn things around. And quit whining.


3. The Big Ten has a good crop of running backs this year including Wisconsin true freshman John Clay who is averaging 6.7 yards per carry. How much playing time does Clay see this week compared to P.J. Hill? How does our defense fare against them?

John Clay is good. When we read 6.7 yards per carry, our initial reaction was that it was probably inflated by a couple home run plays or running third down draws on 3rd and long. We call that the "give up" play.

So we checked out game recaps and play by play write ups. Against Michigan he had 3 carries. One of those was a 40+ yard run. That helps.

Against Ohio State he had 10 carries, on all downs, and put together regular runs of 10+ yards. He had a couple of 0's and 1's in there too, but he still moved the ball to the tune of 6.9 YPC.

Is this the week that Clay gets more carries than PJ Hill? We don't really think so. He's still going to be sprinkled in there and probably break off a couple nice ones, but we feel confident in PSU's rushing defense that's only allowing 80 yards per game.

We also feel confident that PJ Hill will campaign, via the internets, to maintain that number one spot.

I can make a play.

4. Between the third and fourth quarters the Wisconsin students do the "jump around", which shakes the stadium. How do you think the loud, jumping, night atmosphere will affect Penn State?

I think they've played in an environment like that a couple times already. Listen, they're playing collegiate football at a high level, every stadium is loud and rocking (unless you play for Northwestern or Indiana). They're taught to deal with it, they know how to deal with it. Maybe for some first timers this might be surprising and have some effect, but a lot of these guys have been around for a while and know what to expect. Also, we love Jump Around in Camp Randall.

One of the coolest things out there.

Over under for years before Penn State students take it and claim as their own?

Lightning Round

1. Predict the play calling. Do Galen and JayPa open up the offense or do they get conservative on the road?
Open it up. You have to. Wisconsin may have lost 2 already but they're dangerous for sure. Open it up and put them down.

2. What are the odds Wisconsin loses two consecutive games at home?
Hopefully pretty good.

3. Does the Wisconsin band play this week?
Doesn't look like it.

Actions like this will get you suspended.
Just like our blogger account is about to be.

4. How many quarters does JoePa spend in the coaches box?
Zero. He's on the sidelines. That why he's paid the big bucks.

Penn State vs. Wisconsin Links

Since the first really big game of the season is almost upon us - though not as big as it would've been had 'Sconsin not lost its first two conference games - we're going to forget about the normal college football links and concentrate on this week's game.

While Norwood is back for Penn State, the status of Wisconsin left tackle Gabe Carimi is uncertain for Saturday’s game. As you can see, the Badgers are a bit banged up as a whole as well. -Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-

It’s definitely a good thing that stories like this one about Wisconsin QB Allan Evridge are popping up the week before the game. -MJS-

Joe is still trying to determine whether he’ll coach on the sidelines or from the booth. Maybe he ought to stay in the booth, given what happened last time he was in Madison. -CDT-

Bob Flounders of the Patriot-News thinks Clark needs to win the game with his feet this week. If we had to guess, we’d say Clark will be on the move more this week than last. -PennLive-

It’s been a tough 2008 for A.J. Wallace, but he’s overcoming it and will make his second straight start at corner on Saturday. Just one question: how do you “eat some bad soup”? -CDT-

Bret Bielema has a great moment in this AP article where he says the Badgers are only 5 points away from being 5-0. Apparently he had no comment on those 19 points that disappeared against Michigan. -Altoona Mirror-

On the off-chance that you’re headed to the land of cheese for the game this weekend, here are some things to do and see in Madison. -CDT-

No word on whether or not the Wisconsin band will be back for this week’s game after it’s suspension last week. But this isn’t the first time they’ve been on bad behavior. -Band Gone Wild-
Just check out that headline! When the first three words of a news headline are “hazing”, “booze”, and “sex”, you don’t expect to see the rest of the headline be about a marching band.

Rivals gives us a little game preview. -Rivals-

And finally, CollegeFootballNews picks Penn State to prevail in a close game. All the fears mentioned in that paragraph are pretty much what we’re worried about too. -CFN-

This Just In: Wisconsin, Penn State Are World-Beaters; Ohio State Sucks

Since we write a blog, we naturally have some problems with the mainstream media, namely E!SPN.

ESPN's new logo.

These feelings are federally mandated. Everyone knows it. We can sit back and rip on the worldwide leader for blowing the Vince Young story out of proportion, for its analysts’ shock-value-laced diatribes and for even employing Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith. But after this weekend in college football (three games in particular), things are starting to hit home.

ESPN.com’s Big11Ten blogger, Adam Rittenberg, has alluded to the fact that Ohio State is no longer the team to beat in the conference numerous times in the last 48 hours (example 1, example 2, example 3). Suddenly, in the course of three hours, everyone stopped saying that Ohio State was one of the best teams in the nation and firmly agreed that they suck, and are not even the top team in their conference.

Obviously, Ohio State got drubbed. And any competent person saw this coming from a mile away. But the way this thing is being covered, you’d think the Buckeyes were going to pack it in and not even play out the rest of their schedule. Never mind the fact that they haven’t played a conference game, they could still finish their season with only one loss (to the #1 team), and could be in national championship talk at the end of the year.

Do we hope that scenario plays out? Hell no. But let’s not get too excited because an amazing football team on a completely different plane smacked Ohio State around. This doesn’t make Penn State’s trip to the horseshoe any easier.

However, judging by the mainstream media, you might think it does. Check out Rittenberg’s power rankings that we mentioned. Wisconsin is his #1 after surviving a tight game at Fresno State, and our beloved Nittany Lions are #2 after spanking Syracuse, which leaves Ohio State at the three spot. What’s even worse is that we heard a combination of the following terms in the same sentence on Sportscenter Sunday morning: “Penn State”, “Big Ten”, “team to beat”.

This pisses us off for a couple of different reasons. First of all—and most obviously—we haven’t played anyone yet. Sure, we’re racking up huge points, but so would the varsity basketball team when they scrimmaged you and the JV squad in practice in the preseason. Second, we don’t want the spotlight. We hate to get nostalgic here, but remember ’05? No one thought we were any good then, and we proved that, yeah, we were. Let’s face it, no one outside the fanbase thinks we’re really any good again, and it’s too early for people to take notice. We’d much rather sneak up on people when we’re 5 or 6-0 than now when we’ve destroyed three awful teams.

We’re not trying to defend Ohio State here or anything. In fact, watching them get blown out Saturday was pretty satisfying. And as Rittenberg correctly points out in his “We are the Big Ten” post, the worst thing that could happen this year is the Buckeyes winning out and getting smoked again in a big bowl game. We think this can be a great year for Penn State, but they’ve still got a lot to prove. And while ESPN can jump to conclusions all it wants to, we’d rather heed the advice of the great Winston Wolfe:

"Pretty please...with sugar on top. Clean the fucking car."

Okay, that was the wrong quote, but we think you know which one we mean. Everyone relax, enjoy yourselves and we'll see how this thing shakes out.

2008 Preview: Wisconsin

2007: 9-3 (6-3), Lost to Tennessee in the Outback Bowl

First things first, we need to address the number one concern for all Wisconsin fans:

Will Aaron Rodgers and his many mustaches be able to fill in for Favre?

Anyway, back to the matter at hand...
One of the more solid programs in the conference, Wisconsin regularly puts together a top notch team. Unfortunately, those top notch teams never really become great teams or travel far beyond the Capital One or Outback Bowls. If we were Wisconsin fans, it would be hard to complain about four straight years of New Years Day bowls, but the good people of Wisconsin are probably hurtin to see some BCS action.

The chances of the Badgers to make an appearance in a BCS bowl this season probably rest entirely on the shoulders of PJ Hill. Make no mistake about it, he can run. It will be no surprise when Bielema starts calling for the ball to get to Hill early and often. As PJ Hill goes this season, so go the Badgers.

Also, PJ Hill has his own website We couldn't believe it when we saw it either. Hope you like the third person.

"Visit PJ Hill's website." - PJ Hill

At quarterback, there's seemingly no number one guy. It will be either senior Allan Evridge or junior Dustin Sherer. At last check, neither had really claimed the position (sound familiar?). Whomever ends up under center, they should get used to two things: handing off to PJ Hill and passing to Travis Beckum. Beckum, who was first-team All Conference last season caught 75 passes for 982 yards. By comparison, Derrick Williams caught 55 for 529 last season. Oh, and did we mention that Beckum is a tight end?

If the quarterback they choose can match the play of PJ Hill, Travis Beckum and an emerging young receiving corps, the Wisconsin offense should be just fine. In all likelihood, it should be Allan Evridge as he has more experience at the collegiate level. With the team he has around him, all he should have to do is be consistent, and not worry about trying to win the games.

Defensively, the Badgers are returning 9 starters. Of those nine, 6 of them are coming off of pretty bad injuries -- including their top corners Allan Langford and Aaron Henry with torn ACLs. All four members of the defensive line are also coming off of injury, including end Matt Shaughnessy with a broken leg.

Fortunately for the Badgers, they have a solid group of returning linebackers. Jonathan Casillas should be in the running for some awards this season. Casillas and his mates will have to play a lot of clean up if the health of the line continues to be an issue.

With the considerable experience on the defensive side of the ball, if everyone can stay healthy the Badgers should have a succesful year defensively.

As for the schedule, Wisconsin has one of the toughest. After the usual Big11Ten cupcake teams to open the season, Wisconsin will travel to Fresno State. Fresno State will be jacked up for this one and the Badgers will need to bring their best. Fresno State's not your run of the mill out of conference opponent, so the Badgers will need to be sharp.

After that game, they get a week off to prep for a road trip to Michigan. Despite it being a down year for Michigan (potentially), it's never a good thing when you have to travel to Ann Arbor.

Following Michigan the Badgers play at home against Ohio State, Penn State, then travel to Iowa before returning home for a game against Illinois. If Wisconsin can get through that stretch, perhaps even with just one loss, they should be at the top of the running for Big11Ten Champs as they close with Michigan State, Indiana, Minnesota and a team that really strikes fear into everyone -- Cal Poly.

A lot of what happens to Wisconsin this season will rest on the health of their defensive players and the performance of a yet-to-be-named quarterback. Overall, there's a very good team up there, with the potential to be great.

Oh, and having this on your side probably doesn't hurt:

Our Prediction for this season: 10-2 (6-2)