There were many unanswered questions surrounding the Wisconsin football team coming into this weekend's game with the Arizona Wildcats (2-1 overall). Was the offensive line as good as people thought? Was sophomore running back Anthony Davis going to get back into his form of last season? Was the defense returning to the lackluster form of 2001?
Badger fans can breathe a sigh of relief, since all three of these worries were silenced Saturday as the No. 21 Wisconsin Badgers (5-0 overall) put a hurting on the Arizona Wildcats in a 31-10 rout.
\Most importantly, our players responded this week and were really into it,"" Wisconsin Head Coach Barry Alvarez said. ""I thought they played very well in all three phases [of the game] today.""
Davis led the attack and was back in his usual form as he rushed for over 100 yards, a feat that he had not accomplished in his previous three games. With the offensive line leading the way, Davis finished the game with 110 yards rushing on 16 carries, averaging nearly seven yards per carry.
""It was real important the way we came out,"" Davis said. ""I like the way we started out the game and the way we maintained our tempo throughout the game.""
UW senior quarterback Brooks Bollinger also put in a good day's work. Bollinger had plenty of time in the pocket which allowed him to have his way with the Arizona secondary. Bollinger finished the day completing 13 of 19 passes for 127 yards, including one touchdown strike.
""They were in his face a few times. He found the right guy to get the ball too,"" Alvarez said. ""I thought [Brooks] was really crisp today.""
Another question mark coming into Saturday's matchup was the progress of the Badger's secondary. After an impressive start this season in the first three games, the secondary fell apart against Northern Illinois last weekend. However, senior cornerback B.J. Tucker and the rest of the Badger secondary looked as sharp as it has in any game in the past two seasons.
Tucker lead the attack with two key interceptions. The first came at a crucial point in the first quarter, as it lead to a 74-yard drive that ended in a Wisconsin touchdown and broke the scoreless tie.
""I'm happy with our performance,"" Tucker said. ""I'm just out there having fun. If they keep throwing the ball my way, I'm going to make the plays.""
While the offense was in sync and the defense was playing as well as it has all year, the special teams also made a significant impact in the Badger victory. The big play on special teams came in the second quarter when junior linebacker Alex Lewis got through the Arizona line and blocked a punt. Wisconsin recovered the ball on the three-yard line and Davis scored on the next play to give UW a 14-0 lead. The Badgers never looked back, as they dominated all facets of the game.
""The coaches said we have a bye week, so don't leave anything on the field,"" Tucker said. ""Its all about the W's. We got the five wins and that's good going into conference [play].\
