Even though Ohio State was again unconvincing in victory, its win over Purdue has pushed it ahead of USC into the No. 2 spot in this week's Bowl Championship Series poll. Now that the Buckeyes are ranked second, their game with Michigan will not only determine the Big Ten champion, but also whether the Buckeyes will be able to defend their national title in the Nokia Sugar Bowl.
Not surprising then, is the fact that the OSU-Michigan game is receiving top billing, while the Wisconsin-Iowa game has slightly smaller implications and will receive less attention.
But, were it not for a couple of field goals, the story could have been very different. Had Purdue sophomore kicker Ben Jones missed the game-winning field goal a month ago against the Badgers, and had Minnesota's junior kicker Rhys Lloyd done the same, the Badgers would also be sitting atop the Big Ten with a conference record of 6-1, a fact Head Coach Barry Alvarez is well aware of.
\I think of that all the time, I know how close we are ... I'm normal,"" Alvarez said.
The Badgers' campaign has been marred by injuries to key players like junior running back Anthony Davis and senior defensive lineman Erasmus James. Davis, a 1,000-yard rusher the past two seasons, has made several attempts at coming back from the ankle injury he sustained against UNLV, but has not been the explosive back UW fans are used to seeing.
""Normally, when you have years when you win championships ... you may have one change for the entire season,"" Alvarez said. ""You don't lose quarterbacks, you don't lose your best tailback and one of your best pass rushers. ... You don't lose key people to injury. That's one of the keys and, I think, one of the consistencies with any championship team.""
One player who has bounced back from injury is senior quarterback Jim Sorgi. The Michigan native has passed for an impressive 685 yards in the two games since his return from arthroscopic knee surgery. Following the surgery, Sorgi appears to have had some sort of epiphany and his play has been amazing since then.
""My time is up,"" Sorgi said. ""So I'm just going out there and winging around. I'm having fun, I'm joking in the huddle. ... I don't think I've smiled this much in a game in a long time.""
Sorgi is not the only one who has been having a good time. Alvarez also expressed his delight at seeing the offense finally click and the success it brought last week. While he was happy with his team's performance against Michigan State, he also said the Badgers will not be able to score at will against the Hawkeyes this weekend.
""We will not get anything cheap,"" Alvarez said. ""Everything you get against Iowa, you have to earn. That's just their scheme of things. ... They're going to make you beat them.""
Saturday's game takes on added importance for Alvarez, as he will be going for his 100th win as head coach.
All of the coach's wins have come here at UW, and for a coach who started of his career with a 1-10 season, reaching that mark is even more meaningful for Alvarez.
""It's hard to do, and it's an important milestone,"" Alvarez said. ""I'll be honest with you, I haven't put a whole lot of thought into it as the year has gone on. And after my first year, when you only win one game, you don't think that could ever happen. I mean, that's a hundred years, if you go at that pace.\
