The battle between the Badgers and the Gophers doesn't mark the end of the season, but it does close the curtain on another season at Camp Randall, leading to GameDay's (sort of) end-of-season awards.
Game of the Year:
Wisconsin @ Purdue
Sure, since its loss to Wisconsin, Purdue has completely gone in the tank, but when these two clashed in early October both contenders were undefeated. It was a contest between Purdue, one of the nation's best offenses, led by Heisman front-runner Kyle Orton, and Wisconsin, the NCAA's most staunch defense. Something was bound to give, and it turned out to be the Boilermakers.
And even as the vaunted UW D-line was whittled down due to injuries, the Badgers managed to harass Orton into making costly mistakes. Senior cornerback Scott Starks' fumble recovery for a touchdown could be the most important play made by a Badger all year.
Biggest Surprise:
Erasmus James
It is not that we are surprised senior defensive end Erasmus James has played well this season; the surprise here is the dominant form he has shown since coming off a career-threatening hip injury that forced him out last season. James' Herculean efforts this year have given the Badger defense an edge it severely lacked last season. Need proof of his importance to the defense? Just look at the Northwestern game. With James out, UW gave up over 300 yards for just the second time all season. After sitting out one game, and having last week as a bye week, James is eager to return this weekend as the Badgers battle for the Axe against the Gophers.
Biggest Disappointment: UW passing game
Only the harshest of cynics could find a disappointment on an 8-0 season, but if Head Coach Barry Alvarez could fix one thing, you would have to imagine it would be the passing game. With weapons like junior wide receivers Jonathan Orr and Brandon Williams and senior Darrin Charles, the absence of big passing numbers is perplexing.
Sophomore quarterback John Stocco has been under center all season, and the ineptitude of the passing game can no longer be attributed to inexperience. To be fair, the aerial attack has progressively gotten better all season, and Stocco has not made too many mistakes. It seems as though Alvarez and his staff are happy to have Stocco not lose games, rather than risk everything with added emphasis on the passing game.
The Understudy Award: Booker Stanley, Matt Bernstein and Jamil Walker
For the second season in a row, star senior running back Anthony Davis went down with an injury and had to miss an extended amount of time. This season, three different backs stepped up to fill the void left by Davis.
First it was freshman running back Jamil Walker coming out of nowhere to rack up 88 yards against UNLV. Then sophomore running back Booker Stanley took over against Arizona and plodded his way to 135 yards in the 9-7 win. And who could forget junior fullback Matt Berstein, emerging from a religious fast and carrying the Badgers to victory over Penn State. It's great having AD around, and you know Barry cringes at the thought of losing him again; but with this cast of able understudies, the coaching staff does not have to worry quite as much.
The Golden Toe Award: Taylor Mehlhaff
As far as playing time goes, freshman kicker Taylor Mehlhaff does not get the lion's share. Even in terms of kicking, he takes the secondary role to senior place kicker Mike Allen. But when the freshman kicker lines up to blast his kickoffs into the end zone, it is plain to see he is a difference maker. Not that the UW defense needs more help, but with Mehlhaff regularly pinning the opposition deep, it just gives the Badgers another advantage.
The Can't Buy A Break Award: Dontez Sanders
Whether it's a fumble return for a touchdown, an acrobatic interception or a massive hit in the backfield-you name it-Dontez Sanders has done it ... only to have it called back due to a penalty. The junior linebacker has not let the misfortunes dim his spirits though, as he has remained one of the most affable Badgers around. And why shouldn't he be? In just one year, he has gone from being a scarcely-used special teams player to the leading tackler on the nation's best defense.
The Worst Enemy Award: the Big Ten
It seems that every time the Big Ten title race does not involve both Ohio State and Michigan people consider it a down year for the league. After two dominant years, Ohio State's current struggles have added to the mantra. For the Badgers, the perceived Big Ten weakness has been frustrating. Even when the Badgers win, they do not move up in the Bowl Championship Series rankings while teams with a loss do. This is all because the teams UW has beaten are so weak. Besides Michigan and Wisconsin (who will not meet each other this season), the Big Ten is devoid of any real substance, which could hurt both Wisconsin and Michigan in their quest for a Bowl Championship Series berths.
