Call it Madison East. For the third time in four years, No. 11 Wisconsin will head to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship in a battle with No. 6 Ohio State Saturday.
After claiming the Big Ten title game in its inaugural installment in 2011 and again in 2012, the Badgers watched last year’s Michigan State victory over Ohio State from home. Senior tight end Sam Arneson has been scratching to get back to Lucas Oil Stadium ever since.
“It’s been a goal of ours to get back there all season and Indianapolis is a truly special place to play,” Arneson said. “Got some very fond memories there and we’re taking on a great team in Ohio State but we’re looking to build some more memories there.”
Arneson, along with fellow veteran players, has experienced a great amount of success in Indianapolis throughout his career, but he’s also been haunted by the demon that is Ohio State.
Wisconsin has lost to the Buckeyes in six of their last seven meetings, with the last UW win being in 2010, when it upset then-No. 1 Ohio State in Madison. Since that memorable night at Camp Randall, Ohio State has notched a trio of one-score victories in the last three matchups.
The newest chapter of the rivalry figures to be just as tightly contested, as it pits the top offense in the Big Ten against the conference’s best defense. Ohio State has racked up 44.1 points and 503.4 yards per game, while Wisconsin has conceded just 16.8 points and 260.3 yards on average. When the Buckeyes have the ball, fans will be treated to a showdown of two of the best units in college football.
There is a caveat, though. Ohio State will be without All-Big Ten freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett, who broke his ankle last week against Michigan. However, given Barrett’s seamless preseason transition into the starting quarterback role in the place of the injured Braxton Miller, there’s little reason to doubt that the next man in line, sophomore Cardale Jones, can follow suit.
Like Barrett, the imposing 6-foot-5-inch, 250-pound Jones is a dual-threat quarterback with agile feet and a precise arm. Jones, who has appeared sparingly in seven games this season, has thrown just 17 passes, but he has picked up over seven yards per rush on 26 carries. His physicality will be difficult for the Badgers to defend, as he is bigger than all four of UW’s starting linebackers.
Senior linebacker Derek Landisch, who received All-Big Ten honors earlier this week, does not believe Jones will have difficulty settling into the starting role despite his limited playing time.
“You watch the Maryland game, he hurdles the guy, the Illinois game, he’s trucking people,” Landisch said. “He’s definitely talented so we’re not going to take him lightly. I know that it’s a big moment for him as well so he’s definitely going to be prepared and we’re not going to underestimate him by any means.”
Jones’ supporting cast of running back Ezekiel Elliott (1,182 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns), and wide receivers Devin Smith (662 receiving yards, eight touchdowns) and Michael Thomas (639 yards, eight touchdowns) will certainly ease the transition.
Given the clash of strength against strength when Ohio State has the ball, the game very well could come down to Wisconsin’s play on offense. The Badgers have averaged 40.3 points over the course of their seven-game winning streak, largely thanks to Heisman Trophy candidate Melvin Gordon, who has been on an absolute tear.
His 2,260 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns lead the country, and the attention he garners from defenses has allowed quarterback Joel Stave space to develop a greater command of the passing game. Stave’s 215-yard, two-touchdown performance against Minnesota Nov. 29 was his most complete game of the season, as he was able to land deep shots down the field while also utilizing his checkdown options to pick up chunks of yardage when needed.
In order to further cultivate this offensive balance that the Badgers have developed, the offensive line will need to play its best game of the season, as Ohio State’s defensive line is chock full of talent.
Defensive end Joey Bosa (13.5 sacks) and defensive tackle Michael Bennett are the catalysts of an Ohio State front seven that leads the conference in sacks and tackles for loss.
Keeping the pair of linemen out of the backfield on passing plays will require extra attention.
“Whether that’s going to be getting a chip before I get out for my route or whatnot, we’ll have a plan for those guys, but they’re definitely two effective players that you’ve got to keep an eye on,” Arneson said.
If Wisconsin can keep the Buckeyes’ defense out of the backfield, the Badgers have a very real chance to earn their first Big Ten Championship since 2012. Kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium is scheduled for 7:17 p.m.
