One of this week’s “must-see” games features the undefeated
Ohio State Buckeyes traveling to meet the Wisconsin Badgers. Over the last
several years this game has turned into a heated rivalry as both teams are
usually competing for the B1G conference title. Although this year, the
implications are slightly different with Ohio State not being in contention for
any BCS spot (due to bans by the NCAA), it will more than likely place more
pressure on the Badgers. Wisconsin comes into this game riding high after last
week’s massacre of the Indiana Hoosiers and will hope for more of the same
against the Buckeyes.
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| Ohio State travels to Madison, WI as the underdogs Saturday. |
The
Buckeyes on the other hand will be well rested after the bye week and will have
had plenty of time to review game tape of the Badgers. As history has shown us,
Urban Meyer never fails to have his team ready to play…give him an extra week,
and they will be even more ready to play. The Buckeyes are 10-0 this season and
have lacked the motivation of the BCS or any other postseason accolades so it
only causes my mind to wonder, just how good this team really could be with a
little extra motivation.
What I’ll
be looking for in this game, is how well the Badgers can run the football. The
Ohio State defense is tough up front and will challenge the Badger offensive
line to create holes for the tailbacks. If Wisconsin cannot find a way to
effectively run the football, then this game will only be close for a few
minutes. On the other hand, although the Buckeyes are 10-0, the road has not
been as easy as it may look. Having escaped several contests with narrow
victories, I don’t expect this game to be a blowout by any stretch of the
imagination. With an extra week to prepare, I just don’t see the Buckeyes
laying down against the Badgers unless they are simply looking forward to next
week vs. Michigan which could be a possibility. Vegas currently has Wisconsin
as the favorite at -3, which I think is a little generous. If Wisconsin is to
win this game, it will be by a field goal or less so this game looks to be an
easy bet for those interested.
The Sports Messiah’s Pick: Ohio State +3
- The Sports Messiah
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