Wisconsin's Upset Ruins Battle of Unbeatens at Ohio State
Well, that was fun while it lasted, even if it lasted only 15 hours.
That's about how long we enjoyed contemplating a Big Ten battle of unbeatens between No. 4 Ohio State and No. 6 Wisconsin on Saturday in Ohio Stadium.
Don't blame the Buckeyes (7-0).
They lived up to their end of the bargain Friday night at Northwestern, ripping the Wildcats' Top 30 defense for 24 points in the second quarter en route to a 52-3 victory.
Maybe we should have known right then that all the excitement over Wisconsin giving OSU a game was misplaced.
Ohio State is the closest thing to an 18-wheeler rolling downhill without brakes.
It's won every game by 24 points or more, including five by 40 or more.
Wisconsin?
It scored only one offensive touchdown against that same Northwestern defense three weeks ago. And that game was in Madison.
Of course, just about every game the Badgers play was in Madison until Saturday.
Count 'em...five straight home games after a season-opening trip to woeful South Florida.
And so, under pressure late to protect a 23-21 lead, junior quarterback Jack Coan threw a costly interception at midfield and Wisconsin collapsed like a Third World economy against an Illinois team that was 0-2 in the Big Ten this year and had lost 26 of 30 conference games under Lovie Smith.
So Ohio State will get the Badgers coming off a loss, in the Fox-TV national spotlight at noon Saturday, having won six in a row in the series.
The last time OSU lost to Wisconsin was 2010 in Madison, when the Buckeyes rolled in No. 1 and gave up a touchdown on the opening kickoff in a 31-18 final.
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