Wednesday, October 10, 2001
Buckeyes up, Badgers down after Saturday blowouts
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Ohio State was making last-minute preparations for its Saturday night game against Northwestern, news from elsewhere around the Big Ten kept filtering back to the Buckeyes. When word of Wisconsin's 63-32 lashing at home to Indiana reached the Ohio State locker room, there was disbelief.
“I have to admit I was a bit shocked by the score when I saw it,” tailback Jonathan Wells said Tuesday.
On the heels of the Badgers' worst game of the year, the Buckeyes then went out and manhandled the 14th-ranked Wildcats 38-20 with Wells rushing for 179 yards and three touchdowns.
Now Wisconsin (3-3, 1-1 Big Ten) visits Ohio State (3-1, 2-0) this Saturday and coach Jim Tressel must boost his team's confidence while convincing the Buckeyes that Wisconsin is still dangerous despite what happened last week.
“I just think that things didn't go right early and they didn't get it stopped and didn't get it turned around,” Tressel said, explaining how things snowballed out of control for the Badgers. “While I was shocked at the score, I wasn't shocked that Indiana played well.”
Tressel said he would have his team watch the Indiana-Wisconsin game films but would stress that no larger conclusions should be drawn from one afternoon's play.
“If any of us watch the Indiana film and say, 'Hey, that's the Wisconsin we're going to play,' then we're in trouble,” Tressel said. “I would be really surprised if anyone at Ohio State would underestimate just how good Wisconsin can be.”
That game film will undoubtedly be rated R in Madison — for remarkably bad play.
Indiana, which came in without a win, scored on three Levron Williams touchdown runs in the first six minutes.
“It was 21-0 before people were even in from the tailgate lot,” Tressel said.
A blocked punt return and a touchdown pass from Antwaan Randle El made it 32-0 after a quarter. The Hoosiers would finish the game with 631 yards of total offense.
Despite the lopsided numbers, the Buckeyes swear they can't take the Badgers lightly.
“We can't afford to be relaxed,” Wells said. “This is the Big Ten conference. If we go into a game sleeping, we'll come out dead.”
Ohio State was very much awake and alive against Northwestern, battering the Wildcats with a physical running game while inflicting punishment on defense against Northwestern's acclaimed spread offense.
Safety Michael Doss added a touchdown off a fumble return, and the defense allowed just 90 total yards — 400 below Northwestern's average — through three quarters.
Despite playing their best game of the season the Buckeyes cannot take the time to pat themselves on the back, center LeCharles Bentley said.
“It was only one step forward,” he said. “We still have to get better week in and week out. We have to continue that level of play.”
The Buckeyes learned the importance of that a year ago. They were 5-0 and ranked No. 5 in the nation after walloping Wisconsin 23-7. A huge favorite at home against Minnesota, they never led and were outplayed badly in a 29-17 loss.
“We have to focus in on who we are and execute what we do,” Tressel said. “I'll be very disappointed if we didn't move forward at this moment versus taking a step back.”
Wisconsin still harbors some hard feelings for how the Buckeyes reacted in Madison — dancing on the giant W in the middle of the field at Camp Randall Stadium after the game.
“I can understand they're probably upset,” Bentley said. “I expect them to bring their A game Saturday.”
There is plenty of incentive for both teams since no conference team has dominated so far. After just two games, Ohio State suddenly finds itself sharing first place with Michigan and Purdue.
“It's wide open,” safety Donnie Nickey said. “I think we have the opportunity to win the Big Ten outright.”
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Buckeyes up, Badgers down after Saturday blowouts 
