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Wisconsin at Ohio State preview capsule

Wisconsin at Ohio State

TV: The Big Ten Network will televise the game, which means a limited audience in Ohio and Wisconsin will see the game. Thom Brennaman will call the play-by-play with Charles Davis providing color. Charissa Thompson works the sidelines.

Radio: Ohio State Radio Network (WHBC-AM 1480, WKNR-AM 850, WAKR-AM 1590) with Paul Keels, Jim Lachey and Marty Bannister. The game be heard on Sirius Satellite radio (130) as well.

Odds: OSU is a 16-point favorite.

The series: Ohio State owns the all-time series, 50-17-5, which dates to 1913. But that doesn't give an accurate account of how things have played out lately. Five of Wisconsin's 17 wins have come since 1992, and the Badgers have won three of the last four meetings. OSU is 27-7-3 at Ohio Stadium, but Wisconsin has won the last three in Columbus.

They're from Wisconsin: Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, is a graduate. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright attended, and novelist Joyce Carol Oates and Charles Lindbergh graduated. Tom Wopat, better know as "Luke Duke,"graduated. 1954 Heisman winner Alan Ameche graduated.

The coaches: Jim Tressel is looking for his 207th win and his 72nd at Ohio State. He is 43-10 against the Big Ten but 1-3 against Wisconsin. It is the only Big Ten school Tressel has a losing record against. Bret Bielema is in his second year as Wisconsin's head coach and has never played OSU. A former walk-on at Iowa, he is the third-youngest coach in Division I-A football and is 19-3.

How it will go: Wisconsin historically hasn't played well against the No. 1 team in the country (3-14). Ohio State hasn't lost a regular-season game as the country's No. 1 since Michigan State upset the Buckeyes in 1998.

This is by far the best offensive team OSU has played this season, and it is by far the best defense Wisconsin has faced. The Badgers beat up on Indiana and Northern Illinois the last two weeks by a combined 77-6 but gave up more than 30 points in each of the three games prior against Penn State, Illinois and Michigan State.

An interesting matchup to watch will be Buckeye LB James Laurinaitis vs. Wisconsin RB P.J. Hill. Hill has an injured foot, but he hit Northern Illinois for a season-high 184 yards. He is a bruising 5-11, 227-pounder who has rushed for 1,066 yards.

The Badger offense has 47 scoring drives, and 26 are eight plays or more. QB Tyler Donovan is steady under center, but has thrown two interceptions in each of UW's two losses. Donovan looks for TE Travis Beckum, the team's leading receiver with 53 catches. The Buckeyes can have success against this defense. QB Todd Boeckman should throw for at least 200 yards, but Beanie Wells remains the key to this offense. The more success Wells has running between the tackles, the more the passing game will open up.

Look for Wisconsin to respect Boeckman's arm, which many defenses have not done this season. Wells could be in for a big game.

Porter's pick: Ohio State seems to welcome the attitude the rest of the country has waiting for the shoe to drop. But the Buckeyes are determined to get another shot to prove to the country they weren't the team that got spanked by Florida in the national title game. Ohio State 20, Wisconsin 13.