Bend...Not Break: Bucky's Defensive Victory

The offense has recieved a lot of credit for the victory over the Buckeyes, but the defense deserves a great deal of credit as well.

Even though the final score didn't show it a year ago, the Badgers dominated the Buckeyes in terms of their offense. Pryor was limited in his running abilities, and outside of a big pass play to end the half he was limited thru the air as well. They brought the same intensity, and in many ways expanded up on it against Ohio State on Saturday.

In the first half the Buckeyes were limted to just three points, and the defense managed a quick stop following an interception by the Buckeye defense. Ohio State went on to miss the field goal thus limiting the impact that interception had on the game.

To start the second half the Buckeyes put together a long drive that ate up five minutes, but resulted in a touchdown. Just minutes later the Buckeyes again had the ball again and rattled off another long drive. A drive that took almost ten minutes off the clock and required the Buckeyes to travel 94 yards.

Though the Badger defense may have broken in terms of the score, they did not break in terms of the time. In order to score those 15 points the Buckeyes ate up almost an entire quarter in the process. While they may not have been in clock control mode at the time, that would prove to be valuable time for Ohio State.

The Badger offense would answer with a long drive of their own making it a ten point ball game in the fourth quarter. Tha twould be all the Wisconsin defense would need to lock up a victory.

For the rest of the fourth quarter the Buckeyes would gain only 41 yards, and would turn the ball over twice. Once on foruth down, and the other on an interception by Blake Sorenson to essentially end the game.

Some could say that the Badgers were playing a prevent defense, and they most likely would be right. By not allowing the Buckeyes to climb back in the game quickly they took away more opportunities for Ohio State to comeback again, or even take the lead.

Saturday was in the end a battle of defenses. The Ohio State defense that was looked upon as one of the best in the country were unable to make the plays needed to get their offense off the field. Whereas the Badger defense was able to make the Buekeyes eat up clock, and come up with stops late in the game when they were needed. In a game where defense would deside the outcome it was the Badger defense that found a way to get the job done by bending, but not breaking.