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Ohio State visits Wisconsin in Big Ten showdown

Oct 4, 2008 - 10:09 AM (12) Ohio State (4-1) at (17) Wisconsin (3-1), 8:00 pm EDT

MADISON, Wisconsin (Ticker) -- Terrelle Pryor already has demonstrated that he can run Ohio State's offense. If the Buckeyes want any chance of returning to the BCS championship game, the freshman quarterback will have to prove he can win in a hostile environment.

Pryor and 12th-ranked Ohio State play their first Big Ten Conference road game of the season Saturday night when they visit 17th-ranked Wisconsin, which has not lost a home game in the Bret Bielema era.

The Buckeyes (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) entered this season with aspirations to reach their third consecutive BCS title game behind a veteran defense, running back Chris "Beanie" Wells and quarterback Todd Boeckman, who started every game last year for the three-time reigning league champions.

But Boeckman struggled mightily in Ohio State's 35-3 loss at Southern California on September 13, prompting Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel to replace the senior with Pryor - the highest-touted freshman in the country.

Since taking over as the starting quarterback, Pryor has been brilliant, completing just over 62 percent of his passes for 209 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in two games.

Also a dangerous runner, the 6-6, 235-pound Pryor has rushed for 292 yards and three TDs this year, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Tressel certainly has been impressed by Pryor's talent, along with his demeanor.

"Terrelle's a calm guy out there, and that's all I've seen," Tressel said. "Whether it was the first scrimmage, he was calm. He lined up against the first defense, he was calm. First game, Ohio Stadium, he was calm."

Pryor's even keel will be put to the test Saturday against the Badgers, who own a 16-0 record at Camp Randall Stadium since Bielema became Wisconsin's coach prior to the 2006 season.

Known for its raucous crowds, Camp Randall has been a friendly home this season for the Badgers (3-1, 0-1), who have outscored their opposition here by a combined margin of 89-31 in two games.

The Buckeyes have not played at Wisconsin since 2003, when they dropped a 17-10 decision. Tressel, however, is confident that his team will be ready for what figures to be a hard-fought contest.

"I think our guys are going to get energized by the fact this is a great environment," Tressel said. "That's why they came to Ohio State was to be in things such as Camp Randall and Ohio Stadium."

The Buckeyes should be energized by a healthy Wells, who missed three games with a foot injury but returned last weekend to rush for 106 yards in a 34-21 victory over Minnesota.

Pryor certainly benefited from Wells' presence, rushing for 97 yards and two TDs on just eight carries. The talented duo will be hard-pressed to duplicate that production against a Wisconsin defense that has allowed a total of just 145 rushing yards in its two home games.

The Badgers also are looking to rebound from last Saturday's 27-25 loss at Michigan, which erased a 19-point halftime deficit.

Wisconsin forced five first-half turnovers and entered the break with a 19-0 lead before allowing four consecutive touchdowns in a span of 12 minutes bridging the third and fourth quarters.

The Badgers have not lost their first two conference games since 2002, when they started Big Ten play with an 0-3 record and finished with a 2-6 league mark. Wisconsin also has not lost a home game since November 12, 2005 - a 20-10 loss to Iowa.