Tuesday, August 29, 2006

A GOOD Wisconsin preview...

...as opposed to the one our paper did this past weekend.

This one comes from an Ohio State website, of all places.
Check out the preview here.

Some highlights:

Two Cent Overview
Quarterback John Stocco is back, and it's a good thing because he's just about the only guy coming back on offense. The Badgers will be trying out some new running backs, but that's never usually a problem. There's only one receiver on the roster who has actually caught a pass, and he's only caught one. Most of the offensive line is gone, but left tackle Joe Thomas returns. Thomas is expected to be a Top 5 pick in next year's NFL draft. Just about everybody returns on a defense that held Auburn to 236 yards of offense in last year's Capital One Bowl Game. The kicking game will be strong, led by two awards candidates at punter and place-kicker.

Second Best Player
Quarterback John Stocco. Stocco is about the most unsung star in the conference. He finished third in the conference in passing yards behind Bret Basanez and Drew Stanton. He also finished third in passing efficiency behind Troy Smith and Drew Stanton. Stocco will be tested this season with an all-new receiving corps, but he is entering his third season as a starter, so the offense is in good hands.

Best Chance For a Big Loss
At Iowa. The Badgers have lost four straight to the Hawkeyes. The last two trips to Iowa, Wisconsin has been outscored 50-10.

Most Important Game
At Michigan. The Wolverines owe the Badgers for last season's upset. However, Michigan has to play Notre Dame the week prior, meaning that the Wolverines could come into this game either deflated, or overconfident. While Michigan has owned the series for the last ten years or so, there hasn't been a game between the two teams settled by more than a touchdown since 1998. It's the Big Ten opener for both teams, so expect the unexpected.

Game On The Schedule That Glen Mason Is Jealous That He Didn't Schedule
All of them. Next year, this category will be renamed in honor of Bret Bielema.

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