from the Daytona Beach News-Journal
ORLANDO -- The Big Ten Conference is slow. The Southeastern Conference has faster athletes.
The SEC is the toughest conference in the country. Wisconsin hasn't played anybody.
Scoring is tough in the SEC because teams have so much speed on defense.
The Wisconsin Badgers had heard all of the above and more, not only this season as they prepped to play SEC runner-up Arkansas in Monday's Capital One Bowl, but last year before whipping Auburn 24-10 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in the New Year's Day bowl game.
Well guess what? They play defense in the Big Ten, too.
I don't know how many times Heisman runner-up Darren McFadden was tracked down from behind and tackled while sprinting toward the end zone this season in the SEC. But Badgers cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu did just that when he closed a gap and took down the Razorbacks tailback at the 9-yard line after a 45-yard rush down the middle of the field.
That tackle on the opening possession of the game proved even bigger when Wisconsin's defense held and Arkansas kicker Jeremy Davis missed a 30-yard field goal attempt. That was a big difference in Wisconsin's 17-14 victory over Arkansas.
"Maybe he's an SEC player playing in the Big Ten," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema quipped about Ikegwuonu's speed. "I know that McFadden is a very fast football player. For Jack Ikegwuonu to track him down, pull him down, and then for us to put ourselves in position to have success and have them miss the field goal -- that one play changed the whole landscape of this game."
It certainly was a huge factor in the outcome of Wisconsin's school-record 12th win of the season. The Badgers' only loss: a 27-13 setback at Michigan.
"They think we're slow," exclaimed senior defensive lineman Joe Monty in an on-field celebration. "We just beat the fastest team in the SEC."
GO BIG TEN
The Badgers had heard many pro-SEC pundits during the Florida-or-Michigan BCS controversy and they heard all they cared to hear about SEC supremacy. Maybe the Big Ten's third straight Capital One Bowl win over the SEC will calm that chatter a bit. Bielema, Wisconsin's first-year head coach, even used a clip from an Arkansas television station that belittled the Badgers' accomplishments to motivate his team.
"I'm just so tired of hearing that stuff," said Wisconsin quarterback John Stocco, who was named the game's most valuable player for his two TD passes and ability to avoid Arkansas' fierce pass rush. "You hear it every year. We go out and beat Auburn last year and everyone says they didn't come out to play."
We didn't need to beat this team to validate to us that we're a great team. We knew we could beat these guys. We're not worried about what people say because they're probably going to keep on saying the same things."
Not only were the Badgers happy to win here, but during the game some of the players had happily taken note of Penn State's 20-10 win over Tennessee at the Outback Bowl in Tampa.
An Ohio State victory over Florida in the BCS National Championship game will make the Big Ten 3-0 vs. the SEC this bowl season.
RESPECT
Wisconsin had to earn its way up through the rankings and still their 11-1 regular-season record was only good enough for the seventh spot in the BCS poll. As for individual honors, only senior offensive lineman Joe Thomas made an overall All-America team. That is, if you don't count Bucky Badger -- the university's mascot who was named to the Capital One All-America Mascot Team.
But after beating an SEC team, the question is will Wisconsin move up a spot or more in the final polls?
"I think we should be moving up in the polls because we won," Thomas said.
Especially after beating the runner-up from the almighty SEC.
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