The Nightmare that Bloomed Roses

Saturday night felt all too familiar to October 22^nd as the Badgers duked it out with the Spartans in Indianapolis for the first ever Big Ten Championship.   Yet the prize in this game was a little different compared to when these two teams battled in East Lansing.  A berth to the Rose Bowl was on the line and the prize had significant meaning for both teams. 

Montee Ball had no problem running over the Spartan
defense in the first quarter.  

The Spartans have not been to Pasadena since 1988 and had a roster full of seniors teething for a BCS bowl after coming so close last year.  Then there were the Badgers, who lost a heartbreaker to TCU last year and were looking for Rose Bowl redemption.  Not to mention, there was the transfer of Russell Wilson and the expectation to be uncommon, anything less than the Rose Bowl would be considered a failure. 

Watching the first quarter, it was clearly evident the leaders on the Badger team had redemption on their mind, not only for the Rose Bowl but also to settle the score with Michigan State for the loss earlier in the year.   Montee Ball was a wrecking machine racking up over 100 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter as our offensive line was opening up holes similar to dynamite in an excavation site.  After racing out to a 21 – 7 lead, it felt as if the Badgers would not look back. 

Then Peyton Manning (aka what our defense makes Kirk Cousin look like) took the field and once again the Badgers faltered in the second quarter.  Kirk Cousins shredded our secondary and looked as if he was the hall of fame quarterback that had played in Indy all these years.  In the game on October 22^nd, Michigan State went on a 21 – 0 run to take the lead at half.  This game was no different; the Spartans scored 23 unanswered points to take a 29 – 21 lead at the end of the second quarter. 

Kirk Cousins ended his career with one of the
best games of his career, however his effort fell short. 

How could this Wisconsin football team allow this to happen again against Michigan State?  Once again, our offense dried up with a total of – 4 yards during the second quarter.  That wasn’t even the worst part, whenever the Michigan State offense came on the field it was a scary sight because our defense could not stop them.  I hate to say it but I blame this on the coaching staff.  They need to be able to keep up the intensity amongst the players and call the correct plays when they feel the momentum turning astray.

 I know Bielema likes to keep his cool yet I would like to see some passion every now and then.  I want to see him scream at his defense for playing such awful football.  I want to see him get in the refs face when there was an awful call.  Seeing this will inspire players and it is exactly what teams need in moments similar to where the Badgers found themselves in the 2^nd quarter on Saturday night.  I do not want him to turn into Bo Pelini nor do I know how he acts in the locker room yet I wouldn’t mind seeing a little emotion on the sidelines during big games. 

Russell lead another fourth
quarter comeback, and this time
it resulted in a W against Michigan State. 

Similar to the first meeting, it took the Badgers to feel a sense of urgency to get their offense rolling again. The Badges went punch for punch with the Spartans in the third quarter as Montee Ball’s third touchdown of the game drew the Badgers within 2.  Afterwards, our defense was finally able to hold the Spartans to a field goal on a scoring drive.  Once again, the Badgers needed a touchdown with only minutes left in the game.  Russell Wilson took the field and just as he had done all night, he came up with brilliant play after brilliant play including a 4^th and 6 34 yard bomb to QUACK QUACK QUACK Mr.Ducksworth (Tyler Duckworth).  This was followed by Montee Ball’s fourth touchdown of the game leading to a dazzling two point conversion executed by Wilson.

Yet with 3:45 left in the game, every Badger fan was speechless because we knew we had left way too much time on the clock for Kirk Cousins and the Spartans offense.  The Badgers, to the shock of many, were able to hold the Spartans (thanks to an overruled catch) and get the ball back with a chance to run the clock out.  However after a three and out, Brad Northman came into punt deep in Badger territory.  With two minutes left, it seemed to be a perfect opportunity for a special team’s nightmare similar to what we saw earlier in the year between these two teams. 

Wilson got what he came for, a trip to a BCS Bowl.  

The nightmare seemed real once again as Keshawn Martin returned Northman’s punt all the way down to the five yard line guaranteeing a tie but everyone knew the Spartans would be able to deliver a win.  Just as Badger heads were about to hang, a blatantly obvious running into the kicker penalty was called on a Spartan player.  This negated the play and gave the Badgers the ball back allowing them to take the victory formation and seal the win. 

The penalty lead to a truly ironic ending to what was a spectacular night for Badger fans and the Big Ten.  In State’s win earlier in the season, they had no penalties yet it was a penalty that cost them the game in this one.  It also happened on a punt, a play which changed the course of the Badger loss earlier in the season.  And it was only a few plays earlier in which the Badgers had a replay review ruled in their favor, something that cost them the game in East Lansing.  Ironic or not, the Badgers were able to clench the roses in their teeth at the end of this one.  Yet the Badgers have a lot of work to do before their date with the Ducks in Pasadena.  Michigan State was able to put up 471 yards on 23 first downs, numbers Oregon will double if our defense does not play significantly better.