Will Wisconsin dominate the line of scrimmage or will Ohio State’s speed be the difference?
Of all the conference championships that will be played today none will feature contrast in styles more than in the Big Ten Championship Game. When Ohio State and Wisconsin play it will be a classic battle of power vs. speed.
Anybody who has followed recruiting the last five years knows the importance Urban Meyer puts on speed. He has attempted to build the Buckeyes into the fastest team in the country, and it appears he has succeeded.
On the other hand, the Badgers have been known to play power football since Barry Alvarez took over as head coach 27 years ago. Paul Chryst played football for Wisconsin, and was an assistant to Alvarez for one season, so he is continuing with that style of play. And boy has it worked so far.
The offensive line has opened holes for freshman running back Jonathan Taylor to rush for 1,806 yards. The Badger defense is ranked No. 1 in the country in both rushing defense and total defense and is No. 2 in scoring defense. But they haven’t yet faced the speed they will face tonight.
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The Ohio State defensive line is probably the quickest in the nation. Not only on the edge but the players on the inside as well. Most of the tackles are converted defensive ends including nose tackle Tracy Sprinkle. And his backup Robert Landers is just as quick.
It will be interesting to see if the Badger offensive line pushes around the relatively small defensive line. Or if the Buckeyes will get penetration to blow up the running game, and put pressure on quarterback Alex Hornibrook when he drops back to pass.
And when Ohio State has the ball, will Wisconsin be able to contain all of the skill position players for the Buckeyes? J.K. Dobbins, Mike Weber and Parris Campbell have proven they can take it to the house if they just get a seam. And can the Badgers stop the wide receivers from getting deep, especially Johnnie Dixon?
Next: Predictions for conference championship games
Both Ohio State and Wisconsin are outstanding teams but play entirely different styles so it should be an interesting matchup. It will be a classic battle of power vs. speed.