Head coach Luke Fickell, who was a standout defensive lineman at Ohio State then spent 15 years in Columbus as an assistant coach, told reporters at Big Ten Media Days in July he was barely aware of when his first Badgers team would face the Buckeyes.
It being Halloween weekend helped the date stick in his mind, but he was trying not to look ahead.
“I know there will be storylines,” he said. “All I can say is that I hope we can be in position to make it as big a game as it can be. That’s a driving force for me and for us.”
Here are five things to know about the matchup and the series:
1. The Badgers are 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten.
When Fickell left Cincinnati to replace Paul Chryst, who was fired after his team was blown out at Ohio State last September, Wisconsin entered the season with many questions but plenty of optimism, especially for long-term the future.
Things started well enough with a 38-17 win over Buffalo, but the Badgers went to Washington State in Week 2 and lost 31-22.
After beating Georgia Southern and Purdue decisively, Wisconsin topped Rutgers 24-13 on Oct. 7.
Then came a crushing 15-6 home loss to Iowa that could prove to be costly.
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2. Wisconsin leads the Big Ten West.
The Badgers made it to the matchup with Ohio State with control of their division destiny still in their hands — but just barely.
They trailed Illinois 21-7 heading into the fourth quarter last week before rallying to win 25-21.
With Iowa losing to Minnesota the same day, Wisconsin moved back into first place in the Big Ten West, but they might need to win out to earn a trip to the Big Ten Championship Game because the Hawkeyes have the tiebreaker on them.
3. The Badgers are still in transition on both sides of the ball.
Fickell told reporters after the win at Illinois his team showed him a toughness he hadn’t seen from them since he arrived in Madison.
“That’s probably what makes me happiest,” he said, per the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “And it’s not just finding a way to win. It’s the resiliency, the fight, the grit that I don’t know I had seen.”
Intangibles figure to be important for Wisconsin because the Badgers don’t do much that stands out on either side of the ball as they adjust to a new offense and defense.
Junior tailback Braelon Allen is an exception. He leads the Big Ten in all-purpose yards (114.3 per game), rushing yards per game (100.1) and yards per carry (5.8) and is a fast, physical force at 6-foot-2 and 245 pounds.
Quarterback Braedyn Locke is something of a wild card. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after completing 21 of 41 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns in his first start following a hand injury to regular starter Tanner Mordecai.
While the offense is tied for 76th in the country at 26.9 points per game, the defense is No. 20 at 18.3 points allowed.
4. Fickell is not the only Ohio connection to the Badgers.
Braedyn Moore, a true freshman safety who was a multi-sport star at Badin High School, is among a handful of Wisconsin players from the Buckeye State. The four-star recruit who initially committed to Cincinnati before following Fickell to Wisconsin has not seen action in a game yet this season.
Former Ohio State graduate assistant Mike Tressel is Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator, and cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes is a former Ohio State assistant coach. Former Ohio State linebacker Tuf Borland is a Badgers graduate assistant, and defensive line coach Greg Scruggs is a Cincinnati native.
UW chief of staff Greg Gillum is also a former Ohio State staffer while director of player development and engagement Chris Worley was a linebacker for the Buckeyes when Fickell coached that position.
5. Wisconsin’s last win over Ohio State was a big one.
The Badgers knocked off the No. 1-ranked Buckeyes 31-18 on Oct. 16, 2010, in a night game in front of a typically raucous Camp Randall Stadium crowd.
That was Wisconsin’s fifth win in its last 10 tries against the Buckeyes, who have won all of the nine games since.
Only two of those games were played in Madison, and both went to overtime — a 30-23 Ohio State victory in 2012 and a 30-23 win in 2016.
Three others were in Big Ten Championship games (2014, ‘17 and ‘19).
Overall, Ohio State leads the series 62-18-5.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Ohio State at Wisconsin, 7:30 p.m., NBC, 1410
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