The Badger Fan And The Buckeye: Who’s The Bigger Nut? » Brats & Beer

Posted on October 31, 2007

This was supposed to be THE game between THE Wisconsin Badgers and THE Ohio State University. It was supposed to be a battle of the unbeatens, it was supposed to determine the pecking order in the Big 10, sending someone to the Rose Bowl — or better. But what was supposed to be, isn’t to be.

On the way to the big party, Wisconsin’s defense got gassed by their opponents and P.J. Hill’s run at a Heisman bid was derailed by injuries and a few too many lost fumbles. At 7-2 overall and 3-2 in the conference, the Badgers are just another face in the crowd searching for answers and trying to break away from the pack. And now that OSU looms in the future, what do we have?

We have hope.

Hope is why they line up every Saturday and decide the games on the field. Hope is what fuels the fire in every fan’s heart. And in this season of parity where “upsets” are more the rule than the exception, do we not have reason to hope?

Last week the UW defense allowed just a field goal to the Hoosiers, a team that had been scoring more than 35 points a game. That’s a huge confidence boost for a squad that got roughed up pretty well by Illinois and Penn State. It’s that kind of confidence that they will need if they want to come out of Columbus with a win this Saturday. If we believe in them, then they will believe in themselves.

And I believe.

I believe so strongly that the Badgers can win this weekend against Ohio State, that I have accepted a wager — a blogger bet — from a Buckeye. Rick at Halftime Adjustments recently offered the proposition of letting me post to his site for all of Buckeye Nation to read (assuming they can read — a stretch I’ll admit) after the Badgers exit the Horseshoe with victory in hand. If, on the other hand, OSU manages somehow to defeat the mighty and righteous forces of UW then I will publish a post from him here on this site.

Hands have been shaken. May the best team win. And by that I mean of course the Badgers.

On Wisconsin!

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