The other side: Wisconsin eager for another shot at Ohio State
Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst and his players are eager to have another shot at Ohio State.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mon, 02 Dec 2019 17:55:06 GMT
Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst and his players are eager to have another shot at Ohio State.
On Oct. 26, the Badgers stayed with Ohio State through halftime and trailed 10-7 early in the second half before the Buckeyes exploded and rolled to a 38-7 win. All-American defensive end Chase Young recorded four sacks in the game.
After back-to-back losses to surprising Illinois and then Ohio State, No. 10 Wisconsin (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten, No. 12 CFP) won its final four games of the regular season, including Saturday’s 38-17 rout of Minnesota to lock up the Big Ten West title and advance to face Ohio State (12-0, 9-0, No. 1) on Saturday night at climate-controlled Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
“I certainly think there’s a sense of eagerness or excitement that you’ve done all that you can and you get a right to play in this game,” Chryst said. “There’s a lot of things that had to happen, and the focus needed to be on playing the season out and you look up [at the end] and see what you’ve earned the right to do.”
Jack Coan threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns against Minnesota on Saturday to win back Paul Bunyan’s Axe after watching the Gophers snatch it away in the 2018 rivalry game.
“I’d say we’re definitely a resilient group,” Coan said. “That was one of the things we were preaching coming into this year, because last year we lost a few games, and it kind of went downhill. We were going to make sure that didn’t happen again.”
Chryst said the biggest difference during the past month of the season was more players getting involved in the Badgers’ success.
“I think in the last few games, some out of necessity and some out of natural growth, more guys are contributing,” he said. “Take a look back at kind of our last four games. A lot of guys made significant contributions.”
Wisconsin quarterback Jack Coan (17) passes the ball off to Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor (23) during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, in Minneapolis.
Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst congratulates Logan Bruss after a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Purdue on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, in Madison, Wis.