Wisconsin, Penn St. try to focus on title game _ not playoff

The idea that three of the four best teams in the conference could be in the same division and that two of them would not qualify to play for a championship probably was dismissed as unlikely to happen when the Big Ten championship game was created.

Big Ten party. MI gets in along with the victor of the Big Ten championship game. “It’s up to each member of the selection committee to determine if there’s a priority of one of those four metrics to them, and which one carries the most weight”. “They’ve earned that right to go and it’ll be fun”.

We’ve got to do a great job of playing individual assignment football, but then ultimately team football. The lack of respect served as fuel for both teams fire. Big Ten championships are hard to get. Because of this, coach James Franklin wasn’t taking the bait at Friday’s news conference from Lucas Oil Stadium when asked about boosting the team’s resume. I know, the Badgers have to score to win, too.

This is the Nittany Lions’ first-ever appearance in the Big Ten title game and it wasn’t expected to occur this season.

Whatever one believes about the Louis Freeh’s report on how Penn State handled the allegations against Sandusky – and the opinions are as divided as Trump vs. Clinton – there was one item among the conclusions that missed the mark, without question. That starts by dominating the Nittany Lions’ young offensive line.

Remember, two years ago, TCU won 56-3 on the final weekend of the season. “Before I got here, I always heard that whenever Penn State is playing well, Happy Valley is that much happier”. You see it walking around campus. “I think that’s going to be a big part of this game, is us making sure that we protect the football”. As for Wisconsin they had some struggles. Northwestern proved to be a scare for Wisconsin, but the final three games proved to be a catalyst for the Badger offense, averaging 42.6 points per game and almost 800 yards rushing. Dare Ogunbowale has been a nice compliment to Clement, adding 458 yards on the season and has added three touchdowns. No. 6 Wisconsin and No. 7 Penn State have been working towards Indianapolis all season long and the offseason prior.

Wisconsin’s opportunistic defense ranks third nationally in scoring defense (13.7) and rushing defense (100.8 yards per game).

“I would be a little scared”, Wisconsin outside linebacker T.J. Watt said. Does Wisconsin have the edge, or will Penn State’s Cinderella season continue with the title? In an overtime victory over Nebraska, Ogunbowale led the team in rushing with 120 yards and one touchdown.

But Nittany Lions redshirt sophomore quarterback Trace McSorley knew the Whitehall High School graduate was special well before that. In the executive summary, one of the key findings was that Penn State contained “a culture of reverence for the football program that is ingrained at all levels of the campus community”. The Penn State NITTANY Lions will face the Wisconsin Badgers in what many have said is going to be a classic to remember.

It’s pretty obvious Paul Chryst feels right at home in Wisconsin.

Committee chairman Kirby Hocutt said after the next-to-last rankings were announced Tuesday night, “Our mission and sole objective is to rank the four very best teams in college football for inclusion in the playoff”.

However, Ohio State shutout Wisconsin 59-0 to win the Big Ten title and that performance swayed the committee. Wisconsin lost to the Buckeyes and the Wolverines, but both defeats were by seven points.