Two years ago, Ohio State was run over by Wisconsin's offensive line in the fourth quarter. This time in Madison, the Buckeyes know they have to hold their ground.
As good as running back John Clay (32) is for the Wisconsin Badgers, the offense's hallmark for years has been a meaty -- and talented -- offensive line. This year's unit is led by Gabe Carimi (68) and John Moffitt.A BIG-TIME TEST
Wisconsin’s offensive line, the biggest Ohio State has faced this season:
LT: Gabe Carimi, Sr, 6-7, 327 pounds, 24 career starts
LG: John Moffitt, Sr, 6-5, 323 pounds, 34 career starts
C: Peter Konz, So, 6-5, 313 pounds, 15 career starts
RG: Kevin Zeitler, Jr, 6-4, 315 pounds, 2 career starts
RT: Ricky Wagner, So, 6-6, 322 pounds, 3 career starts
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Cameron Heyward lived it two years ago and he watched it again this week. He didn't like it either time.
With 10:46 left in the fourth quarter at Wisconsin in 2008, and the Buckeyes holding a 3-point lead, the Badgers lined up behind their brutish offensive line and ran over Ohio State with running back John Clay on the way to a go-ahead touchdown. The drive started with a 14-yard run by Clay through a huge hole on the left side of the line created in part by burying Heyward on the defensive line.
"They kicked our butts on the defensive line, but you know, it's a very physical game," Heyward said. "I think tackling and getting a good push as the defensive line [was the problem]. I think if we controlled that a little better, it would have helped our linebackers out a little bit more."
If the offense hadn't answered with a game-winning drive of its own, pulling out a 20-17 win on Terrelle Pryor's touchdown run, the memories would be a lot more haunting.
The Badgers are such a different team at home that last season's 31-13 OSU win in Columbus doesn't work well as a reference point. In that game, the Badgers tried to come out throwing, calling for passes on seven of their first 10 plays. That 10th play was an interception by Kurt Coleman returned for a touchdown. By the time the Badgers turned to Clay, it was too late.
But in 2008 what the Badgers did almost worked, and that's what the Buckeyes should expect again in Madison on Saturday.
"They're some trees and they get so much push, it's going to be critical for us to keep up the line of scrimmage on our side," Heyward said. "They pride themselves on running the ball and we have to do a great job of stopping the run and then reacting to the play action."
Clay was a freshman two years ago, bursting on the scene with 69 yards on 10 carries against the Buckeyes, including four carries for 36 yards on that late drive. Now he's a star, the Big Ten's reigning Offensive Player of the Year and the Offensive Player of the Week, an award he shared with Pryor. He has gained 100 yards in 13 of his last 16 games, and the Badgers are 12-1 when he hits 100 and 0-3 when he doesn't.
The low point in that stretch for Clay was last season in Columbus, when he gained 59 yards on 20 carries. The Buckeyes haven't allowed a 100-yard rusher in 29 games and linebacker Brian Rolle said they expect to stop the run every game.
With an offensive line that averages 6-5 and 320 pounds (OSU's line averages 305) the Badgers can't come out and trick the Buckeyes. They have to try to run.
"The problem is especially when you start talking about double teams," said senior defensive tackle Dexter Larimore, who along with Heyward was on the field to give up that touchdown drive two years ago. "That's 640-plus coming you. And the problem is they are also very good. It's not that they're these huge mammoth tree guys and they're not good. They're very good at what they do, and if you add pounds to anybody when they're already good, they'll be even that much better."
The equalizer for the Buckeyes might be their smallest defensive lineman, 6-3, 260-pound defensive end Nathan Williams. He plays the Leo spot, Ohio State's rush end position that also sometimes drops into coverage.
Two years ago, Williams had a shoulder injury and didn't make the trip to Wisconsin, and starting Leo end Thaddeus Gibson wasn't then a full-time player. On that last drive, the Buckeyes didn't have one of those quicker ends on the field, and they got overpowered anyway.
Last season, Ohio State attacked Wisconsin with quickness, playing Williams and Gibson together on nearly half the snaps and speeding past the Badger tackles on passing downs. That worked much better. But the Ohio State personnel this season doesn't allow them to play two Leo ends together as easily. So Williams will have to go it alone.
"It's not really a size thing, it's execution," Williams said. "You look at the guy across from you before the play starts and you challenge yourself to beat him every single play. ... It's like a game of chess. You have to be patient, and the things you do and the things you see and the things you feel on the field, a if you can play off and react to what you're trying to do, then good things will happen."
Two years ago, when it mattered most for the OSU defensive line, it wasn't so good.