Buckeyes and Badgers play old-style football

ASSOCIATED PRESS

In these days of spread attacks, multiple receivers and the wildcat, there’s something downright throwback when Wisconsin and Ohio State collide.

Just like it has been the better part of four decades, it’ll be a slugfest in a Blackberry-and-Twitter era, a game of sweat and sacrifice dominated by 248-pound running backs and backhoe-sized linemen.

“We watched the film from last year’s game. It was something else,” Ohio State linebacker Austin Spitler said. “Guys getting thrown around, guys getting thrown to the ground every play. It truly is a street fight out there.”

So welcome back to the good, old days when the ninth-ranked Buckeyes (4-1) and the unheralded and overlooked Badgers (5-0) put unbeaten Big Ten marks on the line in a game that likely will be played a lot like Woody Hayes and Ron Dayne, Barry Alvarez and Chris Spielman would have played it.

Ohio State will be without noseguard Dexter Larimore, out with a sprained right knee. His teammates said they would miss him, but almost felt worse because such an intimidating lineman wouldn’t get to enjoy the mayhem.

“He’s just a big, physical player in a game like this you’d like to have,” Todd Denlinger said. “You’d hate to lose a guy like him any week, but a guy like Dexter you’d hate to see him go down when you’ve got a team like Wisconsin coming in. It’s a big game for us. I know he’d like to be out there.”

E. Illinois-Penn State

It’s not often Bob Spoo faces an opposing coach who has been on the sideline as long as his 22 years at Eastern Illinois.

He’ll be the youngster today when the Panthers visit Beaver Stadium.

Joe Paterno, Penn State’s iconic 44-year coaching veteran, and his No. 14 Nittany Lions welcome lower-division Eastern Illinois this weekend in a non-conference matchup that has all the makings of a blowout.

“You realize you’re going to have to play almost a flawless game,” Spoo said, “but there’s that ray of hope.”

Penn State (4-1) went on the road last week and rolled up 513 yards of total offense and 25 first downs last week in mashing Big Ten rival Illinois, 35-17. The ground game got back on track with 338 rushing yards against the Illini.

Oklahoma-Baylor

Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford came back to Oklahoma with a clean slate, hoping for a shot at another championship.

Time for Take 2.

Instead of the national championship, Bradford returns from a shoulder injury this week as the Sooners (2-2) turn their sights toward a fourth straight Big 12 title. It’s not the goal Bradford and three other stars had in mind when they skipped a shot at the NFL draft to come back to college, but who knows what lies ahead if Oklahoma can run the table in conference play as it has done three other times under coach Bob Stoops?

“With a Big 12 championship,” left tackle Trent Williams said, “comes another BCS shot.”

Nebraska 27, Missouri 12

Facing a double-digit road deficit after three quarters on a cold and rainy night, No. 21 Nebraska could have packed it in.

Instead, the offense that had been anemic took advantage of two big interceptions to help spur a 20-point scoring flurry over a little more than three minutes early in the fourth quarter, leading to a 27-12 victory over No. 24 Missouri on Thursday night. The game was not completed in time for Friday’s edition.

Zac Lee threw three TD passes in the decisive fourth quarter for Nebraska (4-1, 1-0 Big 12), outplaying counterpart Blaine Gabbert. The Missouri quarterback entered the game ranked fourth nationally in passing efficiency and leading the Big 12.