Lines drawn in Big 10 matchup

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

When top-ranked Ohio State meets No. 18 Wisconsin on Saturday, the game almost certainly will be decided by a couple of precious yards — the ones between their respective offensive and defensive lines.

“Yes, it’s definitely a game that’ll be decided in the trenches,” Buckeyes safety Jermale Hines said. “Like I was telling our defensive linemen, ‘If you guys get blown off the ball, we’re going to have a long day. Period.”’

Indeed, not all the featured characters will be household names. Joining Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor, the key Buckeyes will be guys like J.B. Shugarts and Nathan Williams, while the difference-makers for Wisconsin will include Louis Nzegwu and Peter Konz.

“The trenches is where it will be,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. “The run game, certainly. Pass protection, for sure. Both sides. That’s where the game is won and lost.”

The lines, so to speak, are clearly drawn.

The muscular Badgers want to enforce their will on the Buckeyes by running when and where they want, punishing the defensive front with a five-man, 1,600-pound line trying to create daylight for guard-sized running back John Clay (listed at 248 pounds).

“They just love to pound the ball,” Ohio State defensive lineman Dexter Larimore said. “They are going to load the box up with as much meat as possible and just try to keep pounding and pounding. If you can’t control the line of scrimmage, it’s going to be all day, just running and running and running.”

Just when a team adapts to the bruising Clay, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema subs in freshman speedster James White, who can turn a sliver of space into a long run.

Bielema doesn’t foresee the Buckeyes changing a whole lot, though.

“I believe Ohio State really lines up and says, ‘We are going to do what we do defensively, and kind of react to everything else,”’ he said.

The Buckeyes intimidate a lot of teams, but they don’t expect to bully the Badgers.

“There’s a couple teams that have a couple good players on the offensive line, but I think this is the most complete line,” Ohio State defensive end Cameron Heyward said. “They run so hard and finish blocks very well. They’re some trees and they get so much push.”

The challenge for Wisconsin is to not invest everything in the run game. To win, the Badgers will certainly have to have quarterback Scott Tolzien have a good day through the air.