Scandal lingers as Penn State faces Wisconsin

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE

Watching the Penn State scandal develop from afar, Wisconsin football players have a difficult time imagining how they’d react if they were caught in the middle of a similar situation.

And they’re impressed with the way Nittany Lions players have handled it.

“I just give my heart out to the victims that were in the situation,” Badgers running back Montee Ball said. “With the players, I feel for them, but in a situation like that I’m sure they’re happy to play some football — and they’re doing a good job at it.”

There’s a game to play today, when No. 15 Wisconsin takes on No. 20 Penn State at Camp Randall Stadium. The winner clinches the Big Ten Leaders division and will take on Legends division winner Michigan State in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis next Saturday.

And while the child sex abuse allegations against former Penn State assistant Jerry Sandusky — which led to the firing of iconic coach Joe Paterno and rocked the entire school to its foundations — dwarf anything that might happen on a football field, Nittany Lions players still hope to salvage something from their season.

This week, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez urged fans to treat Penn State with “the class and dignity that is called for.” And Badgers players said they admire the way the Nittany Lions have played.

“Every good football team gets a chance to face adversity and what makes you a good football team is how you handle adversity,” Wisconsin offensive lineman Travis Frederick said. “You know, obviously, in the games they’ve played and things they’ve had going on, for them to handle it the way that they have, they’ve been playing well continually. That shows that they’re a good team and that they have good leadership.”

Penn State interim coach Tom Bradley made it known this week that he would like to be considered for the job on a full-time basis, but understands the reality that the school’s administration might want to clean house.

For now, Bradley is most worried about doing whatever he can to help this year’s team win a title.

“If I end up not getting the job, I can look back and say I gave everything I had to help those guys win a championship,” Bradley said.