OSU, Wisconsin both have something to prove
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September 28, 2008 - 10:24PM
Jim Naveau
COLUMBUS - After Ohio State's 34-21 win over Minnesota on Saturday, quarterback Terrelle Pryor was talking about he and Ohio State had something to prove this Saturday at Wisconsin.
Little did he know that a few hours later Wisconsin would be feeling the same way after a stunning collapse allowed Michigan to beat the Badgers 27-25.
Suddenly, both teams in OSU's game at Wisconsin are on a path to redemption.
While many of his teammates claim, not entirely believably, that they don't pay attention to what is said or written about them, Pryor named names when he talked about being motivated to prove something.
"People like Mark May, he said, ?Let's see how he plays on the big stage. And we're going to see next week," the freshman quarterback said. "The media, ESPN people, sit there and talk stuff about our team and say we're dead. We'll find out this week who's dead."
Ohio State (4-1, 1-0 Big Ten) will play at Wisconsin (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) in a nationally televised night game. It is the first trip to Wisconsin for an OSU team since 2003.
Before the Badgers let a 19-point lead slip away in the final 18 minutes of their game against Michigan, many people viewed them as the favorite against the Buckeyes.
Ohio State was seen as still repairing the damage to its confidence brought on by a 35-3 loss to Southern California on Sept. 13.
But now the confidence issue might be more a Wisconsin issue than an OSU issue.
Wisconsin appeared to be in control against Michigan with a 19-0 halftime lead. The Wolverines were booed off the field at halftime by an unhappy crowd at Michigan Stadium after turning the ball over five times and gaining just 21 yards in the first half.
The second half was an entirely different story, though.
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