Big Ten Championship preview: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin

Buckeyes have won five straight games in series

Who: No. 8 Ohio State (10-2) vs. No. 4 Wisconsin (12-0)

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis

What: Big Ten Championship

TV/Radio: FOX/1410

Âť BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Barrett will play | Laser focus for Buckeyes | SFive storylines | Big Ten history | Rivalry history | Playoff possibility

Series history: Ohio State leads 58-15-5 and has won five games in a row and eight of the last nine. Ohio State won 30-23 in overtime last season in Madison, Wis. The Buckeyes beat the Badgers 59-0 in the 2014 Big Ten title game. Four of the last five games have been decided by seven points or fewer.

Last game: On Nov. 25, Ohio State won 31-20 at Michigan, and Wisconsin won 31-0 at Minnesota.

Coaches: Ohio State's Urban Meyer is 71-8 in his sixth season. Wisconsin's Paul Chryst is 33-6 in his third season.

Ohio State notes: The Buckeyes are 1-1 in Big Ten title games. They lost 34-24 to Michigan State in 2013 and beat Wisconsin in 2014. … Ohio State ranks fifth in the nation in scoring offense (43.8 yards per game). … J.K. Dobbins is 48 yards from breaking Maurice Clarett's freshman rushing record of 1,237 set in 2002. … Ohio State has won 36 Big Ten titles, the most of any school. … Defensive end Tyquan Lewis ranks eighth in school history with 21½ sacks. Defensive end Nick Bosa leads the team with 12½ tackles for a loss. Sam Hubbard ranks second with 10. … Meyer is 12-5 against top-five teams in his career.

Wisconsin notes: This is the fifth Big Ten Championship appearance for Wisconsin in seven years. It is 2-2 in previous games. It won in 2011 and 2012 and lost in 2014 and 2016. … The Badgers have not trailed in the fourth quarter this season. They have won 10 games by 14 points or more. … Jonathan Taylor leads the Big Ten in rushing yards (150.5 per game). … Sophomore quarterback Alex Hornibrook ranks 10th in the nation in pass efficiency and second in the Big Ten behind Ohio State's J.T. Barrett. He has 21 touchdown passes. … The Badgers are seeking their 15th Big Ten championship. … Starting with last season's Cotton Bowl, Wisconsin has won 13 games in a row. … Wisconsin allowed 10 points in its last three games.

Quoted: "We're obviously honored to represent arguably the best conference in America and arguably the toughest division in America in the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis," Meyer said, "and we're going to do all the best we can to go represent Ohio State and go play our best."

Prediction: Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 23

About the Author