Badger Bits: Re-hyping Nebraska

The 2012 Wisconsin-Nebraska game may not be reaching the same levels of hype as the 2011 edition, but there is still plenty to be excited about.

By Louis Bien@louisbien Sep 27, 2012, 8:26am CDT

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Wisconsin came out of the 2011 Nebraska game the belle of the ball in college football. They delivered a pounding in a game that was hyped the moment the schedule revealed that the Cornhuskers would make their Big Ten debut at night in Camp Randall. Both teams were highly ranked, College Gameday came to town, State Street was swamped with red, an entire stadium did Jump Around, Wisconsin won 48-17 and "National Championship" was whispered as fans filtered out after Varsity.

One year later and the hype isn't nearly as palpable. The national consensus seems to be that Wisconsin is dead in the water against a Nebraska squad that is the class of the conference by default. The revenge angle is moderately intriguing, but really, a pair of disappointed 3-1 teams butting heads doesn't, and shouldn't, stir the loins of Joe College Football Fan for good reason.

But God dang it if I'm not excited. I still love what Nebraska brings to this conference, and that of all their budding rivals they may hate Wisconsin the most hated. I'm anxious to see what the ground game will do after looking improved against UTEP, and how well Joel Stave can complete a deep pass against a presumably more competent secondary. Some have gone so far as to suggest that Taylor Martinez may be the best quarterback in the Big Ten. I hope that silly notion is fully quashed by Sunday morning.

Two days to kickoff. Let's get the hype train rolling already.

HYPE LINKS:

Vince Biegel suffered a setback in his recovery from a broken foot, opening up the possibility of a medical redshirt.

Montee Ball is still on track for full clearance for Saturday's game.

How the Badgers ran and passed against UTEP.

The Journal Sentinel breaks down the scouting report on Nebraska.

SB Nation toured Nebraska's locker rooms and practice facilities: just iPads as far as the eye can see.

Corn Nation previews the game via podcast and typeface.

Land-Grant Holyland makes suggestions to fix the Big Ten Conference.

EDSBS says the conference's suckitude has little to do with oversigning in the SEC.

OTE says good riddance to Notre Dame.

Wrapping up: Nebraska has an obligatory crappy rap song.