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University of Minnesota Athletics
Blog: Opposing Viewpoint
10/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Each week during the football season, GopherSports.com will bring you the opposing viewpoint by talking to a member of the media who covers Minnesota's opponent for that week. This week, we're joined by Jim Polzin of the Capital Times in Madison, Wis.
Polzin has covered the Wisconsin football program for The Capital Times in Madison since 1999. Prior to that, he covered the Badgers as a student at the University of Wisconsin.
GopherSports: This is Wisconsin's first road game of the season. How do you think the Badgers will react to being on the road in a hostile environment for the first time?
Jim Polzin: I'm kind of curious myself. The Badgers have been great at home in recent years, but they've lost six of their last eight Big Ten road games. Plus, playing in the Minneapolis was never much of a road game in the past because there were almost as many Wisconsin fans as Minnesota fans in the Metrodome. Obviously, that won't be the case at TCF Bank Stadium. I really believe how a team plays on the road depends a lot on how the quarterback plays, and Scott Tolzien hasn't shown any signs of being rattled to date. But this is his -- and the Badgers' -- biggest test of the season to this point.
GopherSports: Have the Badgers prepared any differently for a trip to Minnesota than they might have in the past, with the knowledge they'll be playing at TCF Bank Stadium, as opposed to the Metrodome?
Jim Polzin: I don't think so. Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema is a strong believer in keeping the same routine. I'm know the Badgers were practicing with crowd noise blaring over the speakers at Camp Randall Stadium this week, but that's not uncommon before road games. I'm sure they'll make good use of the Friday walk-through, but beyond that I'm not sure there's much more they can do. It's something they'll just have to adjust to on Saturday.
GopherSports: Where do you rank the Gopher-Badger rivalry among others in college sports?
Jim Polzin: I'm biased, because it's the only one I've ever been around. But I think it's among the best. Having something tangible to play for like the Axe is great. One of the more entertaining parts of these games is the race to the other team's sideline to collect the Axe. I think another thing that makes this rivalry unique, especially this year, is all the ties between the programs. Guys like Kevin Cosgrove, Ronnie Lee, Tim Davis, Thomas Hammock and Kim Royston have been on both sides of the rivalry. I'm not sure you get that very often in other rivalries.
GopherSports: What or who has the Badgers' attention this week?
Jim Polzin: I think Eric Decker is No. 1 with a bullet on that list. UW did a great job on Michigan State's Blair White last week -- he only had one catch for eight yards -- but Decker will be more difficult to stop. The Badgers' secondary has had issues at times. If Decker has a big day, it will be a long day for Wisconsin.
GopherSports: Who do you see making the biggest impact on the game for each team?
Jim Polzin: I'm not sure if he will, but I think running back John Clay has to have an impact for Wisconsin to win. The Badgers' ground game has been inconsistent, and sooner or later that's going to come back to bite an offense that has overcome that issue to average 36 points per game. And this also doesn't really answer your question, but I'm anxious to see how Royston responds on Saturday. He'll have a lot of emotions brewing inside of him at 11 a.m. Will be too hyped? Or will he be so inspired that he has a big game in the Minnesota secondary? Should be interesting to watch.
GopherSports: What's the key to victory for each team?
Jim Polzin: I hate to state the obvious here, because you could say this every week, but I really think it will come down to turnovers. Wisconsin leads the Big Ten in both turnover margin (+5) and turnovers gained (12) this season. It's so difficult to win on the road if you turn the ball over more than your opponent, so I think that's the big key for the Badgers. If they win the turnover battle -- or at least stay even -- I think they have a chance to be 5-0 after this game. Minnesota, meanwhile, needs to put some pressure on Tolzien. He's only been sacked twice this season. Quarterbacks that are comfortable in the pocket can do a lot of damage, which has been the case with Tolzien through four games.
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