PHOTO: Shawn Knapp
Penn State tailback Eric McCoo is tripped up by #34 Wisconsin defensive back Leonard Taylor Saturday.

By DON STEWART
Collegian Staff Writer

MADISON, Wis. -- One team was smelling the roses. The other was left with its face in the dirt.

No. 10 Wisconsin capitalized on superior special teams play, turnovers and mistakes to throttle No. 23 Penn State 24-3 Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium. The Badgers' victory, coupled with No. 15 Michigan's loss at No. 5 Ohio State, earned Wisconsin a share of the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl Jan. 1.

"The kids started two-a-day camps with one goal in mind, and that was to go to the Rose Bowl," an elated Badger coach Barry Alvarez said. "I think our staff did a tremendous job of using the strengths of this football team."

Wisconsin (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) will go to Pasadena for the first time since the 1993 season. Meanwhile, with its second loss in three games, Penn State (7-3, 4-3) continued its tumble down the rankings.

Early special teams miscues in the first 20 minutes of the game killed the Lions.

After forcing the Badgers to go three-and-out on the game's opening drive, the Lions used a 30-yard punt return by Bruce Branch to take possession near midfield. After driving to the 4-yard line, Penn State was driven back 25 yards by a personal foul called during a 3-yard loss by tailback Eric McCoo.

Place-kicker Travis Forney attempted a drive-salvaging 42-yard field goal, but the kick sailed wide right.

"We're down to the 4-yard line, we come away with no points," Lion fullback Mike Cerimele said. "How are you going to win a ball game like that?"

Wisconsin, which was then stopped on its next two drives, used special teams to get on the board first. Freshman punt returner Nick Davis fielded a Pat Pidgeon punt at his own 18-yard line, found a seam in front of him and then used a crunching block by teammate Donte King on Pidgeon to fly 82 yards for the score.

After Wisconsin's next drive stalled, Branch dropped a Kevin Stemke punt at his own 37-yard line, and King quickly recovered it.

Wisconsin capitalized on the miscue when quarterback Mike Samuel hit receiver Chris Chambers in the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown pass. The score put the Badgers ahead 14-0 early in the second quarter.

Wisconsin never looked back, adding a second-quarter field goal before finally allowing the Lions to score a 34-yard field goal in the third quarter. The Badgers quickly crushed Penn State's momentum, however, by unleashing a 15-play, 76-yard drive that ate up 7:18 and was capped by a Samuel 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

"Once we got that punt return, our offense just kept moving the football and moving the football," Badger linebacker Chris Ghidorzi said. "It was a lot of fun."

While the Badgers prepare for Pasadena, the Lions are left trying to salvage something from what has quickly become a disappointing year. They'll close out their regular season Saturday at Beaver Stadium against Michigan State in a must-win game for both teams.

After the game, a frustrated Penn State coach Joe Paterno was at a loss for an explanation for his team's downfall.

"Maybe it's just they're young," Paterno said. "You can make all kinds of excuses. It still comes down to the bottom line -- we got our ass kicked. I don't know how else to put it."

Penn State vs. Wisconsin