Wisconsin coach Brett Bielema is a throwback coach. He said he loves defense and power football.
So when No. 6 Penn State (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten) travels to Madison, Wisc., Saturday to face the Badgers (3-2, 0-2) at 8 p.m. in Camp Randall Stadium, the Nittany Lions will be facing a power running game for the first time this season.
"When it's a team like Wisconsin, they're gonna let you know where the ball's going. They're going to give it to those big guys right in front of you, and they're going to run it right at you," Penn State defensive lineman Josh Gaines said. "It's almost a man's game when you play against Wisconsin. They really test your manhood."
Much of the Badgers' offense is predicated on running backs P.J. Hill and John Clay, who both weigh more than 235 pounds, running behind the Big Ten's biggest offensive line, which averages 6-foot-5 and 319 pounds.
Wisconsin runs at the middle of opposing defenses, testing the defensive tackles. And after defensive tackles Chris Baker and Phil Taylor were dismissed from the team in August, the Lions were left with only three tackles with significant game experience.
But Gaines, who has split snaps between defensive end and tackle, said the defensive line has played well and should be fine against the Badgers.
"We still have guys that can come in and play. We still have guys you haven't seen yet, that can play anytime," Gaines said. "I'm not really sure the depth of the line is a problem. We've got a lot of guys across the board that can play anytime."
Joe Paterno said the Lions will need to use several linemen because Wisconsin's goal is to wear down opposing defenses. The Badgers run the ball on 64 percent of their plays, more than any other team in the Big Ten.
To help keep the line fresh, Paterno said the defense will have to employ a rotation to ease fatigue, or else the Lions' defense will weaken late in the game.
"This will be a real physical test for [the line]. No question about it," Paterno said. "Wisconsin is a very big, strong, well-organized, precise, experienced offensive football team. We've really got to have three or four guys inside, and three or four guys outside, because otherwise you can't hold it up. In the fourth quarter, they'll kill you."
Besides fatigue, the Lions will also have to deal with what Gaines called the toughest atmosphere he's played in. The Camp Randall crowd is considered one of the most raucous in the country and Penn State has lost its last two games there, only scoring three points per contest. The home team has won the last four games in the series.
The Badgers, though, had their 16-game home-winning streak snapped by Ohio State last weekend and are riding a two-game losing skid.
Bielema said while some of his team's preseason goals are no longer attainable, his players still need to play as if they're playing for a Big Ten title.
"There's an urgency to play good football," Bielema said. "I told the team this week, 'Yes, we're playing Penn State. But for us to be able to have success, we have to execute better at Wisconsin football, regardless of who we're playing.' "
