BY MATT LEPAY
Voice of the Badgers

MADISON, Wis. — Given the challenge of the Badgers' football schedule, this appears to be the perfect time for a bye week. A chance for the players to recharge, and then have a few extra days to prepare for Ohio State.

Coach Paul Chryst plans to use the time in a similar fashion as he did prior to the season opener against LSU. They will hit the practice field Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The players will get away until Sunday evening, then it is onto another game week.

Some extra work could come in handy before the Buckeyes roll into town. The first two Big Ten opponents fit into the category of Old School. There are wrinkles, but generally speaking both Michigan and Michigan State love to pound the ball to set up the pass. Like the Badgers, they like to use a fullback.

Ohio State can be a bit different. Make no mistake, the Buckeyes can be physical. However, when people describe Urban Meyer's team, the first word you are likely to hear is speed. Actually, two words — speed and talent.

What OSU lacks in experience, it seems to make up for with those two terms. 

Offensively, the Buckeyes appear to be very good at getting opposing defenses to play in space, resulting in tough one-on-one matchups. Miss a tackle, and it is trouble.

They do have experience at quarterback. J.T. Barrett has started 21 games, and last week became the school's all-time leader in touchdown passes with 59.

Defensively, there is a grand total of one senior listed on the depth chart. That said, the OSU defense pitched a shutout last week against Rutgers. Through four games, it has given up only 37 points, 24 of those to Oklahoma.

Yet, the Badgers have played the more challenging schedule. They have won four of their first five. Sure, Michigan's kickers had trouble hitting field goals, but there is no doubt the Badgers would love to have a handful of plays back as well. In the passing game, big plays were there to be had. Make a couple of those plays, and the game easily could have changed. 

That is how football works. The previous week, Michigan State was in good position to drive down the field and tie the game in the third quarter. Then the Badgers forced a fumble, and Leo Musso returned it 66 yards to the end zone. The game changed.

Next week, the circus will come to town. Barring a loss to Indiana (it should be noted the Hoosiers have given OSU trouble in recent years), the Buckeyes will arrive in Madison ranked no lower than second in the nation, and talk will increase of Meyer's team returning to the College Football Playoff. 

We also will hear about the last time these two teams met, and how Ohio State hammered Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game.

Yet there is a lot to like about these Badgers. Through five games, they have served notice that they are not so bad either. And there is a decent chance they will spend next to no time being concerned about a game two years ago. This group seems to be focused on the here and now. How to continue to improve, and how to do everything they can to avoid the feeling they had on the ride home from Ann Arbor.

As a Badgers football fan, this is a good time to recharge yourself. Be ready, because the push resumes next week.