Badgers love traveling to Indiana

BLOOMINGTON, IN - Many people claim "adopted" home states or hometowns. You may not be from there originally, but maybe you have family there, worked there for a number of years, or feel a special connection to that place.

Maybe the Wisconsin Badgers should consider Indiana as their adopted home state. Let's face it, the Badgers own Indiana.

Saturday, Wisconsin knocked off the Hoosiers, 62-14; that makes eighth consecutive win against IU, and boosts its series lead to 39-18-2, including a 17-9-1 record in Bloomington.

More evidence? How about scoring differential. Over the last four meetings, Wisconsin has outscored Indiana, 235-69.

The Badgers also buried Purdue in West Lafayette, 38-14, on Oct. 13. Wisconsin leads that series as well, 41-29-8, with 18 of those wins at Purdue.

Ball State? 3-0 all time. Notre Dame? Only two games back and they haven't played since 1964.

How about last year? The Badgers went to Indianapolis and knocked off Michigan State at Lucas Oil Stadium in a 42-39 thriller. Saturday's win over IU gave Wisconsin the Leaders Division championship, earning it a second consecutive trip to the title game and a third trip to the Hoosier State this season.

Even the coaching staff has ties to Indiana. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada is from New Palestine, just outside of Indianapolis, and is a 1993 graduate of Indiana. Canada also spent seven years on the Indiana coaching staff.

Running backs coach Thomas Hammock was an all-state running back at Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne. On the current roster, freshman Jake Meador was an all-state lineman at Whiteland High School.

It's obvious this group has felt comfortable in Indiana over the years. They'd like that comfort level to continue on Dec. 1, when they take on the Legends Division winner in the Big Ten Championship game.

"We're glad to get back to Indianapolis," said running back Montee Ball, "The atmosphere there is great."