How they match up

When the BADGERS

have the ball

The Badgers’ ground-oriented offense averages 43.3 points a game, with three hard-charging and productive backs -- Montee Ball, James White and John Clay -- running behind a massive line. The biggest and best on that line is 6-foot-7, 327-pound left tackle Gabe Carimi, the Outland Trophy winner as the nation’s top lineman. He protects quarterback Scott Tolzien’s blind side and helps make the nation’s No. 12 rushing attack go. Carimi will have his hands full, though, with Texas Christian defensive end Wayne Daniels, a 6-2, 250-pound All-American who has 61/2 sacks for the nation’s top-ranked defense. Linebackers Tanner Brock and Tank Carder, plus safety Tejay Johnson, are other anchors in the Horned Frogs’ 4-2-5 scheme.

Edge: WISCONSIN

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When the HORNED FROGS

have the ball

As much as Wisconsin has gained notoriety for its scoring outbursts, TCU has an identical 43.3-point scoring average. Record-setting quarterback Andy Dalton is an accurate passer and a tough runner who provides a steady hand at the controls. Ed Wesley has rushed for 1,065 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. And the Horned Frogs also have receiver Jeremy Kerley, who can become a factor several ways. Ten of his 50 receptions have gone for touchdowns, as have two of his 16 runs. He’s also a dynamic kick returner. But Wisconsin has a playmaker of its own in the secondary, safety Aaron Henry, who has returned two interceptions and a fumble for touchdowns this season. Wisconsin’s defense usually bends -- it gives up an average of 323.5 yards a game -- but rarely breaks.

Edge: TCU

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Special teams

Kerley has averaged 28 yards on kickoff returns and 12.9 yards on punt returns. TCU’s Ross Evans has made 11 of 13 field-goal attempts and punter Anson Kelton has averaged 42.2 yards a kick. Wisconsin’s Philip Welch has made 15 of 19 field-goal attempts and punter Brad Nortman has averaged 42.8 yards a kick. David Gilreath has averaged 25.8 yards per kickoff return and 11.5 per punt return.

Edge: TCU

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Coaching

TCU’s Gary Patterson led the Horned Frogs to their second consecutive undefeated regular season and BCS bowl game. TCU is 5-4 in bowl games under Patterson. Wisconsin Coach Bret Bielema played for Iowa in the 1991 Rose Bowl. His staff is in flux: Defensive coordinator Dave Doeren is the new head coach at Northern Illinois and offensive coordinator Paul Chryst reportedly is being wooed by Texas.

Edge: EVEN

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Intangibles

Mountain West Conference champion TCU is trying to prove that it is not only worthy of being the first team from a non-automatic qualifying BCS conference to play in the Rose Bowl, but that it also should be considered for the national title. The Horned Frogs fared poorly in the Fiesta Bowl last year against Boise State. Wisconsin has performed well in the Rose Bowl, having won in its last three appearances (2000, 1999 and ‘94).

Edge: WISCONSIN

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

WISCONSIN

11-1, 7-1 Big Ten

Projected starters

OFFENSE

*--* POS. PLAYER NO. QB Scott Tolzien 16 RB Montee Ballor James White 2820 FB Bradie Ewing 34 WR Nick Toon 1 WR Issac Anderson 6 TE Lance Kendricks 84 LT Gabe Carimi 68 LG John Moffitt 74 C Bill Nagy or Peter Konz 7666 RG Kevin Zeitler 70 RT Ricky Wagner 58 *--*

DEFENSE

*--* POS. PLAYER NO. DE Louis Nzegwu 93 DE J.J. Watt 99 DT Patrick Butrym 95 DT Jordan Kohout 91 LB Mike Taylor 53 LB Blake Sorensen 9 LB Culmer St. Jean 15 CB Niles Brinkley 29 CB Antonio Fenelus 26 SS Jay Valai 2 FS Aaron Henry 7 *--*

Offensive leaders

PASSING

*--* CMP ATT YDS TD S. Tolzien 182 245 2,300 16 J. Budmayr 8 10 134 1 *--*

RUSHING

*--* CAR YDS AVG TD J. White 148 1,029 7.0 14 J. Clay 176 936 5.3 13 M. Ball 141 864 6.1 17 *--*

RECEIVING

*--* REC YDS AVG TD L. Kendricks 39 627 16.1 5 N. Toon 33 413 12.5 3 *--*

Big numbers

42

Average weight difference (in pounds) between the Badgers’ offensive line and TCU’s defensive line.

520

Points scored this season, a school record

Season results

*--* 9/4 at UNLV W, 41-21 9/11 vs. San Jose St W, 27-14 9/18 Arizona State W, 20-19 9/25 Austin Peay W, 70-3 10/2 at No. 24 Mich. St. L, 34-24 10/9 vs. Minnesota W, 41-23 10/16 vs. No. 1 Ohio St. W, 31-18 10/23 at No. 13 Iowa W, 31-30 11/6 at Purdue W, 34-13 11/13 vs. Indiana W, 83-20 11/20 at Michigan W, 48-28 11/27 vs. Northwestern W, 70-23 *--*

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

TEXAS

CHRISTIAN

12-0, 8-0 Mountain West

Projected starters

OFFENSE

*--* POS. PLAYER NO. QB Andy Dalton 14 RB Ed Wesley 34 FB Luke Shivers 48 WR Curtis Clayor Antoine Hicks 213 WR Jeremy Kerleyor Jimmy Young 8588 TE Evan Frosch 84 LT Marcus Cannon 61 LG Kyle Dooley 55 C Jake Kirkpatrick 76 RG Josh Vernon 78 RT Zach Roth 70 *--*

DEFENSE

*--* POS. PLAYER NO. DE Stansly Maponga 90 NT Cory Grant 57 DT D.J. Yendrey 94 DE Wayne Daniels 96 LB Tanner Brock 35 LB Tank Carder 43 SS Colin Jones 28 FS Tejay Johnson 3 WS Alex Ibiloye 9 CB Jason Teague 27 CB Greg McCoy 7 *--*

Offensive leaders

PASSING

*--* CMP ATT YDS TD A. Dalton 194 293 2638 26 C. Pachall 6 9 78 1 *--*

RUSHING

*--* CAR YDS AVG TD E. Wesley 162 1065 6.6 11 M. Tucker 144 694 4.8 7 *--*

RECEIVING

*--* REC YDS AVG TD J. Boyce 33 602 18.2 6 J. Kerley 50 517 10.3 10 *--*

Big numbers

11.4

Points per game given up this season, best in the FBS.

32

Average margin of victory, including back-to-back shutouts of Colorado State and Wyoming.

Season results

*--* 9/4 vs. No. 24 Ore. St. W, 30-21 9/11 vs. Tenn. Tech W, 62-7 9/18 vs. Baylor W, 45-10 9/24 at SMU W, 41-24 10/2 at Colorado St. W, 27-0 10/9 vs. Wyoming W, 45-0 10/16 vs. BYU W, 31-3 10/23 vs. Air Force W, 38-7 10/30 at UNLV W, 48-6 11/6 at No. 5 Utah W, 47-7 11/13 vs. San Diego St. W, 40-35 11/27 at New Mexico W, 66-17 *--*